For the first time since the lower Kenai Peninsula organized a Native Youth Olympics Games program, it hosted its own invitational over the weekend at Homer High School.

Mark Gordon is the coach of Homer’s NYO Games team, the Homer Halibuts. He said NYO Games is an ongoing program that’s free for kids to participate in. It’s relatively new to Homer, though the games themselves have been going on for about 40 years. They are traditional Native games that are open to both Native and non-Native students in grades 1-12.

The City of Homer Community Recreation Department hosted the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games as an NYO Games invitational last Friday and Saturday in conjunction with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe. Teams from as far as Wasilla and Chickaloon were there, as well as peninsula competitors and students from Port Graham on lower Cook Inlet.

Gordon said on Saturday that it felt ecstatic to finally have an invitational on the lower Kenai Peninsula.

“My goal is to get Seldovia, Port Graham, Nanwalek and Homer, as an area, to play the traditional games,” he said.

Homer’s team has 26 kids involved in the program and practicing. Practices are held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For more information, contact Gordon at 614-588-2699 or mgordon@gsbooks.us.

Results are as follows:

Kneel Jump

Junior Girls — 1. Anastasha Wilde, Salamatof; 2. Aurelia Zimin, Chickaloon; 3. Jalyn Yoeman, Kenaitze; 4. Layla Harrison, Chickaloon; 5. Kiana Kroto, Chickaloon.

Junior Boys — 1. Marcus Hunt, Ninilchik; 2. Onyx Allen, Ninilchik; 3. True McGovern, Team McGovern; 4. Frank Rabbit, Kenaitze; Isiah Kroto, Chickaloon.

Senior Girls — 1. Kya Ahlers, Kenaitze; 2. Leila Kell, Chickaloon; 3. Tierra McGovern, Team McGovern; 4. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon; 5. Nora Andrews, Team Seward.

Alaska High Kick

Junior Girls — 1. Ana Wild, Salamatof; 2. Keisha Connor, Team Seward; 3. Jenna Yoeman, Kenaitze; 4. Aurelia Zimin, Chickaloon; 5. Jalyn Yoeman, Kenaitze.

Junior Boys — 1. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 2. True McGovern, Team McGovern; 3. Isiah Kroto, Chickaloon; 4. Jaxon Sagoonik, Kenaitze; 5. Olin Liljemark, Team Seward.

Senior Girls — 1. Ashlen Malchoff, Port Graham; 2. Leila Kell, Chickaloon; 3. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon; 4. Bella Darby, Team Seward; 5. Nora Andrews, Team Seward.

Senior Boys — 1. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 2. Elijah Gordon, Homer; 3. Tommy Cronin, Team Seward; 4. Kevin Schuster, Team Seward; 5. William Wilson.

Scissor Broad Jump

Junior Girls — 1. Grace Fleming, Team Seward; 2. Keisha Connor, Kenaitze; 3. Aurelia Zimin, Chickaloon; 4. Kimberlee Butler, Salamatof; 5. Kiana Kroto, Chickaloon.

Junior Boys — 1. Frank Rabbit, Kenatize; 2. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 3. Tristian Demlow, Ninilchik; 4. Elio Stuvie, Salamatof; Nick Fleming, Team Seward.

Senior Girls — 1. Robin Cronin, Team Seward; 2. Emilee Wilson, Kenaitze; 3. Tierra McGovern, Team McGovern; 4. Nora Roberts, Team Seward; 5. Chloe Lastimosa, Team Seward.

Senior Boys — 1. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 2. Elijah Gordon, Homer; 3. Tommy Cronin, Team Seward; 4. Malachi Joseph, Port Graham; 5. Levi Rickard, Ninilchik.

Indian Stick Pull

Junior Girls — 1. Keisha Connor, Kenaitze; 2. Mylee Yoeman, Kenaitze; 3. Laura Butler, Salamatof; 4. Ashana Ivanoff, Kenaitze; 5. Shelby Strange, Team Strange.

Junior Boys — 1. Tristian Denlow, Ninilchik; 2. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 3. Silas Ronnegard, Homer; 4. Marcus Hunt, Ninilchik; 5. Landon Pe’a, Team Seward.

Senior Girls — 1. Jayna Ekelmann, Chickaloon; 2. Kya Ahlers, Kenaitze; 3. Denali Bernard, Salamatof; 4. Taylor Rickard, Ninilchik; 5. Kyra Anderson, Ninilchik.

Senior Boys — 1. Elias Moonin, Port Graham; 2. Malachi Joseph, Port Graham; 3. Andrew Wilson, Kenaitze; 4. Samiel Wilson, Kenaitze; 5. Remy Cobble, Team Seward.

Two-foot High Kick

Junior Girls — 1. Athena Johnson, Wasilla; 2. Jenna Toeman, Kenaitze; 3. Kiana Kroto, Chickaloon; 4. Grace Fleming, Team Seward; 5. Rowan Matney, Homer.

Junior Boys — 1. Olin Liljemark, Team Seward; 2. Ethan Pe’a, Team Seward; 3. Onyx Allen, Ninilchik; 4. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 5. Isiah Kroto, Chickaloon.

Senior Girls — 1. Emilee Wilson, Kenaitze; 2. Kya Ahlers, Kenaitze; 3. Nora Andrews, Team Seward; 4. Leila Kell, Chickaloon; 5. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon.

Senior Boys — 1. Tommy Cronin, Team Seward; 2. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 3. Elijah Gordon, Homer, 4. William Wilson, Kenaitze; 5. Jayden Pe’a, Team Seward.

Wrist Carry

Junior Girls — 1. Grace Fleming, Team Seward; 2. Mylee Yoeman, Kenaitze; 3. Evie Zimin, Chickaloon; 4. Kiana Kroto, Chickaloon; 5. Mariah Kroto, Chickaloon.

Junior Boys — 1. Olin Liljemark, Team Seward; 2. Marcus Hunt, Ninilchik; 3. Aiden Allison, Ninilchik; 4. Dakota Butler, Salamatof; 5. Nick Fleming, Team Seward.

Senior Girls — 1. Kenai/Salamatof, Emilee Wilson, Judah Eason and Kya Ahlers; 2. Ninilchik, Kyra Anderson, Grace Moto and Levi Rickard; 3. Kenai/Salamatof, Savanna Wilson, Denali Bernard and Kya Ahlers; 4. Chickaloon, Leila Kell, Trillium Kell and Jakob Harrison; 5. Port Graham, Ashlen Malchoff, Tristan Moonin and Malachi Joseph.

Senior Boys — 1. Kevin Schuster, Judah Eason and Elijah Gordon; 2. Andrew Wilson, Judah Eason and Kya Ahlers; 3. William Wilson, Denali Bernard and Kya Ahlers; 4. Tommy Cronin, Judah Eason and Jakob Harrison; 5. Remy Cobble, Judah Eason and Jakob Harrison.

Eskimo Stick Pull

Junior Girls — 1. Jayden Sanders, Salamatof; 2. Aurelia Zimin, Chickaloon; 3. Ella Stefan, Team Seward; 4. Athena Johnson, Wasilla; 5. Emma Evans, Chickaloon.

Junior Boys — 1. Ethan Pe’a, Team Seward, 2. Tristian Denlow, Ninilchik; 3. True McGovern, Team McGovern; 4, Josiah Gordon, Homer; 5. Frank Rabbit, Kenaitze.

Senior Girls — 1. Arianna Moonin, Port Graham; 2. Leila Kell, Chickaloon; 3. Denali Bernard, Salamatof; 4. Tierra McGovern, Team McGovern; 5. Melanie Hopkins, Kenaitze.

Senior Boys — 1. Samiel Wilson, Kenaitze; 2. Gage Moto, Ninilchik; 3. Jayden Pe’a, Team Seward; 4. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 5. Elias Moonin, Port Graham.

One-foot High Kick

Junior Girls — 1. Athena Johnson, Wasilla; 2. Anastasha Wilde, Salamatof; 3. Jalyn Yoeman, Kenaitze; 4. Kimberlee Butler, Salamatof; 5. Jenna Yoeman, Kenaitze.

Junior Boys — 1. Frank Rabit, Kenaitze; 2. Olin Liljemark, Team Seward; 3. True McGovern, Team McGovern; 4. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 5. Elio Stuvie.

Senior Girls — 1. Robin Cronin, Team Seward; 2. Emilee Wilson, Kenaitze; 3. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon; 4. Nora Andrews, Team Seward; 5. Savanna Wilson, Kenaitze.

Senior Boys — 1. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 2. Tommy Cronin, Team Seward; 3. Malachi Joseph, Port Graham; 4. Elias Moonin, Port Graham; 5. Elijah Gordon, Homer.

One Hand Reach

Senior Girls — 1. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon; 2. Ashlen Malchoff, Port Graham; 3. Kya Ahlers, Kenaitze; 4. Nora Andrews, Team Seward.

Senior Boys — 1. Elijah Gordon, Homer; 2. Judah Eason, Salamatof.

Arm Pull

Junior Girls — 1. Emma Evans, Chickaloon; 2. Keisha Connor, Kenaitze; 3. Aurelia Zimin, Chickaloon; 4. Jayden Sanders, Salamatof; 5. Chloe Jacko, Salamatof.

Junior Boys — 1. Ethan Pe’a, Team Seward; 2. Axel Coxwell, Kenaitze; 3. Josiah Gordon, Homer; 4. Beckett Mellen, Homer; 5. Tristian Denlow, Ninilchik.

Seal Hop

Junior Girls — 1. Mariah Kroto, Chickaloon; 2. Kiana Kroto, Chickaloon; 3. Evie Zimin, Chickaloon; 4. Rowan Matney, Homer; Jalyn Yoeman, Kenaitze.

Junior Boys — 1. Timothy Hedrick, Salamatof; 2. Olin Liljemark, Team Seward; 3. True McGovern, Team McGovern; 4. Isiah Kroto, Chickaloon; 5. Tristian Denlow.

Senior Girls — 1. Emilee Wilson, Kenaitze; 2. Trillium Kell, Chickaloon; 3. Ryann Esteban, Port Graham; 4. Leila Kell, Chickaloon; 5. Nora Andrews, Team Seward.

Senior Boys — 1. Judah Eason, Salamatof; 2. Kevin Schuster, Team Seward; 3. Jayden Pe’a, Team Seward; 4. Elijah Gordon, Homer; 5. Remy Cobble, Team Seward.

Brothers Elias Moonin (left) and Tristan Moonin (right) compete in the Eskimo Stick Pull during the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games invitational Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Malachi Joseph of Port Graham competes in the Eskimo Stick Pull on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games invitational held at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Chloe Lastimosa, 13, steadies her target before participating in the one-foot high kick Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

William Wilson, 13, performs the one-foot high kick Saturday, March 30, 2019 during the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games held at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Sonya Ivanoff, 8, participates in the Eskimo Stick Pull during the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games invitational Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)