HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – Mountain Gap Middle School has canceled its girls basketball season due to insufficient player interest and low enrollment numbers.

The cancellation reflects a broader decline in girls basketball participation that coaches say has persisted for decades across Alabama.

Tim Miller, an 11-time state champion and former Hazel Green girls basketball coach, said the development doesn’t surprise him.

“Here we go again. Girls basketball has declined each decade,” said Miller, who now serves as athletic director at St. John Paul II.

Miller said that over three decades of coaching girls basketball, he went from having three teams to barely being able to fill two.

“There’s too much out there these days that if you don’t start, then they’ll be doing something else,” Miller said. “Then you try to get them as a 6th, 7th, 8th grader, ‘nah, I don’t want to do that.’”

St. John Paul II also won’t field a softball team this year for the same reasons.

Becky Plott, the school’s middle school athletic director, started her basketball career at Mountain Gap Middle.

“That’s what we did. Sports was our life back then,” Plott said. “That’s just heartbreaking to think there’s no basketball team there. When I was in school, it was popular to be an athlete. I think there’s a different way of life now.”

While nationwide trends show girls’ participation in sports has been increasing, some parents cite concerns with rigorous scheduling, financial barriers, and a lack of quality programs.

Experts say the number of girls playing multiple sports is declining, leaving some sports without enough participants.

“Too many kids are specializing too early and thinking they’re going to go to college and play sports, and it doesn’t work out for everybody, but it’s hard to tell that to parents,” Miller said.

Miller said competing with travel ball, clubs, and the general lack of interest in sports requires starting recruitment early.

“We’ve got to get our coaches, got to get our players into the elementary schools and start talking to these kids,” he said.

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LOCAL SPORTS: North Alabama Elite Wrestling shows out at Arab Youth Invitational; Jackson earns top honors

Published 11:51 am Wednesday, December 17, 2025

North Alabama Elite Wrestling delivered a terrific showing at the Arab Youth Invitational last week.

The team crowded 10 champions and sent 14 wrestlers to their respective finals.

Bryant Jackson scored a pair of big wins to earn Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.

See top results below.

Cowen Burdette – U6 | 43 lbs | 2nd

Dawson Burdette – U8 | 49 lbs | 1st

Henry Chandler – U6 | 45 lbs | 4th

Ryder Chandler – U8 | 86–98 lbs | 1st

Kade Chapman – U8 | 40–43 lbs | 5th

Zaya Clemons – Girls U8 | 55 lbs | 2nd

Maddox Goode – U8 | 49 lbs | 2nd

Malachi Green – U8 | 49 lbs | 3rd

Blaire Jackson – Girls U8 | 55 lbs | 1st

Brayden Jackson – U12 | 58–63 lbs | 4th

Brayden Jackson – U10 | 63 lbs | 2nd

Bryant Jackson – U12 | 67–70 lbs | 1st

Aidan Johnson – U14 | 130–135 lbs | 1st

Cipriano Labra III – U6 | 45 lbs | 1st

Frankie Macon – U14 | 105 lbs | 1st

Brayden Mason – U8 | 70 lbs | 1st

Grady Meeks – U12 | 175 lbs | 2nd

Reagan Papst – U6 | 49 lbs | 3rd

Reagan Papst – Girls U6 | 49 lbs | 1st

Walker Papst – U8 | 70 lbs | 4th

Ida Mae Warren – Girls U8 | 40–43 lbs | 2nd

Ewan Workman – U10 | 93 lbs | 1st

Sarah Bailey Brewer – Girls U12 | 81 lbs | 3rd

Promotions

• Wolverine Kids Club Day — Wolverine Kids Club Members can check in to receive bonus loyalty points at this game.

• Halftime Entertainment — Youth Scrimmage

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The second-ranked University of Michigan men’s basketball team (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten) returns to Crisler Center to close out the 2025 calendar year, hosting the La Salle Explorers for Kids Day at 4 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 21). The contest is part of a doubleheader with the sixth-ranked Michigan women’s basketball team, which faces Oakland at noon. The game will be steramed live on Peacock, with Paul Sunderland and Wolverine alum Tim McCormick on the call.

Notes

• Michigan men’s and women’s basketball join forces for a holiday hoops doubleheader at Crisler Center on Sunday, Dec. 21, serving up a full day of Maize & Blue energy. The fun tips off at noon as the No. 6-ranked Michigan women’s team hosts the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a festive Holiday Game, with the first 750 fans receiving a free set of two coasters. The No. 2-ranked Wolverines cap the day at 4 p.m., welcoming the La Salle Explorers for Kids Day and a Wolverine Kids Club Game, featuring kid-friendly activations, special in-game promotions, and bonus loyalty points for Kids Club members.

• There has been just one previous meeting between Michigan and La Salle, coming at the 1975 Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Dec. 29), where the 16th-ranked Wolverines earned an 86-71 victory. That season proved to be a memorable one for the Maize and Blue, as it advanced all the way to the national championship game, falling to top-ranked Indiana, which completed a perfect 32-0 season.

• The Wolverines’ 10-0 start to the season marks the sixth time U-M has begun a season with 10 straight wins. It also marks its the best start since 2020-21, when U-M started 11-0 en route to an eventual Big Ten title and Elite Eight run.

• Michigan’s 101 points at Maryland marked the Wolverines’ fifth 100-point performance of the season. U-M leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally, scoring 94.7 points per game. The frontcourt trio of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara has contributed over 40 percent of U-M’s scoring, combining for 39.7 points per game.

• Michigan leads the nation and Big Ten at 21.3 assists per game. U-M has 25+ assists in three of its last four games and five total on the season. Elliot Cadeau leads the Wolverines with 6.1 per game.

• With 12 points and 10 assists at Maryland, Cadeau recorded the third point-assist double-double of his career and the first by a Wolverine in nearly four years — DeVante’ Jones posted 25 points and 10 assists vs. Illinois on Feb. 27, 2022. Cadeau has 37 assists, with two 10-plus assist games, over his last five games, posting a 37:9 assist-to-turnover ratio.

• From deep, Cadeau remains a constant force and after knocking down two threes at Maryland, he accounted for six of his 17 triples last week. He is the lone Wolverine to make at least one three-pointer in every game this season.

• Sixth man Roddy Gayle Jr. continues to provide a steady veteran spark off the bench, averaging 10.8 points while shooting 55.6 percent. He adds 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in just 22.3 minutes per game.

• Mara leads U-M and the Big Ten with 27 blocks (2.78 bpg), ranking 12th nationally. He has at least one block in every game and multiple blocks in eight. On the glass, Mara paces with a team-best 8.3 rebounds.

• La Salle features alum Tim McCormick as part of the Peacock broadcast crew. A Clarkston, Mich., native, McCormick played at Michigan from 1980–84, helping lead the Wolverines to the 1984 NIT championship, earning MVP honors.

• McCormick was the 12th pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by Cleveland and was traded on draft day to Seattle; he played with six franchises over eight NBA seasons. Following his playing career, McCormick transitioned into a role as a college basketball and NBA analyst and has also worked with the NBA Players Association.

In a recent discussion with Kelly Flagg, mother of prominent young athlete Cooper Flagg, the complexities of youth sports were laid bare, highlighting a significant crisis that has garnered attention from U.S. Congress. The youth sports industry, now exceeding $40 billion in annual revenue, is under scrutiny for creating an environment that many believe is unsustainable for average families.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, who chairs the House subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, underscored the issue during a hearing titled “Benched: The Crisis in American Youth Sports and Its Cost to Our Future”. Kiley emphasized that while participation in youth sports has seen a decline, the financial burden on families has increased dramatically. Many parents feel pressured to invest in year-round travel teams, private coaching, and early specialization, with the hope of securing scholarships for their children. This approach often leads to a steep spending surge that excludes countless families from participation.

Statistics presented during the hearing revealed that approximately 60 million children engage in youth sports across the U.S., yet participation rates have slipped since the pandemic, with current figures around 55% for kids aged 6 to 17, down from 61% in 2019. Kiley points out that this drop in participation is more than just a number; it signifies a loss of vital social connections and mental health benefits that team activities provide.

Katherine Van Dyck, a witness and senior legal fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project, highlighted the void left by diminishing public funding for community-based programs, leading to the rise of monopolistic entities that prioritize profit over accessibility. This trend raises alarm as many kids find themselves pushed into high-pressure environments that are deemed unnecessary for their long-term athletic development.

Experts at the hearing urged for a fundamental reevaluation of youth sports’ purpose. John O’Sullivan, CEO of the Changing the Game Project, encouraged parents to shift their focus from merely seeking athletic scholarships to prioritizing the development of well-rounded individuals. He emphasized the importance of nurturing healthy, character-driven humans through sports.

The statistics reveal a sobering reality—only about 6% of high school athletes will move on to play at the collegiate level, with less than 1% making it to the professional ranks. A student survey from the Aspen Institute found that only 20% of parents believe their child has a shot at playing Division I college sports, and just 10% think they could reach professional or Olympic levels.

Steve Boyle, co-founder of 2-4-1 Sports, stressed the critical life skills that sports can teach in real-time scenarios, advocating for a broader and more inclusive approach to youth athletics. He and his wife founded their organization out of a concern for their daughter, who was told that trying different sports was not an option for those on local travel teams.

As the discussion unfolded, witnesses urged lawmakers to take action to rejuvenate public parks and recreation programs, which have suffered from budget cuts in previous years and during the pandemic. They proposed moving towards more inclusive structures within school-based sports to ensure that all children have a place to develop their skills, regardless of their athletic ability.

Tom Farrey, executive director of Aspen Sports & Society, proposed implementing multiple team structures within schools to accommodate all interested participants, thus preventing the marginalization of kids who may not fit traditional competitive molds. Making youth sports organizations more accountable through regulatory measures like background checks for coaches was also suggested to enhance safety and integrity in youth sports.

Overall, the hearing underscored a united call for systemic change within youth sports, focusing on accessibility, education about the true purpose of youth athletics, and the necessity of fostering an environment where all kids can enjoy the benefits of physical activity and community engagement. As these conversations continue, the hope is that meaningful policies will emerge to revitalize youth sports for future generations, ensuring that fun, development, and opportunity remain at its core.

John Edward Ammerman, 34, of Stillwater, passed away peacefully on June 3rd, 2024, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul with his parents and a cousin, Debra Buschette at his side, from complications of cardiomyopathy.

John was born March 23rd, 1990, in Fallbrook California to Kelly and Jocelyn (Razal) Ammerman. His family moved to Minnesota in 1993, attended Stillwater and White Bear Lake schools and graduated from Stillwater Area High School in 2008.

He was preceded in death by grandparents, Guia and Jose Razal of the Republic of Philippines; Patricia Ammerman of Stillwater and Thomas Ammerman of Florida; uncles, Ronilio “Ronnie” Razal, Ariel Razal, Glendo Razal of the RP, and Michael Ammerman of Florida.

John is survived by mother, Jocelyn “Josie” Razal; father, Kelly Ammerman; brother, Thomas Jose Ammerman of Stillwater; uncle, Razalito “Boboy” (Maria) Razal of RP; uncle, Jerry Ammerman of Stillwater; cousins, Rayze Paul and Rezelyn Razal of RP.

John had a number of nicknames, ‘Johnny Tsunami, John John, JJ, JDM (Japanese Do Magic) for his love of Japanese sports cars, and Cat Whisperer ‘. He enjoyed playing sports, baseball, football, weightlifting, and especially playing youth hockey at St. Mary’s Point. John loved working on his sports cars, hanging out with his friends, and his cats, (all of which were strays until they rescued us). He also loved all types of pets, military air shows, every type of car and truck show, and watching MMA and WWE Wrestling events. He was a Cub Scout in Pack’s 113 in Bayport and 114 in Stillwater, then joined the Boy Scouts of Troop 114 of Stillwater. At the time of his passing, John was a Security Agent with Relative Intel of Minneapolis where he was known as the Rock for his reliability, judgement and flexibility to cover shifts at last moment.

John was a very proud American and very proud of his Philippine heritage. He grew up to be a fine man and always strove to do the right thing, still had many dreams to fulfill, had a great sense of humor, was very thoughtful, very respectful, very hardworking, and had a heart of gold- evidenced by taking stray cats out of harm’s way and providing a safe home with care, compassion, and companionship.

His final hours were spent with his parents, and Cousin Debra at his side, listening to Dragonforce and with his former cat, ‘Shadow’ in a heart shaped, keepsake urn in his hand. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2019 and has battled courageously for 5 years.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Cat Rescues such as: Davidloop65, Cats of San Bernadino, Willy Wonka Adoption, Animal Ark in Hastings MN. Honorary Pallbearers: Tom Ammerman, Enrique Torjesen, Chris Tran, Matt Nelson, LaRue ” Junior ” Palmer, Kent Marcuson, Rezelyn Razal and Rayze Razal.

Visitation 10 AM, Celebration of Life 12 PM, followed by a luncheon. Saturday July 27, 2024 Bayport American Legion 263 3rd St N Bayport, Minnesota.