STANDING HEAD; Commentary: Beyond the scoreboard, youth sports offer lessons that last a lifetime | Sports
The scoreboard will fade, trophies will gather dust, and memories of buzzer-beaters and game-winning goals will blur with time. But for the millions of youths who lace up cleats and step onto fields each season, the lessons learned in youth sports can shape a lifetime. In today’s hypercompetitive world of travel teams, private coaching, and […]
The scoreboard will fade, trophies will gather dust, and memories of buzzer-beaters and game-winning goals will blur with time. But for the millions of youths who lace up cleats and step onto fields each season, the lessons learned in youth sports can shape a lifetime.
In today’s hypercompetitive world of travel teams, private coaching, and year-round schedules, the original purpose of youth sports is often overshadowed by a win-at-all-costs mentality. While there’s nothing wrong with chasing victory or celebrating achievement, the true value of youth athletics lies beyond the final score.
Twenty years from now, few will remember who led the team in scoring. But they will remember who was kind, who worked hard, and who kept showing up even when it was tough.
That message rings especially true in an era where high school athletes are increasingly pushed toward elite paths, chasing dreams that are statistically out of reach. According to data from the NCAA, fewer than 2% of all high school athletes in the United States will go on to play professionally. Here’s a breakdown of the odds from ncaa.org:
Football: About 7.5% of high school players compete in college, but only 1.6% of those make it to the NFL, roughly 0.1% overall.
Baseball: Roughly 7.3% of high school players advance to the NCAA level, with around 9.9% eventually playing professionally, including the minor leagues, giving them a 0.5% chance from high school.
Men’s Basketball: Just 3.5% play college ball, and only 1.2% of those make the NBA — a slim 0.03% chance.
Women’s Basketball: With 3.8% playing collegiately and only 0.8% of them reaching the WNBA, the odds drop to about 0.03%.
Men’s Soccer: While about 5.7% play in college, professional conversion rates remain similarly low.
The reality: Roughly one in 100 high school athletes will ever play professionally. And among those who do, even fewer will build a sustainable career at the highest levels.
But if the odds of turning pro are slim, the odds of learning something meaningful are nearly guaranteed.
Does that mean sports is fruitless? Not by any measure. Through practices, games, wins, and losses, youth athletes develop resilience, teamwork, humility, and leadership. They learn how to support others, accept criticism, and bounce back from setbacks. These traits, not stats, often determine success later in life, on or off the field.
When kids walk away from sports, what matters isn’t how many medals they won, it’s whether they learned to overcome adversity and how to be good people along the way
While major sports leagues face growing criticism for corruption and commercialism, local leagues still thrive on community spirit. In small towns and neighborhood parks, volunteer coaches pour their time into helping kids grow, not just play.
These moments — a shared ride home, a pre-game pep talk, a lesson learned in defeat — are what define youth sports at their best.
So yes, cheer for the star players. Celebrate the goals and home runs. But don’t forget the quiet kids giving their all, the teammates helping others up, and the ones showing up not just to win, but to grow.
Because someday, the games will end, and what will matter most isn’t how they played, but who they became because they played.
Albany mayor and progressives owe ex-DA Soares an apology
After yet another epic weekend of teen gun crime in Albany, local Democrats are implicitly admitting that longtime District Attorney David Soares was right after all — a year after the party machine ousted him for refusing to shut up about how state “reforms” fuel the violence. Amid generally slamming overbroad criminal-justice changes for New […]
After yet another epic weekend of teen gun crime in Albany, local Democrats are implicitly admitting that longtime District Attorney David Soares was right after all — a year after the party machine ousted him for refusing to shut up about how state “reforms” fuel the violence.
Amid generally slamming overbroad criminal-justice changes for New York’s rising crime, Soares relentlessly fingered the Raise the Age law for teaching teens all the wrong lessons — angering the Legislature’s leaders enough that they got the Albany party to deny him the party line in last year’s election.
The 2017 Raise the Age law upped the age of criminal responsibility to 18 — mandating that nearly all 16- and 17-year-olds, even those charged with violent offenses or caught with loaded guns, go to Family Court and so walk right out with barely a slap on the wrist.
Now, after teen shootings left 10 wounded and (thanks to a flare gun) set a house ablaze, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan is echoing Soares: “This is not about needing more youth basketball,” she fumed. “These are some of the hardest kids to reach.”
Albany is “flooded with guns,” she declared last month after two teens were shot near the Governor’s Mansion.
“At what number will the body count be enough to prompt action?” Soares asked after two fatal shootings in 2023.
Two years later, the body count continues to rise.
And the carnage will continue unless and until Democrats representing communities plagued by youth gun crimes demand an end to the Legislature’s failed criminal-justice experiments.
Youth Sports: Swim Clubs Rejoice for Start of Season After Eaton Fire’s Destruction | Sports
Little was spared from the Eaton Fire’s rampage in January, but what remained in its aftermath was a pool of hope for young swimmers from local clubs that lost everything, suffered extensive damage or both. The fire had consumed the Altadena Town and Country Club clubhouse, leaving members searching for a replacement facility. And while […]
Little was spared from the Eaton Fire’s rampage in January, but what remained in its aftermath was a pool of hope for young swimmers from local clubs that lost everything, suffered extensive damage or both.
The fire had consumed the Altadena Town and Country Club clubhouse, leaving members searching for a replacement facility. And while the Gerrish Swim & Tennis Club mostly survived the fire’s destructive march, much of its infrastructure, furniture and other supplies had to be rebuilt or replaced, forcing the club’s closure for months.
For club swim coaches Steve Bergen and Brady Lowdermilk, it took a massive and collaborative effort to make the Crest League swim season happen this summer. The ultimate goal for both programs was to bring a sense of normalcy to the community, especially to the youth.
All the effort and work paid off when the Gerrish and Altadena met in a league swim meet at Flintridge Prep on June 7. Altadena, led by Bergen — who has managed the Dolphins for more than two decades — served as the “home team” against Lowdermilk and Gerrish in the clubs’ first swim meet of the season. This year, the Dolphins will be looking to continue their league dominance and win a 32nd straight title under albeit taxing circumstances.
Regardless of outcome, the clubs celebrated a victory one way or another: kicking off the swim season.
“What we wanted to do was offer this opportunity to kids to make it feel like normal,” said Bergen, who also coaches the swim program at Mayfield Senior School. “We have kids who go to Saint Mark’s who lost their home, who lost their school, who lost their church. They lost everything.”
Prior to diving into the pool, swimmers from the clubs came together for a photo. Swimmers represented in the photo either lost their homes, were displaced from them, or were somehow affected by the fire.
Participating swimmers are as young as 3 and as old as 17. The two clubs have the most swimmers competing in the league. Combined, the clubs make up more than half of the league’s swimmers. Bergen said Altadena is home to nearly 160 swimmers, while Lowdermilk noted that Gerrish has more than 110 team members.
Swim teams from the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, the Glendale Oakmont Country Club, and the Pasadena Valley Hunt Club join Altadena and Gerrish to make up the Crest League. In years past, Altadena hosted all Crest League swim meets during the seven-week season. This summer, Altadena has been on the road for every meet.
Altadena has served as the “home” team twice, hosting one meet at Pasadena Polytechnic and one meet at Flintridge Prep where the club practices. All teams will convene at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center on July 19 to conclude the season in an all-league meet.
“No pool, no problem. Just getting this is a win,” Bergen said.
GERRISH MEMBERS PITCH IN TO REOPEN CLUB
The reopening of Gerrish was in limbo for some time following the fire. As the face of Eaton Canyon beared the burn scars left from the fire, Gerrish’s facilities remained largely intact but completely disheveled. The club’s offices, computers, speaker system and electrical control panels were mainly “fried,” Lowdermilk said. Though the pool was “ugly,” it was “workable,” he added.
“The buildings were there, but everything in the building was a disaster,” said Lowdermilk, who also coaches the St. Francis High School swim team. “It needed either a deep clean or all new stuff inside of it.”
It took round-the-clock cleanup and restoration efforts spearheaded by club director Annette Ricchiazzi to get Gerrish reopened on June 1, said Lowdermilk, who acknowledged that the club might not have reopened at all had it not opened in time for the summer.
In one instance, Ricchiazzi and other club members spent the day opening up boxes of patio furniture. Ahead of the club’s reopening, Lowdermilk said Ricchiazzi and her daughter worked until 4 a.m., getting just an hour of sleep before returning to open the doors.
“Really, she busted her tail to get that done and more than once called in all the members to see if they can come help,” said Lowdermilk of Ricchiazzi’s reopening efforts.
As of July, the only thing not fully operational at Gerrish is its café. Kids who had not seen their friends since last summer were running around the pool laughing and playing, Lowdermilk said.
“Everybody was just so happy,” said Lowdermilk of the return to the pool. “I had a parent who has never been on the team before come up to me to just give me a big hug. … He was just so grateful for the opportunity for his kids to be able to come and do this.”
For Gerrish, the return to some form of normalcy comes in the form of a Thursday potluck — a weekly tradition that normally outlines the upcoming swim meets. Upon its reopening, however, Lowdermilk just wanted potluck guests to reflect on the journey back to the club’s pool.
“The first time we did it was just kind of like, ‘Let’s all just pause and appreciate what we’re doing right now,'” Lowdermilk said.
“And it was great. It was great.”
ALTADENA’S SEARCH FOR A POOL
Along with the clubhouse, Altadena’s pool supplies and gadgets were lost in the fire. That included the club’s new digital scoreboard and the entire computer system, as well as swimsuits, kickboards and other swimming supplies.
“We had to start all over,” said Bergen, who has been leading the Altadena swim team for 25 years.
For Altadena, Bergen and the swim club committee collaborated to find a pool around the area to get the team to practice. Dave Szamat, chairman of the Altadena swim club committee, said there was a lot of back and forth after the long search for a replacement facility began shortly after the fire. He and former committee chair Ian Wong emphasized the need to keep the Dolphin swim program alive while clubhouse restoration was under way.
From Caltech to Occidental College, Bergen and the club finally landed practice time at the pool at Flintridge Prep in early May, Szamat said. Since landing at Flintridge Prep, Bergen said school administrators have been really accommodating to the club, setting up patio tables and chairs for the team to use during practice.
“We’re extremely appreciative of the Flintridge Prep administration, as well as Pasadena Poly, which let us swim this past Saturday, and all the facilities that have opened the doors to our families,” said Bergen.
Though the Altadena clubhouse was reduced to ashes in January, its pool and tennis courts remain intact, albeit in subpar conditions. Bergen said the club is working to refurbish the pool to get it running, but it won’t be in time for the rest of the swim season. Plans to reopen the swimming pool and tennis courts are slated for Labor Day weekend, he said.
And while Altadena is being restored, Szamat had nothing but praise for the club’s efforts to find a place to practice.
“I think coach Steve has done an incredible job this season,” said Szamat, who has been a member of the club since 2018 and has served as committee chair since March. “We’ve only lost 30 kids from last year, which, in light of everything, is a great turnout for us. We’re just hoping the Dolphin team will have another successful year.”
Szamat, whose family is still displaced from their home since the fire erupted Jan. 7, has two daughters on the Altadena swim team. Their home is one of the few standing structures left in the neighborhood located north of the clubhouse.
“The hardest part for all of us in Altadena — and I’m not just talking about the country club people, I’m talking about everyone — is losing what I think is an incredible community and losing the diversity that Altadena has,” Szamat said. “… That’s been the hardest part. Losing your sense of home. Losing your sense of being.”
DOLPHINS TUNE UP FOR LEAGUE TITLE
The quest to stretch Altadena’s league winning streak starts at practice at Flintridge Prep, and on June 23, Bergen and his coaching staff were addressing some of the team’s shortcomings from its previous meet over the weekend.
Swimmers began practice conducting breathing exercises to warm up. Later in the session, coaches helped swimmers refine techniques in various methods, such as the butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke.
The change in practice venue has taken some getting used to for Westridge School junior Pip de Csepel and recent San Marino High graduate Evan Bruno, but the goal of winning a league title remains the same.
“It’s definitely strange because I don’t have this sense of home because I grew up at the club,” said de Csepel, whose family was displaced by the fire until April. “It was like my second home.”
The Westridge junior considers the club to be family — the swimmers her cousins and parents her aunts and uncles. She had been swimming at Altadena since she was 5 and currently works as a lifeguard for the club. Swimming at different country clubs, though, has provided a chance for her to explore other facilities that she normally wouldn’t visit.
“To me, it’s exciting,” she said. “It’s a little scary, but I’m confident we’ll win again.”
Bruno previously swam for Gerrish before joining Altadena three years ago. His siblings have been part of the Dolphins swim program for years, so he’s no stranger to the club.
“Ever since I’ve joined the team, it’s just been an incredible community and incredible place to be at,” he said. “I just love every second of it.”
After swim practices at Altadena, Bruno, who’s headed to UCLA to study business economics, would hang around the club. He eventually landed a job there last summer.
“It feels very weird, but we’re starting to get used to it,” said Bruno of the constant traveling for swim meets. “I’m glad we have something to do it with.”
Like de Csepel, Bruno enjoyed visiting other clubs for league meets. He’s been pleased with the Dolphins’ performances as of late and has his sights set on the program’s 32nd league crown.
“I think we’re all adapting pretty well,” Bruno said. “… I feel pretty good about the team and hopefully it’s some of the same old that we’ve had. I hope we can win it another year.”
Apple aims to build on F1 movie success by possibly acquiring circuit’s U.S. media rights
Start your morning with Buzzcast with Abe Madkour: F1 media talks heating up? More AD churn; 3ICE set to return and FIFA to open NYC office at Trump Tower Apple is “in talks to acquire” the U.S. rights to F1 as the tech giant “chases the success of its hit movie based on the race […]
Start your morning with Buzzcast with Abe Madkour: F1 media talks heating up? More AD churn; 3ICE set to return and FIFA to open NYC office at Trump Tower
Apple is “in talks to acquire” the U.S. rights to F1 as the tech giant “chases the success of its hit movie based on the race car series and delves further into showing live sport.” Formula 1 via Getty Images
Apple is “in talks to acquire” the U.S. rights to F1 as the tech giant “chases the success of its hit movie based on the race car series and delves further into showing live sport.” The racing circuit makes “in the region of” $85M a year from its existing broadcast partner ESPN. Analysts at Citi have previously estimated that F1’s next U.S. broadcast deal “could be worth” $121M a year, “although that was before the release of the F1 film.” F1 has “yet to make a decision on its future broadcasting arrangements,” and ESPN “may yet retain the rights,” according to a source. Other bidders “are also expected to seek the rights” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 7/9).
RELATED: ‘F1’ hits $237.4M in global box office
Horner had been Red Bull team principal since it entered F1 as a full constructor in 2005. Getty Images
Red Bull says Christian Horner “was fired abruptly on Wednesday after a 20-year stint” as team principal of its F1 team, though the organization “did not give a reason for the decision.” Laurent Mekies of sister team Racing Bulls “will replace Horner in his role” as team principal and CEO of the racing team. Horner had been Red Bull team principal since it entered F1 as a full constructor in 2005. He “had performed his team and media duties as normal throughout the British Grand Prix last week.” The announcement comes more than a year after Horner was accused of misconduct toward a team employee. An investigation conducted on behalf of the Red Bull company “dismissed the allegation, as did a further investigation conducted after the employee appealed against the initial ruling” (AP, 7/9).
Sources within Red Bull said the “atmosphere within the team has grown increasingly tense,” a situation “magnified by the team’s struggles on track this year and the growing uncertainty with star driver Max Verstappen‘s future.” Sources also said “a series of meetings took place over the last two weekends — the team’s home race, the Austrian Grand Prix, and the British Grand Prix,” and “at least one of them involved Verstappen and Oliver Mintzlaff, a senior figure on the company’s corporate side who has long pushed for a change to the leadership of Red Bull’s racing outfit.” Sources said “no decision to remove Horner could be made without” Red Bull majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya‘s approval (ESPN.com, 7/9).
Levy is taking over F&B service at Michigan State athletic facilities, including the home of its basketball teams, the Breslin Center. breslin-center
Michigan State has selected Levy to provide food and beverage services at the university’s on-campus athletic venues, including Spartan Stadium and the Breslin Center, and collaborate on fan experience design for the multi-sport arena the university is developing in the Spartan Gateway District.
Levy takes over ahead of the 2025-26 academic and athletic year, though terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Michigan State ran its athletics concessions program in-house for decades. Its F&B RFP was issued in early January, with responses due in late February. Oak View Group, Sodexo Live and Aramark Sports + Entertainment competed against Levy for the business. Those three companies, plus Levy, have been the most active pursuers of college athletics F&B accounts during the past year-plus, as college sports seeks new revenue streams and more impact from existing ones, like concessions.
Ahead of this fall, Levy is refreshing all F&B experiences across all of MSU’s athletic venues. Highlights include:
New chef-crafted Spartan signature dishes in concessions only available on Michigan State game days.
Updated concessions concepts alongside fan favorite mainstays like Melting Moments.
On-the-go markets and mobile stands equipped with self-service technology to increase speed and convenience.
An upscale refresh in premium areas, with curated menus for each game and modern chef’s table presentations.
Pregame and special event food and beverage pop-ups, from football tailgates to Izzone basketball pregame celebrations.
Secure, cashless transactions for swift payments and faster lines.
Continued opportunities for local community organizations and nonprofit groups to participate on game days.
College has become big business for Levy. Counting Michigan State, it now has F&B service deals with six Big Ten schools, including Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, and it provides F&B at UCLA football games hosted at the Rose Bowl (a Levy client).
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President Donald Trump “has not shied away from sport’s super-sized spotlight during his second term,” becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February, appearing at the Daytona 500 and attending several UFC events, including UFC 316 last month. AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump “will attend Sunday’s Club World Cup final” at MetLife Stadium, he said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The news came a day after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the opening of a representative office at Trump Tower, “where the Club World Cup trophy will be on display until the final.” Trump “has not shied away from sport’s super-sized spotlight during his second term,” becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February, appearing at the Daytona 500 and attending several UFC events, including UFC 316 last month (REUTERS, 7/9).
Spain won the most recent edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, which was held in Australia and New Zealand. Getty Images
U.S. Soccer is holding a workshop in Fayetteville, Ga., today for representatives of cities interested in hosting matches as part of the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The meeting comes ahead of a September deadline for cities to submit the information necessary to be part of the bid. U.S. Soccer plans to submit the bid, which is expected to include 15-20 cities, to FIFA in the fourth quarter of 2025.
U.S. Soccer in May began the process of soliciting information from cities interested in being included in the 2031 bid. The national federation reached out via email to representatives from the 11 U.S. host cities for the 2026 men’s World Cup, as well as a handful of other municipalities it believed may have interest.
Attendees at today’s workshop will include personnel from visitors bureaus, host committees, stadiums, teams and other organizations. Both U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation, which is expected to co-host the tournament with the U.S., will be present.
According to a copy of the agenda obtained by SBJ, the workshop will include an hour-long session this afternoon about FIFA’s requirements for host cities. Some municipal leaders are hoping for changes from the operating model for the 2026 Men’s World Cup, including the introduction of more significant opportunities for cities to generate revenue needed to cover the cost of hosting in 2031.
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USC is “eliminating a dozen jobs in its athletic department” in an “effort to reduce costs” in the wake of the House vs. NCAA settlement. USC Football helmet
USC is “eliminating a dozen jobs in its athletic department” in an “effort to reduce costs” in the wake of the House vs. NCAA settlement. Six athletics employees “were told late last week that their roles in the department had been eliminated” — with Exec Senior Associate AD/Deputy AD Paul Perrier the “most senior among them.” Six other vacant roles “have also since been eliminated.” Some schools “have opted to cut sports, in an attempt to reduce costs,” but USC “has yet to choose that route” (L.A. TIMES, 7/8).
Monumental Sports & Entertainment and digital solution company ViewLift have created a joint venture to aid the growing number of NBA, MLB and NHL teams looking to either enhance, launch or reimagine their local broadcast templates. Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Monumental Sports & Entertainment and digital solution company ViewLift have created a joint venture to aid the growing number of NBA, MLB and NHL teams looking to either enhance, launch or reimagine their local broadcast templates.
According to Monumental President of Media & New Enterprises Zach Leonsis, more than 20 teams had contacted him over the last three years to discuss best practices, and, in concert with ViewLift CEO Rick Allen, they decided to co-offer a suite of services to teams that want to “own their own local network strategy” — whether it’s a cable/DTC combination, a free TV/DTC pairing or a cable/free TV/DTC triumvirate. The yet-to-be named company will open in the fall.
Reacting to what he called an industry “wave” — where teams are either acquiring or buying back their local rights amid RSN instability — Leonsis said Monumental Sports specifically will help teams with the linear side of their local TV business. That could entail production services for live games along with pre- and post-game shows, crewing, management of trucks, consulting, ad sales, analytics, sponsorships, studio innovation, linear monetization, shoulder programming and subscription services. Monumental has crucial experience with all of that itself, ever since Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis purchased NBC Sports Washington in 2022 and transformed it into Monumental Sports Network essentially from scratch with new production plants and studios.
At the same time, ViewLift will lead their clients’ digital product, through an end-to-end DTC streaming solution, programming distribution and custom apps across web, mobile and connected TVs. ViewLift helped the Leonsis’ launch Monumental+, and, overall, has 16 major U.S. pro sports clients, including single local TV franchises such as the Lightning, Golden Knights and Panthers of the NHL, all of whom are aligned with Scripps. ViewLift also already has partnerships with six total RSNs, including Chicago Sports Network.
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Utah State AD Diana Sabau, who helped guide the university’s move to the Pac-12, “will be the next deputy athletic director at Maryland.” Getty Images
Utah State AD Diana Sabau, who helped guide the university’s move to the Pac-12, “will be the next deputy athletic director at Maryland,” a move first reported by CollegeAD and confirmed by multiple outlets. Sabau “will join” newly named Maryland AD Jim Smith, who joined the department in May after serving as SVP/Business Strategy for the Braves. Under terms of her current contract, “Sabau, Maryland or a combination of the two will owe Utah State $500,000 in liquidation fees for terminating her contract prior to June 30, 2026” (KSL.com, 7/8).
Investigators found that Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya “caused emotional harm” to players, but found “no violation” of the league’s harassment and bullying policy. Getty Images
Independent investigators hired by the NWSL found that Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya “caused emotional harm” to players, corroborating complaints from former players, but found “no violation” of the league’s harassment and bullying policy. The NWSL hired the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton to “investigate allegations from former Bay FC players regarding Montoya’s conduct from last season” following formal complaints. Montoya “acknowledged in the investigator’s findings that he had ‘affected’ players emotionally last season” but expressed “genuine remorse and concern,” stating that he was unaware of the harm. As a result, they “recommended no disciplinary action beyond educational courses that Bay FC says were implemented last season.” A source said that the investigators found “multiple instances” of “emotional distress.” Still, “because investigators found that Montoya did not intend to cause harm, they could not recommend discipline” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/8).
The U.S. Adaptive Open will be carried live on television for the first time on Wednesday USGA Museum
Longtime USGA sponsor Deloitte is helping expand coverage around the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, which will have its final round today carried on TV for the first time. Golf Channel has shown highlights and live look-ins for the tournament over its first two days on Monday and Tuesday, but the final round today will have live coverage between 11am-1pm ET.
Deloitte has been an official USGA partner since 2014, and it also is covering travel expenses for the 96 competitors in the tournament, which is being held at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. This week marks the fourth edition of the tournament.
“The goal here is to get more exposure and access for these athletes,” said Scott Mager, the U.S. CMO for Deloitte. “For the Adaptive Open, we just felt elevating our sport reflects our ongoing commitment to this.”
Deloitte is the official professional services sponsor of the USGA and developed the governing body’s official app. Deloitte also works with the R&A.
Thunder G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be the cover athlete for the standard edition of NBA 2K26. 2K
Thunder G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be the cover athlete for the standard edition of NBA 2K26, which “further solidifies” him as “one of the biggest names in basketball.” NBA 2K26 is set to release in September (OKLAHOMAN, 7/8). The honor is the “latest from a season in which Gilgeous-Alexander secured a virtual sweep of the most significant achievements in the NBA,” winning a championship and being named NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP. When it “came time to choose the cover player for the next rendition of NBA 2K, the decision was presumably a no-brainer,” as Gilgeous-Alexander “is the easy pick” (YAHOO SPORTS, 7/8).
Speed Reads…
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee “is expected to decide whether to expand the tournament field from 68 to 72 or 76 (the women’s tournament would grow correspondingly)” either today or tomorrow (SI, 7/8).
NHL prospect and Penn State commit Gavin McKenna received an “extremely generous six figure” NIL offer from Penn State as part of his recruitment, “believed to be the biggest in college hockey history,” according to sources (ESPN.com, 7/8).
Former LAFC D Giorgio Chiellini has returned to the club as “the 25th member of the club’s ownership group.” He “remains affiliated” with Juventus and is “also an investor in the women’s side of Italian football” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/8).
WWE and the Big 12 are expanding their multi-faceted partnership to bring Friday Night SmackDown broadcasts to Big 12 markets on the eve of four conference football games throughout the 2025 season. The first SmackDown will be held on Friday, August 22 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, a day before the Week 0 matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State at Aviva Stadium (WWE).
The Mexico National Soccer Team will face Colombia at AT&T Stadium on Oct. 11 as “part of the 2025 Mextour,” the team’s annual U.S. tour (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/8).
Marketing agency Buffalo Groupe announced the addition of Colorado-based video production studio Oswego Creative. Oswego’s name will remain, and its nine employees will work alongside Buffalo around its client video offerings (Buffalo Groupe).
CBS Sports Network, Josh Lewin Productions and the USL’s Westchester SC have launched USL Excursions: Westchester County, a documentary series about the club’s first year in USL League One. The show airs on tonight at 6pm ET, tomorrow night at 10:30pm and Sunday at 4 pm on CBS Sports Network (CBS Sports Network).
Snap Inc. and RWS Global are partnering to bring a “Snapchat Cam” with unique lens effects to venue videoboards at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore (July 11 – Aug. 3) and British & Irish Lions Tour in Australia (July 19 – Aug. 2) (Rob Schaefer, SBJ).
Quick Hits…
“We don’t know the rules. The settlement passed, but who knows what Deloitte is going to clear. Until there is clarity, you’re living in limbo” — Arizona State football coach Kenny Dillingham, on how the rules of the current college football recruiting landscape are still unclear in the wake of the House settlement (YAHOO SPORTS, 7/8).
Morning Hot Reads: Taking Notice
The N.Y. TIMES went with the header, “Youth Sports Are a $40 Billion Business. Private Equity Is Taking Notice.” Youth sports “have caught the attention of Wall Street investors,” and private equity titans Josh Harris and David Blitzer “are among those who see a big opportunity.” Over the past three years, Harris and Blitzer started Unrivaled Sports, which “has been buying baseball camps, flag football fields and youth leagues to assemble one of the largest collections of youth sports properties in the country.” The youth sports industry, according to the Aspen Institute, generates about $40B in annual revenue, “dwarfing other forms of entertainment.” That’s a “far cry from the days when youth sports were dominated by locally run offshoots of nonprofit organizations” like the Catholic Youth Organization, Pop Warner and Little League Baseball.
Also:
Social Scoop…
Of more than 1,200 deals submitted to the clearinghouse, about one-third were approved, several remain under review and ~80 were denied & can be resubmitted.
No deals have advanced past the second denial and into the arbitration appeals process, Jeff Kessler tells @YahooSports. https://t.co/ku6nJpQE9l
Funny story: #Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown chose jersey No. 14 because he wanted to wear the number of WRs drafted before him. He told his girlfriend to count how many there were and she said 14.
4-H youth showcase raising rabbits at fair’s opening day | News, Sports, Jobs
Staff photo / R. Michael Semple … A playful Archer Howes, 9 months, of Canfield, right, reaches out for his grandfather, Joe Bouch of Canfield, while attending the opening day of the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair in Bazetta on Tuesday. Bouch is retired from Foxconn in Lordstown. Today’s major grandstand attraction at the fair […]
Staff photo / R. Michael Semple …
A playful Archer Howes, 9 months, of Canfield, right, reaches out for his grandfather, Joe Bouch of Canfield, while attending the opening day of the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair in Bazetta on Tuesday. Bouch is retired from Foxconn in Lordstown. Today’s major grandstand attraction at the fair will be a demolition derby at 7 p.m.
BAZETTA — While many 4-H youth spend time raising cows, goats, sheep and pigs, others, especially those who live in the city, dedicate their time to raising and showcasing smaller animals such as rabbits.
On Tuesday’s opening day of the 179th annual Trumbull County Fair, many youth had a chance to shine by showing off their knowledge of rabbits.
Chelsea Mealy, a 4-H adviser, said taking care of a rabbit does involve commitment because the owner has to make sure the rabbit has fresh water and food every day.
“Children raise rabbits for showmanship, which is a full health check of the rabbit just like a veterinarian would do. They have to learn all the diseases a rabbit can get and how to treat them. The judges ask the children general questions about the rabbits. Showmanship is 100% their knowledge and care of their rabbit,” Mealy said.
She said when she has been a judge, she looks for confidence from the 4-H members, noting rabbits will flip over and often get spooked so she wants the child to not become frustrated.
She said while many youth take their rabbits home after the fair, others go to the market after being auctioned on Saturday. A rabbit show is set for 10:30 a.m. today.
Mealy said for new 4-H members and those who live in a city, it is easier to raise a rabbit.
“The city kids get to keep their rabbits at their house or in their backyard. They would not be allowed to raise a cow, horse or pig in a city,” Mealy said.
She said the children breed the mother rabbit and then take care of and raise the baby rabbit from its birth.
4-H PARTICIPANTS
One of the city 4-H members is Arya Duncan, 16, of Niles, who originally was in 4-H shooting sports when she decided she wanted to switch to raising rabbits.
She has been raising Percy, who weighs 2.5 pounds. He will not get any bigger.
“It has been a lot of fun. When raising a rabbit you have to have a lot of patience. They can be rude at times. I have had my rabbit since he was six months old,” Arya said.
Sophia Duncan, 10, of Bristol, said she likes rabbits for their fluffiness and is marking her first year of raising a rabbit for the fair. She said she prepares for the judges by practicing what she knows about rabbits.
Sebastian Bauer, 12, of Leavittsburg, has raised his rabbit, Wheat, at the fair. The rabbit got its name from its color.
Bauer said he has shown other animals such as pigs at the fair, but rabbits are a little easier to take care of because they are small.
He said he prepares for posing his rabbit for the showmanship event and then checks the rabbit in front of the judge.
Abigail Totten, 12, of Warren, and a member of the 4-H Trumbull County Wild Clovers, said it is important to give rabbits lots of water because they will stop eating if they do not have enough water.
She said she is prepared to show the judges the different parts of the rabbit and discuss them.
Abigail said the 4-H group she is with also raises guinea pigs, cats and chickens.
“The funnest part of raising a rabbit is getting to show them and letting the judges know what you know about rabbits,” Totten said.
Rows of rabbits were inside small cages in the rabbit area.
Jolyn O’Dell of Howland brought her children, Bryn, 9 and Brayden, 12, to the fair and was walking with them as they looked at rabbits,
She said her father, Bob Cleland of Fowler, raised and bred hundreds of rabbits on his farm.
“I wanted them to see rabbits so they could see what their grandfather raised. I grew up around rabbits,’” Jolyn said.
David and Bonnie Moore of Niles said when they come to the fair they always visit the rabbits and other small animals.
“We love the smaller animals. We come here every year to see the animals. What is nice is children who live in a city can also raise animals such as rabbits,” Bonnie Moore said.
FAIR QUEEN
Walking through the fair was newly named 2025 Junior Fair Queen Katie Viets, 17, of Fowler, who said she was really excited to have been named queen.
She said she looks forward to visiting people at the fair and also at other fairs while representing Trumbull County. Viets will be a senior at Mathews High School.
The 2025 Junior Fair King is XXX.. MARLY WILL GET THIS IN A FEW…
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Oklahoma City Thunder brings youth basketball camp to Lawton
LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – The Oklahoma City Thunder, in partnership with Simple Modern, hosted a Thunder Youth Basketball Hustle Camp in Lawton. The camp happened on July 8 and provided kids the opportunity to grow in the fundamentals of Basketball. It also allows them to engage in an active, team-centric environment. They focused on a […]
LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – The Oklahoma City Thunder, in partnership with Simple Modern, hosted a Thunder Youth Basketball Hustle Camp in Lawton.
The camp happened on July 8 and provided kids the opportunity to grow in the fundamentals of Basketball. It also allows them to engage in an active, team-centric environment.
They focused on a variety of important techniques and practiced drills to help improve things like defense, shooting, and more.
One of the coaches of the camp is from the Lawton area and shares just how important it is that he gives back to the community.
“It means everything, Basketball helped me accomplish my dreams,” Oklahoma City Thunder Youth Basketball Lead, Andre Houze Jr. said. “I went from coaching these youth camps to working for the Oklahoma City Thunder, being a part of the championship organization. And, if a kid dreams big, and they follow this basketball, it can happen for them too.”
He says he hopes the kids also come away from this experience with a better idea on how to be a confident and effective leader.
Celebration of life for Tom Brown to be held at Salisbury University
U.S. Navy Blue Angels take Tom Saunders on roller coaster ride Tom Saunders was selected to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as part of their “Key Influencer” program that honors deserving local people. A celebration of life for Tom Brown, a Super Bowl champion and founder of the Salisbury Tom Brown Rookie League, […]
U.S. Navy Blue Angels take Tom Saunders on roller coaster ride
Tom Saunders was selected to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as part of their “Key Influencer” program that honors deserving local people.
A celebration of life for Tom Brown, a Super Bowl champion and founder of the Salisbury Tom Brown Rookie League, will be held at Salisbury University in July.
Brown, who died in April, played professional baseball and football, pursuing a baseball career first before transitioning to football. Brown was part of three straight NFL championship-winning teams for the Green Bay Packers from 1965-67, and won two Super Bowls. During his baseball career, he played for the Washington Senators. Brown is one of only two athletes to hit a major league home run and play on a Super Bowl champion team, with Deion Sanders being the other.
Following the end of his professional career, Brown moved to Salisbury, Maryland, where he coached youth sports and ran the Tom Brown Rookie League from 1989 to 2015. Brown’s Rookie League became a staple of local youth sports in Salisbury.
The celebration of life honoring Brown will be held at Salisbury University’s Assembly Hall on Saturday, July 19, from 1 to 4 p.m.
More: Tom Brown, Super Bowl champion and founder of Salisbury rookie league, dies at 84
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