Colleges and universities across the nation offer scholarships to outstanding student athletes to entice them to attend their particular schools. That's not the case with tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). While they may be less expensive to attend, the tribal colleges usually don't have much of a budget for athletics. Still, student players attend and participate in sports if they are available, motivated perhaps by their passion for the sport or their desire to keep playing past high school. They show up, suit up, and find themselves in a culture that supports not only the team but also the individual and the ultimate goal of getting a college degree. This article describes how Blackfeet Community College (BCC) in Browning, Montana overcame the lack of a dedicated athletic budget or a gym for their basketball team; Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas waged a small battle to get more attention for their women's volleyball team; Salish Kootenai College (SKC) in Pablo, Montana worked with students who are parents and athletes; and how all the tribal collegiate athletic programs function under the philosophy of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium's (AIHEC) Athletic Commission: "Tribal colleges and universities endorse the value of athletics as part of a holistic education program. AIHEC-sanctioned athletic competition is a privilege with academics acknowledged as a first priority for our students."