Aaron Kie perhaps never has stood taller.

Kie, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound football offensive lineman, won first-team all-Sunflower League honors at Lawrence High last season. He signed with Haskell Indian Nations University last winter.

Still, Kie said just as meaningful was being selected for this year’s Native-American All-Star Game, which will be held Friday at Haskell Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

“As Natives, if we’re honored, we take it with all our heart,” Kie said. “It’s just a big honor to be with a bunch of Natives that care so much about the game.”

Kie finds himself in rare company as one of 61 players chosen for the game. The left guard is the only representative from Lawrence and one of only two players from Kansas.

He was picked from about 300 players who applied for entry in the showcase.

Game director and East assistant coach Jeff Bigger said more than football skills stood out on Kie’s application.

“To be here, it’s not all about football. It’s about being an outstanding human being,” Bigger said. “That’s one of the things that stands out with Aaron.”

A member of the Isleta/Laguna Tribe, Kie has enjoyed the opportunity this week to compete with all American Indian players.

“At Lawrence High, we only had three Natives on our team,” Kie said, “so playing with a team full of Natives is a lot different, but different in a good way.”

Aaron Kie runs through a drill during practice for the Native American All-Star Game. Kie worked out Tuesday at Haskell Indian Nations University. He is the only city representative and one of two Kansans on the rosters of Friday's all-star game at Haskell Stadium.

This week, Kie has been able to interact with many of his teammates on a personal level.

But he also has visited with opponents, too.

“I room with some teammates from the West side,” Kie said, “so there’s a little bit of bragging going on, and a little bit of trash-talking, but nothing really serious. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Kie said he had most enjoyed his team’s Tuesday practice in the swimming pool. But even that didn’t turn out to be all play for the all-stars.

“It wasn’t as fun as it seems,” Kie said with a laugh. “We ran in the pool, but we still got to swim and have fun and joke around with our teammates.”

Kie hopes for a big following Friday. Kie said his parents would attend and that his brother Drew was coming up from New Mexico. Kie also expects friends and teammates from LHS to show their support.

In order to cater to Kie’s high school following, Bigger announced that the game’s $8 tickets would be only $2 for those showing a high school ID.

Among the challenges this week for Kie has been conditioning. He said he hadn’t felt at top speed in the near-100-degree heat.

“It’s been a lot of running – more than I anticipated,” Kie said. “I haven’t really been working out as much as I wanted to be, but it’s nice because I’m getting back into playing shape.”

Bigger said the lineman showed his character when fighting through the heat Tuesday.

When some players from the East Coast started complaining about the Kansas humidity, Kie motivated them to be stronger.

“He was one of the first kids to step up and say, ‘Come on. Fight through it,'” Bigger said. “That’s leadership, and that’s something that stands out with him that we saw immediately.

“When you’re an outstanding young man and have leadership abilities, you’re going to go places.”