On this week’s episode of The Indy, host Alexandra Goldberg explored the ancient origins of the Oaxacan sport pelota mixteca and its strong community in Santa Barbara.

Pelota mixteca originated thousands of years ago in Southern Mexico. Once played deep in the mountains of Oaxaca during Spanish rule, with the independence of Mexico came a revival of the sport— now a prominent pastime for the region. When groups migrated to the United States in the 1980s, they brought their intricately crafted and adorned pelota mixteca gloves with them and formed teams all over California and Texas.

In Santa Barbara, the team gathers every Thursday for a traditional game of pelota mixteca with their friends and family at Santa Barbara High School. But, the patch of dirt they play on is too small and uneven. The players wish two things: to get a bette ...