Meet Bilįį Blackhorn, a junior at South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon. Bilįį also plays travel ball for Team Oregon and is Navajo and Northern Cheyenne. We caught up with Bilįį below to learn more about his experience as a Native lacrosse player and a student-athlete. Check out the Q&A.
Q&A with Bilįį Blackhorn
PNWNL: How did you first get involved in lacrosse, and what drew you to the sport?
Bilįį: I first got involved with lacrosse because of my grandma. She buys a lot of native movies, and one she bought was Crooked Arrows. I was at her house and was hooked by the movie and wanted to play from that moment forward. I got my first stick for my sixth birthday. It was a little STX fiddle stick, all plastic, but it was my favorite to play with for a long time. Ever since then, I’ve had a stick in my hand and played this game with passion.
PNWNL: As a Native high school lacrosse player in the Pacific Northwest, how do you feel your cultural identity influences your experience in the sport?
Bilįį: My cultural identity influences my experience in the sport because my culture influences everything. It’s a part of me; it’s my lens of how I view the world. Lacrosse is a part of that world. I play for a greater purpose and for the respect of the creator and myself. You give to the people instead of having the people give to you.
PNWNL: Being a high school athlete can be challenging. How do you balance your academic responsibilities with your commitment to lacrosse?
Bilįį: Lacrosse is my break from school, so I use my time in school and outside of it to focus and get my school work completed so I can go play lacrosse and not worry about school in the back of my mind.
PNWNL: Can you share how the cultural and historical aspects of lacrosse, known as the Medicine Game, resonate with you personally?
Bilįį: Playing for a higher purpose, someone else, or your community. My dad told me something very powerful about it. It’s like when you dance, u don’t just dance for yourself; you dance for others and those who can’t. It’s called the Medicine Game because it heals not only those who play it but those who can’t; it makes them feel good and makes the creator feel good as well.
PNWNL: Are there any Native lacrosse players or coaches who have been role models or inspirations for you? How have they influenced your journey?
Bilįį: First off, my parents, you can’t list influential native coaches without listing your parents. They give me the opportunities to play lacrosse and play at a high level for teams like Team Oregon and the Haudenosaunee Nationals Development Team. Other than them, though, I’ve only had one other native coach. His name is Koda-Wataka Robinson, and he coached me during club ball for a while; he highly influenced how I play and how I put myself out there. Not only is he a coach, but he’s like an older brother to me, always joking and getting on me when he needs to; a fun and stern coach who has by far been the best coach I’ve had so far.
PNWNL: What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced as a Native lacrosse player, and what achievements are you most proud of?
Bilįį: Some of the challenges I’ve faced as a native lacrosse player are mostly in my town. I play with coaches who prioritize whiteness and their kids over actual talent and dedication to the knowledge of lacrosse. I always have to do more and get held back by the decisions of these coaches. They also rely on our family to recruit native and brown kids in the area because they don’t know how to recruit them, apparently because they’re not white. In Oregon, it’s also a struggle to find kids to play with who look like you, which is why I was happy when I found out I was playing with one of my cousins during club ball. The achievements I’m most proud of have been playing for the Haudenosaunee nationals and getting an all-conference mention as a freshman.
PNWNL: How has your family, community, or tribe supported your lacrosse endeavors? What role do they play in your sporting life?
Bilįį: My family has always supported me and my endeavors. They always are trying to get me to play and do more. They help me get to the East Coast and help me get to practices in Portland. They are always filming me at games, watching me play, taking me to tournaments, and, overall, helping me and even going as far as to fundraise and help me gather money for the East Coast.
PNWNL: Looking ahead, what are your goals for both lacrosse and your personal development? Do you have plans to continue playing after high school?
Bilįį: My goals for lacrosse are to play in college—and maybe semi-pro or box after that. I always want to be around lacrosse even if I’m not playing; I’m always gonna find ways to be around the game; that’s how much it means to me.
PNWNL: What advice would you give to younger Native students who might be interested in taking up lacrosse?
Bilįį: Do it, go for it. Don’t be discouraged by the amount of white kids that play it; don’t let other people ruin it for you. If you want to play, play, and make the best out of it, you can. It heals your mind and spirit.
PNWNL: Finally, what does lacrosse mean to you, and how do you think it has shaped you as a person and as a member of the Native community?
Bilįį: Lacrosse means peace. I’m always in peace of mind when playing, always enjoying it and wanting to learn more. It has shaped me to be confident as a native lacrosse player and to be native unapologetically. To have this game is a gift, and don’t take it for granted. That’s all I have to say.
Check out his highlight reel here.
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