Boise State program keeps kids active and trains future educators
BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Youth Summer Sports Program has wrapped up its first session of the season, offering Treasure Valley kids a chance to stay active and learn new skills. The 40-plus-year program at Boise State University aims to promote physical activity and skill-building in a safe, structured, and fun environment. Kevin Blume, the […]
BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Youth Summer Sports Program has wrapped up its first session of the season, offering Treasure Valley kids a chance to stay active and learn new skills. The 40-plus-year program at Boise State University aims to promote physical activity and skill-building in a safe, structured, and fun environment.
Kevin Blume, the program director, emphasized the value of the program. “I really think that the program that we offer to kids is really valuable in terms of not just giving them lots of different exposures to various sports, but also the opportunity to make friends. I also really enjoy working with our staff. Most of our staff are college students here, and we also do offer the job as an internship. So I really enjoy being able to work with the college students and help them develop professional skills as they’re going to school here.”
The Boise State Department of Kinesiology supports students in achieving their professional goals by teaching them how to manage youth and develop skills.
Lena Quiroz, a program coach and kinesiology intern, expressed her enthusiasm for the program. “I love working with kids and I was like, oh my gosh, I get to teach them sports, heck yeah! All summer, sounds great.”
The program offers both part-time and full-time positions for interns who are interested in leadership opportunities.
Justice Cook, another program coach and kinesiology intern, shared the joy of working with the children. “You get satisfaction knowing that the kids are having fun. I’m also kind of having fun in a way, too, because if the kids aren’t having fun, then I’m doing something wrong, and so the biggest thing is that if the kids are having fun. I’m having fun and just seeing their little smiles, little giggles and everything kind of actually bring joy,” Cook said.
The program includes a variety of sports and activities such as field, gym, racket sports, rock climbing, recreation, rhythmic activities, and team-building development.
The next sessions available for registration are:
Session 3: July 7- July 18 and Session 4: July 21-August 1
For registration and more information, click here.
Former U of A star Sam Thomas hosts 4th annual youth basketball camp | News
TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – Former Arizona Women’s Basketball star Sam Thomas returned to Tucson Sunday, inspiring young athletes at her 4th Annual Sam Thomas Hoop Group Camp. Joining Thomas was fellow former Wildcat Dominique McBryde, who helped lead campers through a variety of dribbling, shooting, and passing drills. Defense, a specialty of Thomas, was also […]
TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – Former Arizona Women’s Basketball star Sam Thomas returned to Tucson Sunday, inspiring young athletes at her 4th Annual Sam Thomas Hoop Group Camp.
Joining Thomas was fellow former Wildcat Dominique McBryde, who helped lead campers through a variety of dribbling, shooting, and passing drills. Defense, a specialty of Thomas, was also a key focus. The camp continues to expand, with a new age group for 15 to 18-year-olds added this year.
Sam Thomas hosted her 4th annual youth basketball camp in Tucson. She had special guests like fellow Wildcat alum Dominique McBryde and U of A Women’s Basketball Head Coach Becky Burke.
Thomas said she loves seeing familiar faces return to the camp year after year.
“It means so much to me,” she said. “I love these kids. I love Tucson. It’s so nice seeing the young kids who started when they were six years old. Now they’re 10. Just growing and watching their maturity.”
Each session concluded with a Q&A and autographs. The morning session featured a special guest: new Arizona women’s basketball head coach Becky Burke. She offered advice and spoke with the kids about what it means to be an Arizona Wildcat.
“I’ve gotten to meet with her and talk with her a couple times,” Thomas said. “I’m really excited for this season and what she’s going to bring. I tell everyone she’s a coach I’d run through a brick wall for. I’m really excited to have her.”
Huskies pitch idea of junior high baseball | News, Sports, Jobs
LEWISTOWN — We get it, every athlete dreams of scoring the game-winning run or having the decisive hit for their school’s varsity team. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen that way for every young competitor out there. It’s not a slight against their effort and skill, but everybody’s got to start somewhere. That’s why junior high […]
LEWISTOWN — We get it, every athlete dreams of scoring the game-winning run or having the decisive hit for their school’s varsity team. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen that way for every young competitor out there.
It’s not a slight against their effort and skill, but everybody’s got to start somewhere. That’s why junior high sports provide a pretty wonderful opportunity.
And why Mifflin County High School varsity baseball coach Ray Hoppel held an informational meeting – along with a short practice – at the high school varsity baseball field on Sunday to discuss the implementation of a junior high baseball team this spring.
“Just been a push for it over the past few years and the time came to address it,” said Hoppel, who has coached within the Mifflin County School District since 1997.
About 30 players attended Sunday’s meeting for the new junior high team, which would start out with club status. That means the team would have to pay for all of its costs – uniforms, umpires and transportation. School officials said it would likely be on probationary basis for two years.
Hoppel estimates it would cost $6,000 to field one team, at the most. With 30 players, Mifflin County would like to have two teams, meaning 15 per team.
“I’m glad to see the interest,” Hoppel said. “Baseball has always been a big draw in Mifflin County.”
This past spring marked Hoppel’s second year guiding the Huskies’ varsity program. From 1997 through 2004, he was the first assistant and pitching coach for Lewistown Area High School, the pinnacle of which was helping the 2002 Panthers to the PIAA Class 2AA championship, the only scholastic state baseball title in the history of Mifflin County.
In August 2004, Hoppel was named the head coach of the Panthers, which ended with the merging of Lewistown and Indian Valley high schools into Mifflin County High School in 2011.
By starting a junior high program, like other Husky varsity sports including basketball, wrestling, football, cross country and field hockey, he hopes that gives players the ability to start playing together and better acclimated to the Huskies’ program at a younger age.
“It allows the kids to become familiar with some of the varsity program’s expectations and also allows them to play some additional school-level competition outside of Babe Ruth,” Hoppel said.
Currently, younger players play Babe Ruth baseball, but they are dispersed between nine teams.
The junior high team is expected to play on the same days as their varsity and junior varsity counterparts, which lessens the likelihood of conflicting schedules with other leagues.
“They (junior high team) would try to play if possible on the days varsity and JV plays as not to take more days away from Babe Ruth and allow kids to play both,” Hoppel added.
Working to develop the skills of younger players is something that is important to him and has proven to be important to the success of the varsity program.
In addition to the scholastic coaching positions, Hoppel has also been involved with the local Mifflin County youth programs since 2008. T-ball, Cal Ripken, Junior Babe Ruth, Mifflin County Eagles Travel Baseball and Mifflin County Little League softball have all been a part of Hoppel’s experience with local youth sports throughout the past 15 years.
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Nantucket Current | Nantucket Youth Cheerleaders Shine At Patriots…
Niamh Devine, 9, and Frankie Meriwether, 7, just began their cheerleading careers in the spring through the Nantucket Community School’s newly developed cheerleading program in March, and last week had the opportunity of a lifetime to display their skills at the New England Patriots preseason game against the Washington Commanders in front of tens of […]
Niamh Devine, 9, and Frankie Meriwether, 7, just began their cheerleading careers in the spring through the Nantucket Community School’s newly developed cheerleading program in March, and last week had the opportunity of a lifetime to display their skills at the New England Patriots preseason game against the Washington Commanders in front of tens of thousands of fans as youth cheerleaders for the organization. They made the trip up to Gillette Stadium with their coach – Jazmine Kasperzyk, who is also an assistant cheer coach for the varsity cheerleading team, and their parents.
“I had seen a posting for the Patriots looking for youth cheerleaders to join them in ‘Patriots Junior Cheerleading Program,’” Kasperzyk said. “This program allows for youth cheerleaders to register and perform with the Patriots cheerleaders at the preseason game at Gillette Stadium. Two of our NCS cheerleaders registered for this. This is huge for Nantucket and huge for youth cheer. I’ve been working with these two NCS cheerleaders privately and in normal practice. This NCS youth cheerleading program is offered year-round as of March 2025.”
Below are some more photos of the girls taken throughout the course of their day in Foxborough. You can read more about the New England Patriots Youth Cheerleading Program here.
Helping kids become active with annual youth sports event
MASON, Mich. (WILX) -Kids and families got the chance to get outdoors and play various sports at Burchfield Park in Mason on Sunday, thanks to the 17th annual Mason Optimist Club Youth Sports event. The event allows kids across mid-Michigan to go out and enjoy the outdoors by participating in activities such as kayaking, playing […]
MASON, Mich. (WILX) -Kids and families got the chance to get outdoors and play various sports at Burchfield Park in Mason on Sunday, thanks to the 17th annual Mason Optimist Club Youth Sports event.
The event allows kids across mid-Michigan to go out and enjoy the outdoors by participating in activities such as kayaking, playing disc golf, archery, and fishing.
Chris Harrison with the Mason Optimist Club talked about the importance of getting kids outdoors.
“We’re a friend for youth, and we like them to get out, go fishing, play ball, see to see that the Sheriff’s Department is our friend,” said Harrison.[…] “And it’s good to get the kids out and see what there is instead of just watching TV or playing video games.
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Youth Football Agilities at WCV | Raccoon Valley Radio
Youth Football Agilities at WCV | Raccoon Valley Radio – The One to Count On
Now that the youth football camp has officially concluded at West Central Valley, the youth still have more opportunities to continue to fine tune their football skills. West Central Valley will host […]
Youth Football Agilities at WCV | Raccoon Valley Radio – The One to Count On
Now that the youth football camp has officially concluded at West Central Valley, the youth still have more opportunities to continue to fine tune their football skills. West Central Valley will host a youth football agilities session today, Sunday, August 10th.
Held at the West Central Valley High School Athletic Complex, the youth football agilities session is set to begin at 5pm until 7pm, providing the young West Central Valley students more opportunities to stay in shape and prepare for the youth football seasons.
Fall sports are on the horizon at West Central Valley, with youth sessions still occurring for football.
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