More than 2,000 to compete in Piestewa games

By: Angelique Soenarie

FORT MCDOWELL - This summer, the 2007 Lori Piestewa National Native American Games might have even more participants than last year's games.

More than 2,000 participants are expected to compete in basketball, softball, track and field, cross country, volley ball and weighlifting, Thursday through Sunday.

Last summer, 1,788 participants from 16 states and Canada, ages 6 to 78, represented 56 tribes in the sporting event dedicated to Lori Piestewa, a Hopi from northern Arizona's Tuba City and the first Native American woman killed during combat in Iraq.

"It's the largest event in this country, and the only event of it kind in this country," said Erik Widmark, executive director of the Fullton Homes Grand Canyon State Games, which started what would become the Piestewa games six years ago.

"It's an important opportunity in honor of Lori. (And) not only Lori, but all fallen soldiers," Widmark said.

The games are open to all tribes. To compete, participants need to be at least one-fourth Native American.

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