Michael Slee made a terrible mistake as a teenager that cost him the respect of the community. Stickball, a traditional Cherokee sport in which there are almost no rules, helped Slee turn his life around.
“What a lot of the community sees,” said Slee, “is that once young men can turn that corner… whether they had an addiction to drugs or have been to prison, once they step out on that field, they are taking a positive step toward bettering themselves and becoming part of that community.”
Stickball played a critical role in helping Slee find his way back into the Eastern Band community.
For more about stickball, read The Little Brother of War by Tosh Welch, the coach of the Hummingbirds.