Michael Phelps perhaps said it best when he observed, “You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.”
But you don’t have to be an Olympian to make the most of the tremendous benefits sports offer. After all, it’s not just about the sport.
Kailey Walela understands this at a deep level. She experienced personal transformation through youth sports, and now she is supporting Zuni youth in their own journeys.
Although Kailey was born in Zuni, her father was in the U.S. Army, so her immediate family moved around quite a bit during her childhood. They returned to Zuni after stints in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest, when Kailey was 12.
She says her tween self was happy to be back with extended family, and to go through middle and high school with the same classmates, yet she also notes that she didn’t have a lot of confidence as a kid.
That changed through school sports. Kailey played basketball as an eighth grader at Zuni Middle School, and she went on to play basketball all four years at Zuni High School.
After her 2022 high school graduation, Kailey opted to stay in Zuni, taking a job in Gallup, New Mexico. She also searched for a way to contribute to her community, ultimately finding the right outlet at ZYEP.
Kailey says she participated in Summer Camp as a child and played in the youth basketball league a couple of times. As a young adult, however, she felt drawn to the youth sports leagues for a different reason: She was ready to take on a leadership role.
In 2023, Kailey applied to be a basketball coach in ZYEP’s annual league. She loved it so much, she returned again in 2024.
This year is her third season with the league. She will be one of the 45 community coaches of all ages who are responsible for coaching and mentoring 200 children in two divisions, Shiwi for ages 7-9 and Zuni for ages 10-12.
Kailey, now 21, has worked with all ages over the years and says she loves them all. She clearly is looking forward to the new season.
“Basketball was so important for me as a kid, because it taught me to have confidence,” she explains. “That was life-changing, and now I get to pass that on.
“It’s more than a sport to me,” she continues. “Not only do I get to give back to the kids and see them grow, it also shows me that I’m capable of teaching them.”
The 2025 season officially kicks off on March 24 and runs until May 16. Coaches will guide their teams every step of the way as they develop their basketball skills along with confidence, teamwork and friendships.
“We are a family,” Kailey says. “From Day 1, we tell the kids, teammates don’t bring each other down. No one is above anyone else. We’re here to learn together and support each other.”
During the basketball season, players also learn how to care for their bodies through nutrition, hydration and exercise. They have opportunities to learn and use the Zuni language, as well — with instruction occasionally coming from the stands.
“One time, our families put messages on cards that the players could see, and the words were in Zuni,” Kailey remembers with a smile. “That was so cool, because it encourages the kids to speak the language.”
Family engagement is important to Kailey. Not only can family members assist with resolving any issues involving their young players, such involvement leads to increased connection and trust all around.
Kailey says she learned this when she was coaching a team in ZYEP’s flag football league, a role she has held for two seasons to date. She also learned that when families, coaches and players bond, their time together becomes even more fun.
“Our team arranged a parents-versus-players matchup,” she remembers with a laugh. “All the other teams were saying, ‘We wish our coaches would’ve thought of that!’
“We all become so close, and that is a main highlight of the coaching experience for me,” she continues. “Having parents, siblings and other family members there — it has a real impact on all of us.”
When Kailey isn’t busy working or coaching ZYEP basketball or flag football, she enjoys playing in a basketball league for older players and coaching her younger brother, who plays basketball for Zuni High School.
She also has discovered a love for weightlifting. She says she picked it up during a difficult time in her life, and like basketball, it is a pursuit that continues to nourish her.
“I love pushing myself,” she explains. “It eases my mind. And in a way, it’s a lot like life. It’s not meant to be easy. You have to work for what you want.”
It’s a life lesson she hopes her youth players also absorb, but above all, she wants them to have fun.
“This is something for them to look forward to, especially since not everyone can play at school,” Kailey says. “The kids’ smiles and laughter say it all. When they’re having fun, they come out of their shells, and I love getting to see another side of them.
“I know how I feel when I exercise and play sports, so I can imagine how they feel,” she adds. “Happy.”
Kailey says she doesn’t relish free time without a sense of purpose, so she is grateful to ZYEP for giving her opportunities to grow and thrive as a leader.
“I love using my time well, making it worth something,” she says. “ZYEP is so inspiring. They have given me responsibility, they have trust in me, and they have been able to motivate me so I can do that for someone else.”
