ANCHORAGE (Nov. 17) – The Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team will sport an exclusive look for its
ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout first-round game Saturday against No. 4 Utah, premiering its Nike N7 uniforms in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
The Seawolves will wear customized uniforms created by Nike, featuring a turquoise color symbolic of friendship and fellowship in Native American cultures.
"We are very honored to wear the Nike N7 turquoise jerseys on our biggest stage for the ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout, and during Native American Heritage Month," said UAA head coach
Ryan McCarthy. "We take great pride in representing our state, so to be able to honor Alaska's Native heritage in this way is extremely humbling. We have changed our Great Alaska Shootout from a tournament in Alaska to an Alaskan basketball tournament, and to have the N7 brand isn't just opening eyes to the program, but to the state. This helps kids understand what N7 is and what it is about. From villages with 100 people to our city of 300,000, this is incredibly important."
Led by Sam McCracken (Fort Peck Sioux), N7 represents Nike's long-time commitment and mission to inspire and enable two million Native American, Alaska Native and Aboriginal youth in North America to participate in sport and physical activity. All teams who partner with N7 wear turquoise uniforms during N7 games.
With more than 100,00 Alaska Natives representing five distinct cultures, UAA and Nike N7 are teaming up to leverage basketball as a way of showing youth that physical activity can have a profound effect on future generations. The N7 philosophy is inspired by Native American wisdom of the Seven Generations: In every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the seventh generation.
About Nike N7
Nike believes kids aren't meant to sit still, they're Made to Play. The N7 collection supports Nike's commitment to get kids moving through the N7 Fund, which supports organizations to provide sport and physical activity programming to kids in Native American and Aboriginal communities so that they can lead healthier, happier and more successful lives. Since its creation in 2009, the Nike N7 Fund has awarded more than $8 million in grants, administered by the Charities Aid Foundation of America, to more than 270 communities and organizations. Harnessing the power of sport as a unifying force, the N7 Fund helps kids reach their greatest potential and reflects Nike's belief in creating more equal playing fields for everyone.