SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash.—The 2026 Tulalip March Madness Indigenous Basketball Tournament has been designated a national qualifier for The Native American Junior Nationals, organizers announced.
The Tulalip Boys & Girls Club is partnering with TRIBE Athletics SPORTS to make the tournament an official qualifying event for The Native American Junior Nationals, the largest Indigenous basketball tournament in the world.
The Tulalip March Madness Indigenous Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 27-29, 2026, and will be played at multiple venues in Tulalip and Marysville. The event is expected to draw hundreds of Indigenous basketball players from across the United States, with teams competing in co-ed, boys and girls divisions from first through 12th grade.
“Each March, the Club hosts its largest sporting event of the year, March Madness,” says Shane Pakuhoa, director of operations for the Tulalip Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of Snohomish County. “Over the past four years, this tournament has grown exponentially, and this year is no exception. The event will host upwards of 150 Indigenous teams over the course of three days, played across eight different venues, bringing families together while generating significant community and economic impact.”
Local and regional officials expect the national qualifier designation to elevate the tournament’s profile and boost visitation to the area.
“For the Tulalip March Madness Indigenous Basketball Tournament to be a national qualifier for The Native American Junior Nationals is a great opportunity for our community and the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club,” says Tammy Dunn, executive director of the Snohomish County Sports Commission. “We look forward to welcoming the youth basketball teams and their families to Tulalip and Marysville.”
Founded in 1997, the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club was the first Native club in the Boys & Girls Club of Snohomish County and the first Boys & Girls Club located on a reservation in Washington state. The club serves youth ages five to 18 through academic support, meals, and programs focused on leadership, healthy lifestyles, and skill development.
