Jerry and Terry Tuckwin were given the Jim Thorpe Award during the Fourth Annual Jim Thorpe Native American 5k National Championship held in Albuquerque June 18. Special thanks to Larry Cole for submitting the photograph to the Potawatomi News.
June 28, 2011 –
MAYETTA: Jerry Tuckwin and his wife, Terry were recently honored by receiving the Jim Thorpe award that is given to individuals who have dedicated their lives to promoting health, fitness, education, sports/athletics, and healthy lifestyles among Native communities. The couple was honored during the Fourth Annual Jim Thorpe Native American 5k National Championships sponsored by The Native American Sports Warriors Track Club (Sports Warriors TC) and Native Re-Vision.
A press release from the Sports Warriors Track Club said that Tuckwin and Terry were both recognized for providing guidance and support to hundreds of Haskell students. Jerry is a former educator, coach and athletic director at Haskell Indian Junior College/Nations University having worked there for 32 years. Over 40 former track athletes, many who had been Jerry’s students at Haskell, attended the awards ceremony. Tuckwin was also inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 along with Warner A. “Tony” Coffin, another PBPN member, who received the award posthumously.
The 5k run drew over 230 athletes from more than 45 tribes throughout the U.S. and Canada. Proceeds from the race will go towards funding the Sports Warriors Track Club that promotes physical and mental wellness through clinics, camps, special events. Funds will also be used to compete at sanctioned USATF National Championship races. The next championship race for the Sports Warriors will be the USATF Club Cross-Country Championships, to be held this December in Seattle, Washington. For more information about the Sports Warriors Track Club and the 2012 Native American 5k National Championships, please contact SportsWarriorsTC@aol.com.