ROCHESTER — Will Rochester’s proposed sports complex be a
$65 million project
that becomes worth every penny and a civic source of pride? Or might it not come close to paying for itself?
When it comes to the future benefits of the building and
eventual utilization of the Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex,
predicting its worth is tricky.
There are those brimming with optimism about a complex that, in its first of two projected phases — the outdoors components come first, with groundbreaking set for this fall — will include eight turf and lighted baseball/softball fields, 12 outdoor pickleball courts, two turf soccer fields, a basketball court, and a walking/running track. The optimists especially point to the city evolving into a sports destination with the complex allowing a multitude of large youth and amateur tournaments to be hosted here, especially in baseball and softball.
Sports tourism has grown into one of the world’s biggest money industries, and Rochester seems on the cusp of seriously entering that fray.
Rochester resident Andrew Davick, who had a son go through the Rochester Youth Baseball Association and is a former RYBA president, believes the sports complex is long overdue.
“There is a need for it in a city of (123,000) people,” Davick said. “We lack some of those facilities that other communities have. That the city (hasn’t had) a nice turf field is surprising. So I am excited about it. Our facilities have to match our population growth and match what Mayo Clinic is doing.”
There are also plenty who don’t share the same optimism about an initial sports complex building phase that will cost in the $65 million range. When initially approved by Rochester voters in 2023, the public largely believed that an indoor facility would come first, and it would be accompanied by a group of rectangular fields, mostly designated for soccer and lacrosse.
Original plans included as many as 12 soccer fields that would be constructed. That number has been cut to two in the initial phase. And the indoor facility — which is likely to house basketball and volleyball courts and offer other amenities — isn’t likely to be built for another five years or more.
Plenty of Rochester residents were seeking more from this project than mostly baseball, softball and outdoor pickleball facilities, and were welcoming what it would do for the Rochester sports community, even more than what it would do for the Rochester economy.
“A lot of people had anticipated the indoor facility,” said former Rochester Youth Baseball Association president Mike Vance, who was among a number of sports association leaders in the community who were asked for their input on the project before final decisions were made. “As a citizen, I guess I am excited about the project. But there are a lot of concerns within the community as to what the original vote and proposition (for the project) had been. There was some feedback in the community sessions we had about how much use this would get and whether this was the right step.”
There remain questions about who is actually going to have access to the sports complex, whether it will be a bidding war to play on these fields and courts, and whether weekend usage will largely be eaten up by out-of-towners playing tournaments here.
It does raise the question: Is this project worth the $65 million price tag, and potentially twice that much, or more, to complete both phases? Once everything is built, will those Rochester voters who voted yes in 2023 to the construction of the Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex have deemed it worth it?
Brian Pulos (1), of Rochester Tornadoes AAA white, bats during a baseball scrimmage against the Rochester Tornadoes AAA black on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the Rochester Youth Baseball Complex.
Maya Giron / Post Bulletin
Rochester Sports Executive Director Matt Esau says yes, Rochester is going to get its money’s worth.
Esau, whose organization’s mission is to bring sports tournaments to Rochester, has heavily studied the explosive impact of sports tourism. He says the Rochester economy will be ready to hit a new gear once this new sports complex on the southeast edge of town is built.
Baseball and softball tournaments that Rochester Sports used to struggle to attract because of the city’s lack of facilities will be made easier to bring to town with eight new fields, all of them with dugouts and lights.
Esau says that the Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex will have a big-league feel, which he is certain will be a major draw for tournament customers.
Building the complex, Esau believes, will help Rochester go from a one-trick pony — health care — to a second trick, sports tourism.
“I am thrilled with the project,” Esau said. “I wish it had come 10 years earlier. I think that a lot of people in Rochester and the surrounding area would have trouble grasping what this facility could do for our economy and sports tourism in our city. Sometimes it’s hard to understand the dollars that are brought in by visitors. It’s not just the hotels and restaurants that benefit, but so many others indirectly. When visitors spend money in our town, that money changes hands on average seven times. That is hard for people to grasp.”
Matt Esau, the executive director of Rochester Sports, poses for a portrait at the Mayo Civic Center on Thursday, June 26, 2025 in Rochester.
Sophia Marschall / Post Bulletin
What is also hard to grasp is who from the community will regularly use this new facility.
Weekends will likely be used primarily for tournaments at the baseball and softball complex. But what about the rest of the week? Who will occupy those new turf fields at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, if anybody? And how about Sunday through Thursday nights from late March until early November?
Maybe even more importantly, what will the price be to rent a field and how soon in advance will that renting need to happen? Those things have yet to be determined.
In a city that is strapped for field space and saw its youth baseball numbers increase by 30% this past year, more usable baseball and softball fields would figure to be warmly welcomed. Youth softball and soccer leagues in Rochester are also bursting at the seams, their numbers ever growing.
The sheer number of baseball/softball fields being built — eight — isn’t the only lure to playing there. Also strongly factored in is that these fields will be made of artificial turf, making them playable for an extra few months of the year. Moisture is a hindrance with grass fields, which get torn up when played on after it rains or snows. It’s imaginable that the eight turf baseball/softball fields and two turf soccer fields will be playable as early as the last week of March and as late as early November, or until the snow flies and stays.
For high school teams, that can be a big deal. Getting practices outdoors at the end of March often can’t happen at a school’s grass field. It also can’t happen at either of Rochester’s two main soccer complexes, Watson and Fuad Mansour. But for baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse, it will be possible on the Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex’s turf. College teams from a 60-mile radius also figure to get in on the act of renting Rochester’s new fields for early season practices. So do all levels of soccer teams who want to take advantage of that turf.
“We are excited about it,” John Marshall Activities Director Brian Ihrke said. “We think we’ll be able to use it to some extent. When our fields (at JM) are wet in the early spring of the year, we hope to use the turf for baseball and softball. We have every intention to do it. I do think this will be good for Rochester.”
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country. This new sports complex answers the call for more pickleball courts in Rochester, with 12 outdoor state-of-the art courts to be built at the site. And they will be lit, one of the few pickleball sites in Rochester that comes with lights.
All of that has Rochester pickleball player and Rochester Area Pickleball Association president Denise Dupras excited. She says these lit courts will be the best ones in town.
“They are going to be spectacular courts,” Dupras said. “And with lights, there will be the advantage of being able to play late in the evenings.”
But her excitement is tempered some with the expectation that the courts will be pay-to-play.
With the complex being funded by local tax dollars, she says it doesn’t sit right with the pickleball community that there will be a fee to play.
“If there is a fee, people will always want to look somewhere else to play,” Dupras said. “We’ve been told by Park and Rec that there will be a cost for the courts. But these will be the best courts in town, state-of-the-art. They are going to be spectacular courts.”
The Rochester soccer community is another group that has some dissatisfaction with how things are taking shape with the Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex. After initial plans advertised a pack of outdoor soccer fields to be built, those plans changed drastically, now with just two rectangular turf fields in the offing, down from 12.
That came after it was realized that Rochester likely couldn’t compete with Blaine and its massive soccer complex for tournaments.
Rochester soccer parent Alicia Zeone says the current Rochester sports complex plans are a major letdown to soccer enthusiasts, no matter the reason for having changed them.
“Folks were excited when the original plans were laid out; those were grand plans,” Zeone said. “But they are going in a whole different direction now.”
Traveling baseball and softball teams in Rochester have a long history of leaving town for weekend tournaments. They’ve gone mostly in a three-state radius, with such places as Des Moines, Iowa (with
baseball
and
soccer complexes);
Mauston, Wisconsin (
baseball
and
soccer complexes);
and a variety of Twin Cities sites for their tournaments, all of those places home to excellent facilities.
With Phase 1 of Rochester’s sports complex scheduled to be completed within two years, the plan is, not only will more and bigger tournaments help boost Rochester’s economy with all of the out-of-town weekend visitors, but Rochester baseball and softball players and their families will save money by traveling less.
Steven Todd is the father of 10-year-old Weston Todd, who plays on a 10-under Class AAA traveling baseball team from Rochester. Steven is the team’s coach. The Todds know all about leaving town on the weekends, bound for youth baseball tournaments. They’ve already played in five of them this year, and they’ll have done seven outside of Rochester before the season is done.
Steven said he is looking forward to the day when Weston can stay home to play. It’s going to save time and money. Weekend baseball trips aren’t cheap. Hotels, meals, gas — it all adds up. It starts on a Friday night and extends to the time they arrive home, Sunday evenings.
“For our family of five, I’m spending anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500 per (weekend) tournament,” Steven Todd said. “So, instead of doing that in the Cities, we could be doing that here (many) weekends. I think for tourism, the (sports complex) will pay for itself. I say that just knowing what I spend myself on a trip. I’m excited because this can keep you home a little bit more than we’ve been. And I think it could do great things for the city.”
Rochester Tornadoes AAA baseball coach Steven Todd and his son Weston are pictured on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the Rochester Youth Baseball Complex.
Maya Giron / Post Bulletin
With Rochester’s abundance of hotels, restaurants and what is believed will be a state-of-the-art sports complex, Steven Todd believes it can be a perfect host for regional tournaments.
Jake Vetter, whose son Ryan also plays for the same 10-under Class AAA travel baseball team, is also looking forward to spending more time in Rochester once the new fields are built.
“Yeah, we’ll save some money,” Jake Vetter said. “It also brings teams down to Rochester, so we get to stay in town and showcase the city that we have. It’ll make it easier for us parents to not be traveling every weekend. And I think we can get quality teams, teams that will come from Iowa and Wisconsin and even Illinois. You could bring in teams and have something here almost every weekend.”
This article is the first in the Post Bulletin’s three-part series “Game Changer,” looking at soon to be constructed Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex.
• Today: Will Rochester get its money’s worth with $65 million sports complex?
• July 12: Softball, soccer stakeholders have differing reactions to Phase I
• July 19: How can adult rec leagues, athletes make use of new sports complex?
Terrebonne Parish Recreation suspended its All-Stars youth sports program due to recurring fights among parents.
A recreation supervisor cited multiple incidents, including parking lot brawls and altercations with referees, as the reason for the program’s halt.
The parish is implementing a “no tolerance” policy for parents, which includes signing a waiver and a ban on threats, verbal abuse and substance use.
Officials plan to test the new policy for a year and aim to reinstate the All-Stars program in 2027 if parental behavior improves.
When parents kept getting into fights at Terrebonne Parish Recreation’s sporting events, the government decided to put the All-Stars program in time out.
Terrebonne Parish’s All-Stars program began in the 1970s and abruptly ended about three years ago after parents of the athletes kept misbehaving, Bobby Arceneaux said. Arceneaux has been a supervisor with Terrebonne Parish Rec for 52 years, and he said he thought he had seen everything, but when he walked out of a girls softball game in Jefferson Parish to see parents getting into fistfights with the opposing team, he said it was time to take action.
“I guess what broke it was our last year, when we did away with it, the All-Stars girls, we were fighting in the parking lot amongst each other, and here came the cops from every direction,” he said. “And we were on the court and went after a referee the next day.
“‘I’m embarrassed as the girl’s director because we don’t have to do that.”
Arceneaux was called to speak Dec. 17 to the Terrebonne Parish Council after the council had questions about the status of the All-Stars program.
The program, he said, used to be a big deal for Terrebonne. It consisted of multiple competitive youth sports teams. The parish even hosted multiple Babe Ruth League World Championships in Dularge, drawing more than 70 teams to the parish.
When asked why the program was halted, what he said surprised the Council.
“I’m just in awe… we’re talkin’ about the parents are fighting? Is that what we are saying? I mean are we serious?” Councilman Brien Pledger asked. “And to the people that might be listening to this, it’s a damn shame… Don’t relive your glory days, it’s over with. Let your kids do their thing.”
According to Arceneaux, most of the parents were great, and some even served as coaches. Unfortunately, about five parents were threatening violence on officials and getting into fights. Their actions resulted in the parish being banned from several fields. Eventually it was enough, he said, and he called the then-head of Quality of Life Jim Wendell to suggest they close down the program for a while.
Terrebonne Parish Manager Noah Lirette said the parish has been working on a “no tolerance” policy, and parents now have to sign a waiver when they register their children for sports. The Rec. Districts agreed to put up signs displaying the rules in their gyms, and he expects them to be finished with the new policies by the start of the next season of each sport.
“It really is a shame that some folks will sacrifice a great program for kids because they don’t know how to act,” Lirette said. “The no tolerance policy means no alcohol, no drugs on public fields. No threats of violence, no verbal abuse to kids or anybody else. If you break those rules, the police will get involved.”
According to Lirette, he wants a year of testing the “no tolerance” policy, and will bring back All-Stars in 2027.
The NCAA’s approval of new guidance on performance technology use this week offers a preview of questions that youth sports organizations will increasingly face as wearables, biometric tracking, and AI-powered analysis tools become more prevalent at younger age levels.
The guidance, developed after a May summit in Indianapolis, establishes three foundational principles:
Performance technologies are just one tool (not a solution)
They carry unintended risks including mental health impacts
Organizations need written plans for data management, education, and continuous improvement
What the NCAA Guidelines Say
The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports defined performance technologies as any devices that collect biometric or performance data. This includes wearables attached directly to athletes or equipment, as well as cameras, sensors, surveys, software, and mobile apps that monitor performance indirectly.
The guidance includes three types of statements: foundational statements (the most important takeaways), recommendation statements (general considerations), and strategy statements (for implementation). Key requirements include establishing written plans for technology use, educating relevant groups, managing and protecting athlete data, making informed purchasing decisions, and implementing continuous improvement processes.
The NCAA will begin educational programming at the 2026 Convention, with full consensus statements available in early 2026.
What New NCAA Wearable Guidelines Mean for Youth Sports
While the NCAA guidance applies only to collegiate athletics, the framework addresses issues already present in youth sports:
Data Privacy at Scale: Youth sports operators using GPS tracking, heart rate monitors, video analysis platforms, or recruiting apps collect data on minors. The NCAA’s emphasis on data management plans signals growing expectations that organizations must document how they protect athlete information.
The Mental Health Variable: If NCAA athletes with developed emotional regulation face mental health concerns from performance tracking, the implications for 10-14 year-olds receiving constant biometric feedback or video analysis deserve scrutiny. The guidance acknowledges what many youth sports operators have observed: more data does not always equal better development.
Governance Gap: The NCAA now has structured guidance. Most youth sports organizations do not. As these technologies become cheaper and more accessible, the question is not whether youth sports will use them, but whether operators will implement them with appropriate safeguards.
What Comes Next
The NCAA will roll out educational programming starting at the 2026 Convention, with full guidance available in early 2026. Youth sports organizations watching this space should consider: Do we have a written technology use plan? How are we addressing informed consent with parents? What metrics actually serve athlete development versus organizational marketing?
The technology is not going away. The NCAA’s move suggests the conversation about how to use it responsibly is just beginning, and youth sports will not be far behind.
via: AB
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and youthsports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.
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Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
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About Play Up Partners
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Sign-ups are underway for children wanting to play in the Spring Softball League with the Newcastle Youth Sports Association.
Area parents can sign up their children from the end of December through January 31, 2026. Those registering before December 20 can receive a discount on their $55 fee. Register at: https://playpass.com/ ok-NYSA, and then use the code SPRING26.
You can also refer a friend and get $10 off your next registration. These can be done online at https://playpass. com/ok-nysa/invite.
The Spring League is from March 1 through June 30, 2026 and plays at 3009 State Highway 130 in Newcastle. The game schedule is dependent on number of teams and how many rain outs they could have.
NYSA states it will do its best to have each age group on its own set night, but we don’t have a way to know which nights until we see how many teams sign up in each age group, and the coordination with other cities is complete.
Team signups can also be completed through the website. They are $175 each.
The NYSA states that it is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and positive environment where youth of all skill levels, from beginners to competitive players, can develop their softball skills, sportsmanship, and love for the game.
They believe in promoting community, teamwork and personal growth.
The 2025 U.S. defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate on Wednesday and is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk, includes provisions that ban biological males from women’s sports at U.S. military academies.
“The NDAA also permanently prohibits men from playing on women’s sports teams at all military academies,” reads a section of a Dec. 9 administrative statement addressing the bill from Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
Trans athletes have been prohibited from competing in NCAA sports dating back to February 6, when the NCAA updated its gender eligibility policy to comply with Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
A federal appeals court has also recently allowed the Pentagon to temporarily enforce its ban on transgender military service members.
The latest bill is one of the last remaining items that congress will address in 2025.
Lawmakers banded together to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a roughly $901 billion package crammed to the brim with defense policy that unlocks funding for several of the Trump administration’s national defense priorities.
TOP GOP SENATOR URGES OLYMPIC OFFICIALS TO SWIFTLY ENACT ‘DECISIVE POLICY’ BANNING MEN FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS
The measure passed through the upper chamber on a 77-20 bipartisan vote. It’s a perennial legislative exercise lawmakers undertake, and one that normally comes and goes with little fuss, given that Congress typically bookends the year with it.
Other provisions, like a requirement for the Pentagon to release the unedited footage of boat strikes in the Caribbean in exchange for fully funding the Department of War’s travel fund, raised eyebrows but didn’t slow down the package’s success.
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That provision comes as lawmakers demand more transparency in the Trump administration’s strikes against alleged drug boats, and in particular, as they seek the release of the footage from a Sept. 2 double-strike on a vessel.
“This defense authorization act, although it doesn’t have as much in there for defense as a lot of us would like, is a step in the right direction,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. “And I think the defense appropriations bill, which hopefully we’ll vote on later this week, is another example of the investment that we need to be making, to ensure that in a dangerous world, we are prepared to defend America and American interests.”
Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/Gray News) – Two children in Idaho are critically injured after a tree fell on them while they were waiting for the school bus.
The Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office said high winds caused rotten trees to fall on power lines before collapsing on the children.
The kids, both under the age of 10, and an older sibling were waiting outside for their bus when the tree collapsed. According to the sheriff’s office, the older sibling was not injured.
Aaron Hudson, the Twin Falls fire deputy chief, told KTVB first responders had to first get the kids out from the tree and downed power lines before they could prepare them for transport.
The sheriff’s office said one of the children was taken to the hospital by ambulance, while the other was airlifted.
According to Hudson, the weather conditions caused difficulties during transport. He said that it prevented the helicopter from going any further than the local hospital.
The family of the children has started a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses.
Copyright 2025 KMVT via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Welcome to another Feel Good Friday from our friends at GoFundMe, where we celebrate the stories that remind us why youth sports matter far beyond wins and losses. Today’s spotlight features five remarkable fundraising campaigns that showcase how communities are supporting youth athletics through grassroots fundraising.
Community Rallies to Save Lōkahi Water Polo Club After Vandalism
The Lōkahi Water Polo club recently faced a heartbreaking setback when they discovered that three of their four inflatable goals had been slashed with a knife or scissors. These goals are essential for the community-based team, which consists of kids ages 6 to 18 who practice right in the ocean. While the damage felt like a targeted attack, the club is using the experience to teach its players about perseverance and grit. They are refusing to let the incident dampen their spirit of unity and Aloha.
The community quickly rallied behind the team to make sure the kids could keep playing. One local coach even lent the club a goal to keep them operational, while parents jumped in immediately to patch the damaged equipment. To help cover the costs of the expensive goals, which run about $600 each, the club turned to the community for help. A GoFundMe was set up to raise the necessary funds for replacements, and the response was more than they could have hoped for.
Thanks to an incredible outpouring of support, the GoFundMe exceeded its goal. The club now has enough money to repair the nets and replace their equipment, ensuring they can continue practicing for the USA Water Polo Jr. Olympics. Even when the world isn’t full of Aloha, the team is proving they can power through any challenge. As their motto says, “We are the storm,” and this community support has ensured the club will come out stronger than ever.
Sunset Park Shines: PS 503 Basketball Program Soars on Wave of Community Support
Sunset Park basketball players at PS 503 are preparing for their third season, determined to build on the success of their championship winning, undefeated season last year. The Title 1 school team, representing a community filled with resilience and heart, continues to show a strong commitment to pushing themselves academically and athletically. The program is helping students build something bigger than basketball as they become the pride of Sunset Park.
To ensure the athletes have the necessary tools, gear, and support to compete at a high level, the coaches launched a GoFundMe with a goal of $6,200. The community’s response was spectacular, quickly surpassing the initial target.
The generosity from the community directly impacts the young athletes and helps the school build a program that inspires the entire neighborhood. The support for the team is a testament to the belief in what these kids can achieve, a spirit that helped spark their special, undefeated season last year. The team is ready to rise to any challenge as they prepare for their upcoming season.
Tampa Bay Community Rallies to Raise $8,500 for Youth Tennis Ministry and After-School Expansion
For seven years, Serving Youth Tennis has been dedicated to building biblical character and creating pathways to college for at-risk youth throughout the Tampa Bay Area. What started as a small ministry with a few donated racquets has blossomed into a life changing program where kids grow in skill, character, and faith. The organization provides completely free tennis instruction, summer camps, and academic incentive programs, ensuring that hundreds of youth every year have access to high quality sports ministry and mentorship.
The program is currently preparing for its most ambitious chapter yet by working toward owning a dedicated facility. This space would house a full time after school program, allowing the ministry to offer daily tutoring, structured tennis training, and expanded leadership development. By having a permanent home, the organization aims to serve more children with a deeper impact, helping them feel seen and supported while they grow into the next generation of leaders and athletes.
To help turn this dream into a reality, the organization launched its 7 Days of Giving campaign. The community responded with incredible generosity, and the fundraiser successfully raised $8,500 to support the mission. “Serving Youth Tennis isn’t just a sports program — it’s a ministry,” and these funds will directly help provide the mentorship and resources necessary to build stronger families and safer communities across Tampa Bay.
Community Generosity Sends Marching Maroons to State Championship in Detroit
The Marching Maroons band recently traveled to Detroit to support the Menominee Maroons Varsity football team during their state championship finals against Schoolcraft. Following a thrilling semi-final victory, the band was determined to bring the spirit of Menominee to the big game and cheer their team on from the stands. This unforgettable journey was a major milestone for the students, providing them with the opportunity to participate in a high-stakes championship environment.
The logistics for such a trip involved significant costs for bus transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals for all band members. Although initial quotes for these travel expenses came in higher than anticipated, the organization remained committed to ensuring every student could attend. To cover the rising costs, they reopened their fundraising efforts and turned to their local community for assistance in bridging the financial gap.
Ultimately, the trip was made possible by an incredible outpouring of local support that saw nearly $10,000 raised on GoFundMe. These funds ensured that every member of the Marching Maroons could travel safely and represent their school with pride on the biggest stage in the state. The generosity of the community helped create lifelong memories for the students as they stood proudly with their team throughout the competition.
Whirlie Nation Rallies Behind State Champions for Final Goal: The Rings
The Whirlies football team is still riding high after their huge state championship win in Chapel Hill. The victory followed months of hard work that began back in January, creating memories that will stick with the players forever. Now, the coaches are looking to cap off this amazing season by getting every single player a championship ring, a well deserved reward for all their dedication.
Right now, the team is still fundraising to make those rings a reality. They’re reaching out to the entire Whirlie Nation community for a final push. Every little bit helps, whether it is $5 or $50. Folks can even sponsor a specific player’s ring with a $250 donation, or businesses can contribute $1000 or more to get some sponsor recognition.
The coaching staff is incredibly grateful for the support from the community all season long, saying they are “infinitely grateful for everything you do for us”. As they work towards this final goal, they want to assure everyone that not a single dollar will be taken for granted. It is still a work in progress, but with the community’s help, they’ll soon have those rings to celebrate their championship run.
Legal Disclaimer: YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and sports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.
Our core mission: Make Youth Sports Better. As the leading authority in youth sports business reporting, we deliver unparalleled coverage of sports business trends, youth athletics, and emerging opportunities across the youth sports ecosystem.
Our expert editorial team provides authoritative, in-depth reporting on key youth sports industry verticals including:
Sports sponsorship and institutional capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital)
Youth Sports events and tournament management
NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) developments and compliance
Youth sports coaching and sports recruitment strategies
Sports technology and data analytics innovation
Youth sports facilities development and management
Sports content creation and digital media monetization
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Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
Introducing Play Up Partners, a leading youth sports marketing agency connecting brands with the power of youth sports. We specialize in youth sports sponsorships, partnerships, and activations that drive measurable results.
About Play Up Partners
Play Up Partners is a leading youth sports marketing agency connecting brands with the power of youth sports. We specialize in youth sports sponsorships, partnerships, and activations that drive measurable results.
Why Sponsor Youth Sports?
Youth sports represents one of the most engaged and passionate audiences in sports marketing. With over 70 million young athletes and their families participating annually, the youth sports industry offers brands unparalleled access to motivated communities with strong purchasing power and loyalty.
What Does Play Up Partners Do?
We’ve done the heavy lifting to untangle the complex youth sports landscape so our brand partners can engage with clarity, confidence, and impact. Our vetted network of accredited youth sports organizations (from local leagues to national tournaments and operators) allows us to create flexible, scalable programs that evolve with the market.
Our Approach
Every partnership we build is rooted in authenticity and value creation. We don’t just broker deals. We craft youth sports marketing strategies that:
Deliver measurable ROI for brand partners
Create meaningful experiences for athletes and families
Elevate the youth sports ecosystem
Our Vision
We’re positioning youth sports as the most desirable and effective platform in sports marketing. Our mission is simple: MAKE YOUTH SPORTS BETTER for athletes, families, organizations, and brand partners.
Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing
Where can I sponsor youth sports?How do I activate in youth sports?What is the ROI of youth sports marketing?How much does youth sports sponsorship cost?
We have answers. Reach out to info@playuppartners.com to learn how Play Up Partners can help your brand navigate the youth sports landscape.
Youth sports organizations: Interested in partnership opportunities? Reach out to learn about our accreditation process.
