Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives and Tribal Adaptive Organization, two non-profits that have long partnered to promote health and wellness among young Native Americans, announce our 2022 Tribal Adaptive Student Athlete of the Year Scholarship winners. The Scholarship Awards recognize a top male and a top female Native American student-athlete with a physical disability.
Tribal Adaptive Student-Athlete of the Year Scholarship Awardees
The young people selected for the 2022 awards will each receive a $1,500.00 scholarship and a custom-designed award plaque, made possible by financial support from Eve’s Fund. A virtual award ceremony was live-streamed on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6 p.m. Mountain Time and may be viewed on the Tribal Adaptive Organization’s Facebook page at: https://fb.me/e/2i1ALaQm7. (Please note: you do not have to be a Facebook user to access this link.)
The awards recognize the students’ hard work and perseverance in overcoming obstacles to achieve their potential, both as athletes and students, redefining the possibilities for individuals with physical disabilities. They were selected for their success in the classroom and in the competitive arena as well as their future potential. These young people are inspiring examples for others to follow and they will be considered ambassadors for the Missions of Tribal Adaptive Organization and Eve’s Fund in Indian Country and wherever their futures take them.
We hope you will take the time to “meet” our two impressive and inspiring honorees and hear their stories on the recorded video above and read their biographies below.
2022 Tribal Adaptive female student athlete scholar
Starla Martinez, 2022 Tribal Adaptive Female Student Athlete of the Year Scholar
The 2022 Tribal Adaptive female student-athlete honoree is Starla Martinez, a 20-year-old Navajo woman from Shiprock NM. She is Tábaahá (Water’s Edge Clan), born for Ta’neeszahnii (Tangle Clan). Her maternal grandfather is ‘Áshiihi (Salt Clan) and her paternal grandfather is Nihoobáani (Gray Streaked-Ends Clan). Starla was injured in an auto crash when she was four years old, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. She began playing wheelchair basketball in 2019 with the Tribal Adaptive Thunderbirds team and showed excellent development as a player and a teammate and is a fierce competitor on the court. Starla was chosen for this year’s Tribal Adaptive Student-Athlete Scholarship Award for her amazing persistence in completing her high school education and achieving enrollment at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. She accomplished all of this during the Covid 19 pandemic when she lacked adequate access to the Internet and other important resources. Starla’s professional goal is to enter the medical field and help other Native Americans with disabilities. After a year or two more of training with the Tribal Adaptive Organization, her goal is to transfer to the University of Arizona and play wheelchair basketball for their prestigious women’s team.
2022 Tribal Adaptive male student athlete scholar
Gianni Quinter0, 2022 Tribal Adaptive male Student Athlete of the Year Scholar
Gianni Quintero is the 2022 Tribal Adaptive male student-athlete honoree. A 14-year-old high school student from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he is affiliated with the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin. Gianni caught an upper respiratory virus in September of 2014 that paralyzed him from his hip down in the left leg, at which point he started playing wheelchair basketball. Gianni is now in his eighth season playing ball for the Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA). Over the past eight years, his WASA team won a national championship, and also took second and third place. Last year, Gianni was selected MVP of the regional tournament for wheelchair basketball. Gianni commenced his track and field career in the spring of 2022 with the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, and qualified for junior nationals, taking first place in javelin and discus and first place in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter and 800-meter. This year he is playing wheelchair basketball for the WASA varsity team and will also play D2 for the Wisconsin Thunder. This coming spring, he will begin his high school track and field career with Marquette University High School in Milwaukee. Gianni’s goal is to play wheelchair basketball at the college level and eventually for Team USA.
Meeting the needs of physically and mobility impaired Native American Student-Athletes
Although the number of college adaptive sports programs is increasing overall, one population that is often overlooked are physically and mobility impaired Native American student athletes. We anticipate that these inaugural awardees will inspire other Tribal Adaptive athletes—especially graduating high school seniors —to seek out adaptive sports programs at the college level.
Eve’s Fund will strive to do our part and we are excited about our expanding partnership with Tribal Adaptive Organization. In announcing the second Tribal Adaptive Student-Athlete of the Year Scholarship, Eve’s Fund has made a commitment to sponsor these awards on an annual basis, and we hope to increase the number of of yearly scholarship winners over time. We are confident that the generosity of the Friends of Eve’s Fund will make this possible! Please click here to find out how you can help.
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