Southeast Woodlands Stickball Summit Honors North America’s Oldest Game

It was a rainy Saturday morning as representatives from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians stepped out onto the field at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park. Yet, despite the weather, the representatives were met with a loud cheer from onlookers and other delegation members.

Not even the rain could dampen the significance of what was happening.

For just the second time in over 200 years, Native Nations were returning to traditional Muscogee land in the heart of Atlanta to play one of the nation’s oldest games.

The Southeast Woodlands Stickball Summit was originally introduced by Atlanta Beltline Art in 2022 as a way to showcase the history, legacy, and future of the game to the public.

“Honoring Atlanta’s culture and history is at the heart of a lot of our arts and culture initiatives, as well as the Atlanta Beltline project as a whole,” said Atlanta Beltline, Inc.’s Director of Arts and Culture Amina Cooper. “Much of the Beltline is built on the traditional homelands of the Muscogee Creek and Cherokee peoples. It was important for us to recognize the historical significance and displacement of Indigenous Americans, and give a space for the Nations to be celebrated through our Stickball Summit.”

The event, which was organized in collaboration with Emory University’s Center for Native & Indigenous Studies, aimed to blend sport, education, and culture through free exhibition games.

“The summit provides a unique opportunity for tribal representatives and teams, community leaders, and supporters to come together, share their rich cultural heritage, and engage in the traditional sport of stickball,” said Beth Michel, Sr. Associate Director for the Center for Native and Indigenous Studies at Emory University. “Beyond the field, the event serves as a platform for discussions on cultural preservation, community development, and the celebration of the Southeast Woodland Nations’ diverse traditions."

Stickball has long been prevalent in Indigenous communities, with the gameplay and sticks being handed down from generation to generation. In addition to being a means of sportsmanship, stickball has also been played for mental health, medicine, and even political resolution.

As the first game began, members from both Nations took the field, while another representative took the mic to serve as a commentator and explain the rules of stickball. What followed was two 15-minute halves that were full of competition, skill, and most of all — joy.

“We personify everything as Native people,” said Lyle Thompson, star forward for the Georgia Swarm, Atlanta’s professional lacrosse team that also served as a supporter of the event. “...When you personify the game, and you treat it with respect, and you make sure you’re playing with a clear mind —not doing it with a distorted mind or an angry mind— and you’re having fun, that’s how you honor it.”

Though heavy rain caused the afternoon’s games to be canceled, the significance of the morning wasn’t lost on the crowd, which included young lacrosse players accompanied by their parents, residents from nearby Westview, and more, who left with a more thorough understanding and appreciation for the sport.

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The 2025 Southeast Woodlands Stickball Summit was sponsored by 285 LAX Inc., Georgia Swarm, and Southern Empire Leasing and was supported by the following Atlanta Beltline Art sponsors: Delta Air Lines and Norfolk Southern at the Gold level; Kaiser Permanente and Northside Hospital at the Silver level; Ponce City Market and Cox Enterprises at the Bronze level. 

This program was also supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This program was supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. This project was supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.