Muscogee Nation Hosted Native All-State

By Morgan Taylor, Reporter

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – The Muscogee Nation was able to host the 2021 Oklahoma Native All-State Games on June 12.

MN Department of Recreation Program Development Supervisor Bryan McGertt said he threw the idea to the association about the MN hosting.

“They were real receptive,” McGertt said. “They did their research on, as far as the Recreation Department and liked what they saw, and we continued to talk and created a good relationship.”

McGertt also said the Muscogee Nation has been a big sponsor of the games in years past.

“It wasn’t foreign to them,” said McGertt. “There was already a relationship there, and we just took it a little further by offering our facilities.”

The tribe was to host in 2020, but all activities and events were canceled due to the pandemic.

“There are good years, and there are bad years,” McGertt explained. “Notably, 2020 was not a good year for the association, and they are on the rebound again, so for us to be on that cuff to help rebuild this thing and offer our facilities make me glad to be a part of it.”

“We set our sights on ’21, and here we are.”

The day kicked off with the cross-country 5k event in the morning, followed by a fast pitch girl’s softball game, both of which will take place at the Claude Cox Omniplex.

A baseball game was held at the Okmulgee High School baseball fields.

“We do not have a field for baseball, so Okmulgee School offered,” McGertt explained.

After the baseball and softball games concluded, the basketball games for boys and girls took place at the Mvskoke Dome.

During these events, a golf tournament also took place at the Muscogee Nation’s Fountainhead Creek Golf Course in Checotah, which kicked off simultaneously as the cross-country meet.

Once the events ended, a banquet with awards and honors was held at the Okmulgee High School Brock Memorial Gym that evening.

McGertt claims the banquet seated around 300 people.

Spectators and fans were encouraged to come to watch the events as they take place.

“We are highly encouraging people to come to be a part of the fan base,” McGertt said. “It’s the fans that make the experience for the kids.”

Mvskoke Media will update coverage with results of the competition.