ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Construction on two major projects is underway in St. Johns County that have been in the works for several years.

County leaders broke ground Friday morning on a new sports complex, a library and a community center are on the way to the Shearwater area, right off County Road 16A.

It is all a part of a more than $100 million initiative that started in 2019. The effort is to build four new regional parks and facilities, while renovating a fifth one in different parts of the county.

Parks and Recreation director Ryan Kane says the investment addresses a big demand. 

“I want to speak slightly for the youth sports organizations that are really looking forward to coming out here and getting out in utilizing the fields, the athletic fields,” Kane said. “The communities, I met with the Shearwater community, probably 18 months ago and talked about the needs and wants. They are excited about what is coming forward and now they see it happening and their backyard.”

The St. Johns County Tournament Complex is going to have eight rectangular fields. Five of them will be artificial and three of them are going to be grass fields.

There will also be a track, playground, and multipurpose fields for sports like soccer and football. The complex costs roughly $38 million to build.

A few hundred feet away from the sports complex is going to be the Central Community Park.

That is going to include the community center, a library, basketball court, multipurpose field and playground.

There will also be a splash pad, eight pickleball courts, climbing tower and a skate spot.

Manuel Salguiero moved across the street a year ago. He is on board with the investment as he says his 5-year-old son will utilize the upcoming facilities. 

“He loves playing at the playground,” Salguiero said. “We are still introducing him to sports, but now he has the opportunity. It brings good attention to the community. It will bring other families to the community and it just keeps the kids out of trouble because they have plenty to do.”

News4Jax met Sarah Strayhorn who was out walking her dogs, Lilo and Stitch, early Friday morning ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony.

Strayhorn also has been living across the street from the construction for a year and is looking forward to everything opening up for business.

“I love to read,” Strayhorn said. “I love a library. It is perfect that it is in the neighborhood. There is so much residential buildup, I feel like it is really important to have these community spots.”

Tim Connors is project manager for the county’s parks and recreation department.

Connors says all the projects need to happen as St. Johns County continues seeing significant growth.

“There has been an increased demand for our recreational facilities across the county, north and south,” he said. “Our existing parks and field were really stressed and stretched for capacity. It limited access for youth leagues and sports organizations, adult recreation. These new facilities, the sports plex primarily, is going to provide that much needed space and modern amenities to support these local sports groups, as well as regional tournaments moving into the area as well.”

“Residents are looking forward to it as a place to go and just enjoy the weekends with their kids,” Connors said. “Our youth organizations are looking forward to it to be able to expand some of their programming and offerings to the community, and kids will get into those youth sports. Our tourism industry is looking forward to it by bringing in more tournaments to the area, getting larger-scale recreational and sports tournaments.”

Connors says the plan is for both of these areas to be open for business by early 2027.

BATON ROUGE – LSU Soccer Head Coach Sian Hudson and her staff added two signees to the class of 2025 this spring. Daniela Hellin and Lila Jaillet will join the Tigers this upcoming fall. 

A native of Valencia, Spain, Daniella Hellin adds additional experience on the international stage for the Tigers, having played for the prestigious club of Valencia CF. She’s consistently been around Spain’s youth national teams, including appearing on the Spain U17 National Team, and looks to continue her already impressive career as a Tiger on the collegiate stage. 

“Daniela is a creative and intelligent attacking midfielder who thrives in tight spaces and always seems to find the right solution,” said Hudson. “She brings valuable experience from the Spanish youth National team setup and has the ability to break teams down whether she’s taking players on or playing the decisive pass. She will be a real problem for opposition defenses.”

Hellin is one of the most exciting prospects out of Spain and has been with the first team squad at Valencia this past year. The midfielder has been through every age group at the club, competing with and against some of the brightest talents Spain has to offer, including traveling to Europe and East Asia while representing Valencia CF.

“I am looking forward to being a part of this great program and to contributing as much as possible to help my team,” said Hellin. “I see a very united team with a lot of room to progress together.”

The second addition to the fall squad is a prominent defender out of Marietta, Georgia, Jaillet is a captain of both her club and high school teams and a great leader, she recently led her HS team to their first Georgia High School Association (GHSA) 6A State Championship. She earned first-team all-state, all-region, all-county and defensive MVP honors during her high school career at George Walton High School. 

“Lila is a versatile and athletic defender who brings both grit and composure to our back line,” added Hudson. “She’s a great competitor with the tools to strengthen our defensive unit and add depth to our backline immediately.” 

The incoming freshman has spent 12 years playing club soccer for Tophat in Atlanta, Georgia, where she started and played every minute of 27 games this season.

Jaillet is ready to bring her experience to the collegiate stage. “I chose LSU for its coaching staff, team culture and the amazing athletic facilities. I am excited to compete on the pitch at the highest level, building lifelong friendships with my teammates, and hopefully bring home an SEC Championship,” added Jaillet.

Stay up to date with all things LSU Soccer by following our team’s social media channels @LSUsoccer on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Shirin Shirzad could talk for hours about the violence and sexual harassment suffered by female athletes. A former wrestler and coach of the national wrestling team in Iran (2013-2018), she had to go into exile in Europe due to threats she received after denouncing the abuses suffered by her athletes. “During my years as an athlete and a professional in Iran, I was a constant target of intimidation, discrimination and psychological abuse. I was silenced many times for speaking out against injustice. I also received unwelcome comments from senior officials, and when I refused their advances, they dismissed me and kept on harassing me,” she told Equal Times.

The former coach denounced the sexual harassment suffered at least once by all the female athletes on the Iranian national team and the abuses she herself witnessed on a daily basis. One of her colleagues, a married female coach, used to receive video calls at 4 a.m. from a senior coach. She reported it to the federation, but she was the one who ended up being sanctioned.

After leaving Iran, she felt safer when speaking publicly about the abuse. When she gave her first interview on Iran International TV and other media outlets critical of the regime, she immediately received threats. “They said they would send me back to Iran in the worst way possible,” she explains. A polyglot with a PhD in health and sports sciences, Shirzad had to live in hiding in a remote village in Scandinavia for years. “I still receive insults on the internet to this day. But I continue to make TV appearances because I think it’s important to tell the truth.”

In Iran, the harassment of female athletes is systematic and usually comes from coaches and officials. Rozita Aemeh-doost reported the sexual abuse that she and other teenage players had endured. Shiva Amini, a former indoor football player, is living in exile after reporting sextortion by senior officials. Elham Nikpay accused a manager of abusing minors in a swimming pool where a girl was also murdered – in connection with the abuse of female athletes. And Golnar Vakil Gilani, former president of the polo federation, reported the threats made by a vice minister to broadcast private images.

Most victims do not report the abuse, out of fear, and those who do are often punished, while the perpetrators enjoy total impunity. There are no safe or independent channels for reporting abuse, and the structural barriers are ever present. “The system is designed to silence women, not to support them,” says Shirzad.

Afghanistan is another example where there is institutionalised abuse of female athletes, with the victims facing reprisals, stigmatisation and no access to justice. Haley Carter, a former US marine and footballer, was an assistant coach for the women’s national team (2016-2018) and reported sexual and physical abuse by officials, including the federation’s president, Keramuudin Karim, who was suspended for life by FIFA in 2019. After the arrival of the Taliban in 2021, Carter helped evacuate female players and today advocates for women’s rights through Orlando Pride (NWSL).

“Afghanistan has a terrible record when it comes to protecting female athletes from abuse,” she explains. Allegations of sexual contact outside marriage can have fatal consequences, which explains the silence of many victims. During her time in the country, there were no effective mechanisms for safe reporting.

“When we tried to report it to the Asian Football Confederation, they replied that they would only accept the complaint if it came from the president or general secretary – the very people who were committing the abuse,” says Carter. Following the arrival of the Taliban in 2021, the women’s national football team burned their uniforms and deleted their social media accounts. “It was the beginning of a systematic campaign to erase women from public life. Today, they are banned from sports, a rights violation that exists in no other country,” she denounces.

Shortly after taking power, Taliban official Ahmadullah Wasiq banned women from sport on the grounds that their uniforms would “expose their bodies too much”. Girls have since been deprived of the right to education and, by 2023, 80 per cent of school-age girls were not in the education system. Women are also banned from public spaces such as parks, gyms or sports clubs. The exclusion of women from employment is estimated to be costing the country US$1 billion a year, which is five per cent of its GDP.

In a gym in central Istanbul, 17-year-old Yağmur Nisa Dursun trains men twice her age and size in kickboxing. The daughter of national trainer Yilmaz Dursun, she has everyone’s respect. “I started because of my father, when I was very young. I didn’t want to at first, but then I saw other girls training and I was a bit envious,” she explains.

More than half of the gym’s clients are women. “As there are many cases of gender-based violence in Turkey, they mainly come here to learn how to protect themselves,” she says. Dursun receives comments on social media such as “one punch and you’re down”. “These are comments that belittle women… They do it because they feel inferior. It’s a form of harassment. That’s human misery. One of her students is a 50-year-old woman with a restraining order against her ex-husband: “She is getting divorced and wants to become a black belt.”

Turkey has not ratified ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, which includes sports. And women’s rights have been rolled back under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. In 2004, weightlifters Sibel Şimşek, Aylin Daşdelen and Şule Şahbaz reported their coach, Mehmet Üstündağ, for sexual and physical harassment, prompting an official investigation. They accused him of inappropriate touching, sexual remarks and assault. Daşdelen also held him responsible for the 1999 suicide of her teammate Esma Can. Üstündağ was removed from his post, and the case marked a turning point in the fight against abuse in sport, highlighting the need for effective reporting mechanisms and institutional support for victims.

In 2021, Erdoğan also withdrew Turkey from the Istanbul Convention. The young and slight Yağmur Nisa Dursun relies only on herself and her rapid defence technique for protection. “It’s very difficult to go far in combat sport in Turkey. There is also huge lack of opportunities for us as women. Women need more financial and psychological support. Now that I run my own gym I am more at ease. I want to be an example for all women. Maybe in the whole of Turkey.” The young woman feels that returning to the Istanbul Convention and respecting Convention 190 would “save lives”.

Neither states nor sporting bodies are stepping up to the plate

“In world sport, the scale of abuse and harassment is overwhelming, and the failure of sporting institutions to respond makes implementing ILO Convention 190 an urgent need that cannot be ignored,” Matthew Graham, head of UNI World Players, the union representing 85,000 sports professionals in 60 countries tells Equal Times.

In the Middle East, Africa and Asia, women athletes face structural violence including sexual harassment and legal and social exclusion, with documented cases in Pakistan, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Kazakhstan. In Pakistan, for example, cricketer Halima Rafiq committed suicide after reporting sexual harassment and being accused of defamation. Although some countries have launched awareness campaigns, none have effectively implemented Convention 190 in the field of sport. A hopeful, contrasting case of empowerment through sport can be found in the Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon, where a basketball project has enabled over 150 girls to escape abusive environments.

Matthew Graham notes that in regions where athletes lack labour rights, his union organisation works with the Sport & Rights Alliance to support survivors and to apply pressure. “In one significant case, we helped propel international action on the abuse scandal in basketball in Mali, which led to an external investigation after years of institutional denial.”

He nonetheless points out that states and sporting bodies are still not stepping up to the plate, even when it comes to implementing Convention 190. It is “the athletes’ unions and civil society who are leading efforts to make the world of sport deliver on its promise to be a safe and inclusive environment for all”.

Achieving such an environment in sport remains a challenge in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. As Shirin Shirzad warns, “Iranian women and sportswomen are completely alone, because the Islamic Republic does not recognise and respect women’s rights in its legal system. Signing a document is not enough to bring about real change.” She proposes measures such as including women in decision-making, banning men’s teams from competing internationally if women’s participation is not guaranteed, establishing independent reporting mechanisms and firmly punishing perpetrators. “Outside pressure is essential,” she insists.

Haley Carter, for her part, underlines the importance of coupling Convention 190 ratification with effective implementation (using the specific mechanisms foreseen in the convention). She underlines the importance of ensuring independent reporting mechanisms, allowing victims direct access to international bodies, protecting whistleblowers and exerting economic pressure through bodies such as the IOC, which, she says, should exclude the Taliban from the Olympic movement. She is calling for emergency protocols, “teams in exile” and clandestine networks to support athletes in repressive contexts. At the same time, she reminds us that “individual acts of bravery can drive systemic change. That unwavering spirit gives me hope”.

During the Paris 2024 Olympics, sprinter Kimia Yousofi defied the Taliban ban and competed for Afghanistan. “I represent the stolen dreams and aspirations of Afghan women,” she said.

Shirzad also finds hope in “the courage of Iranian women who, even in the darkest of times, continue to resist and show the world that we deserve a better life. When one woman dares to speak out, many others are inspired to raise their voices too. That gives me the strength to continue. We, the women of Iran, will rise again one day, like the phoenix. And yes, one day we will live a normal life.”

In 2024, Human Rights Watch (HRW) submitted a report to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls in sport, documenting the systemic, global and persistent nature of acts ranging from sexual harassment, physical and emotional abuse to institutional reprisals against whistleblowers, with examples from countries such as Afghanistan, Mali, China, Japan and Uganda. HRW recommends, among other measures, ratifying and implementing ILO Convention 190, adopted on 21 June 2019.

In early 2026, the ILO is set to convene a meeting of experts on the application of fundamental principles and rights at work and on violence and harassment in the world of sport, at which UNI World Players will be representing workers. “We hope it will serve as an opportunity to build on the standards and provide much-needed guidance in this area,” concludes Graham.

Instead of a 60-foot by 220-foot tent that was destroyed in Wednesday’s storm, catering, the stage and auction items will be under a 40 x 80 tent, and attendees will sit under the shade of trees.

This year’s event has been the most challenging to organize due to the weather, but Scott Griffith, planning committee member, said “an army of people,” which includes two local football teams, is working hard to make sure it goes well.

“I’m just so proud of the group of people who are putting this on that said, ‘Hey, we are stronger together,’ ” Griffith said.

The funds raised at the event will support a wide range of initiatives, including student scholarships, leadership programs, and essential community services throughout Clark County and beyond.

The event raised $100,000 last year, with each nonprofit receiving $33,000. That was down compared to $129,000 in 2023 and $123,000 in 2022. About $25,000 was raised in 2021, the first year of the fundraiser.

The New Carlisle Rotary Club, founded in 1972, supports local schools, students, teachers and citizens through programs like Positive Behavior Intervention Support, as well as local groups and organizations like the New Carlisle Library, Quest Boy Scouts of America, Period Kits Ohio and the Salvation Army.

Tecumseh Strong, formed in 2019 after Tecumseh student Collin Griffin lost his battle with cancer in 2018, is focused on building leadership within the Tecumseh Local Schools and athletic community. Funds benefit student-athletes at the high school with scholarships, youth sports programs and leadership activities, as well as offering free opportunities for youth football and cheer.

The Barrett Strong Foundation, created in 2019 in memory of Barrett Fitzsimmons who was diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer when he was 6 years old, focuses on supporting pediatric cancer research, the hospital department that treated him, and families with children facing cancer. Funds also provide scholarships for Clark County students and support the Ronald McDonald House of Dayton.

The fundraiser’s auction will include online and live items, like jewelry from Heart of Ohio Antiques, a bourbon experience and a $15,000 value shower or bathroom remodel from Bath Masters. Food will be a steak dinner from grass-fed cows at the farm.

For more information, visit the website at www.strongertogether.one and the Stronger Together Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StrongerTogetherClarkCounty.

(WLUK) — From sporting events to highway departments, everyone in Northeast Wisconsin is keeping a close eye on this weekend’s extreme heat.

With a trio of consecutive days of temperatures in the 90s, it’s expected to be the hottest three-day stretch in the region since July 2012.

The Sites sisters, who play soccer, worked out with their personal trainer Thursday, fully aware of what hundreds of young soccer players will go through this weekend when they take to the pitch in 90-plus degree heat.

“It takes a toll on your body. I think it’s great that kids get to go out and play in this, and they have the opportunity to play, but it’s going to be tiring for sure, and your body is going to be worn out by the end of the weekend,” said Briana Sites.

The USA Youth Sports Complex in Appleton will welcome 260 teams this weekend for its Summer Shootout: Kickin’ for a Cause tournament.

“This is a popular end-of-season tournament, ironically for Minnesota teams. For Wisconsin, generally the season is over already, so tryouts have started. So there will be a large amount of people from out of state. Mostly Minnesota teams and our local clubs,” said Eric Gebhard, one of the tournament organizers.

The extreme heat is something tournament organizers are keeping a close eye on. They anticipate shortening game times and taking at least one extra water break per half during each game. Mature trees on site, along with tents, should help to offer some shade too.

“Additionally, we’ll have two cooling stations set up if players experience heat-related illnesses. And what that it is, it’s basically two ice baths and cold towels in a dark room where they can cool off,” said Gebhard.

Many people will likely seek refuge from the heat at a pool this weekend.

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De Pere Parks and Recreation is preparing to keep their swimmers, as well as their team of lifeguards, safe.

“We’re making sure that we’ve got our umbrellas for UV protection and sun protection for staff. Coordinating our break times and making sure rotations are happening super promptly. and then just making sure they’re getting out and monitoring staff to make sure that they’re not getting dehydrated or overheated while they’re on the deck,” said Recreation Supervisor Chelsea Moberg.

Medical professionals say the best thing you can do in the heat is to stay inside in the air conditioning. If you have to be outside, make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids — and not the alcoholic type.

Wear lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothing. Seek shade and try not to overexert yourself.