Cass Lake’s Nakomis Mitchell arrived at Bemidji State University this fall with her college essentials, including her golf clubs. She also brought something very few Bemidji State students have: hardware from the prestigious North American Indigenous Games.

Held on July 15-23 in Halifax and Dartmouth, Novia Scotia and the province’s Kjipuktuk, Sipekne’katik and Millbrook First Nations, the North American Indigenous Games drew over 5,000 athletes and coaches from 750 Indigenous nations throughout the United States and Canada. Beach volleyball, badminton and golf were just a few of the 16 different sports represented. Traditional Indigenous competitions like archery, canoe racing and lacrosse are also staples of the games, which are held every four years.

First held in 1971, the games have changed names and formats over over time, but the celebration of Indigenous athletic competition has remained the same over its entire 52-year history.

A Cass Lake-Bena High School girl’s golf team stand-out and member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Mitchell earned her chance to compete in the games’ 19U female golf event after first qualifying at Tianna Country Club in Walker before recording the lowest score in her division at Hinkley’s Grand National Golf Club.

Mitchell was introduced to the sport in elementary school by her parents, and nurtured into the golfer she is today by competing with her brothers every chance she could.

“I basically grew up with the sport,” she said. “Playing with my brothers made me want to practice more, hit like them and get better at golf.”

After three days of stiff competition against some of North American’s top Indigenous golfers, and battling heat, humidity and dense fog, Mitchell found herself tied for second place after 54 holes and looking at a sudden-death playoff for the silver medal.

“I knew I had to stay focused and think of it as just another hole,” she said. “It was emotional round of golf for me knowing it would be the last time my dad, who has been my coach for the last six years, would be coaching me at this level.”

She came out ahead, and her silver medal looks great next to the bronze one she brought home from the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto as a member of the 2014 Team Minnesota 14U girls’ basketball team.

Her finish in Novia Scotia capped an impressive high school golf career for the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers. The six-time letter winner and two-time Minnesota state tournament participant is continuing her golf career on the BSU women’s golf team this fall.

“I’m super excited to add Nakomis to this incoming class,” said Erica Gartner, head coach for the Beaver women’s golf team. “It’s always great to add local talent and Nakomis has represented Cass Lake well over the years. I can’t wait to see how she does here at Bemidji State.”
Mitchell certainly has a promising future for the Beavers. No matter where her golf career goes from here, though, she recognizes the significance of having competed on one the Indigenous community’s largest athletic stages.

“The experience was something I’ll never forget,” she said. “From the opening ceremony to the medal presentation, it was an honor to represent my community, state and reservation.”

By Eric Sorenson