Eight Philly teens are back home after being charged with felonies in Florida for stealing more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from a Dick’s Sporting Goods over the weekend.

The teens were in Polk County, Florida, for a youth football championship game, when they allegedly walked into the store in Davenport and tried to get away with stealing dozens of items.

One of their coaches, Raekwon Bynes, spoke exclusively with NBC10 Investigators on Tuesday and explained what happened.

Bynes has been the offensive coordinator for the Olney-based United Thoroughbreds for six years, said the teens have to face the consequences for their actions.

“We strive on discipline, prayer and schoolwork too,” Bynes said.

Bynes said he went to go wake the boys up for prayer when he found that eight of them were not in their beds.

A group of eight Philly teenagers who were in Polk County, Florida, to play a youth football championship game were arrested for stealing more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from a Dick’s Sporting Goods, law enforcement said on Monday. 

“I got a phone call simultaneously saying that, ‘Hey coach, can you come get us from from Dick Sporting Goods?’ And when I got there, that’s when I found out everything that was going on,” Bynes recalled.

Polk County Sheriff deputies had taken the teens into custody and were accusing them of stealing more than $2,000 in sports merchandise from the local store.

The Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd, released surveillance video that allegedly shows the teens stealing from the store.

“They stole, and they stole, and they stole, and they stole, and they stole,” Judd said at a press conference. “Yeah. How do you like that? This is everything that they stole.”

Bynes said he was disappointed with the teens’ actions and asked the deputies and store owner not to press charges, but the teens now face felony retail theft charges.

“I just hope that they take this as a lesson learned, you know, and realize that like actions have consequences and actions also affect not just you but those around you,” Bynes said.

The teens arrested were not able to play in the championship set for that Saturday night, which the Thoroughbreds ended up losing.

After the game, Bynes and the other coaches drove their players back to Philly.

“They didn’t really share much with me. Just because, like again, when a kid is knows that he did wrong, they’re disappointing themselves and they can’t, you can’t, even really look at me in my face, really,” Bynes said.

It’s unclear when the teens will have a court date next in Florida. NBC10 reached out to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, but have not heard back.

Bynes said the teens arrested are no longer on the team because they both aged out and also as a consequence of their actions.

The Columbus Youth Sports Cardinals football team has captured its first championship in the post-merger era.

They defeated the Rice Youth Sports Raiders by a score of 30-26 in a very exciting Superbowl game.

“It was a championship game that was played like a championship game should be played,” CYS Cardinals Head Coach Royce Caldwell said.

The game went back and forth with each team finding the endzone early and often. Caldwell said his defense was finally able to make a couple of stops to help them extend their lead.

Caldwell continued to say that Rice was a familiar foe but they were hands down their toughest games this year.

“We played them once already this year and beat them 44-20 and we knew they were going to come back to the Superbowl ready to play, and they gave us a really good game,” CYS Cardinals Head Coach Royce Caldwell said. “Hats off to them too because they had about 16 players and they gave us our toughest games all season and that shows how dedicated their kids and coaches are.”

In addition to winning the Superbowl, the CYS Cardinals also posted a perfect 13-0 record on their way to the championship. They were able to win so many games because their offense was unstoppable as they outscored opponents this season by a combined score of 524-146 across 13 games.

That is also a testament to their defense as they continued to suffocate teams even though they had a large lead. Caldwell said despite their strong defense and offense the only time they trailed this season was against Rice.

Caldwell said that this friendly but competitive rivalry between Rice and Columbus is the same at the youth level. With bragging rights on the line, everyone brings their best game.

With the Superbowl Championship in their hands after the game, Caldwell made sure his team stayed focused because their football journey was just beginning.

“I told my 6th graders that things only get harder from here and they got a taste of learning football now they have to go and apply in a more structured system,” Caldwell said. “My 5th graders already stepped up and played key roles for us this season, so I told them that I expect them to step up again next season and lead this team because I know they can.”

The CYS Cardinals won the Superbowl, but this was a major win for every child, coach and parent involved this season, and everyone turned in amazing reviews about the first season in the post-merger era.

CALDWELL — Caldwell trustees Monday appointed Erin Smith to a vacant school board seat. 

A Caldwell native with two daughters who graduated from the district, Smith is executive director for the Caldwell Foundation for Educational Opportunity, a nonprofit that raises scholarship money for graduating seniors. 

Smith told the board that she hopes to boost student attendance, increase parent engagement and strengthen local business relationships with the school district. She previously worked in retail management and as an office manager for a funeral chapel and for the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce.

“We really want to show that we are the place to be,” Smith said. 

Smith was one of four applicants to a vacant seat formerly held by Andrew Butler, who resigned Oct. 27. Trustees interviewed three applicants Monday after one withdrew before the board’s regular meeting.

The other two applicants who were interviewed were: 

• Don Atkinson, a longtime softball coach and co-founder of the Caldwell Girls’ Athletic League Softball (GALS), a nonprofit youth sports league.
• Ronald Bonneau, a former College of Idaho ski instructor whose wife taught in local public schools. 

After the board asked each candidate seven questions, Superintendent Shalene French told trustees that they had to deliberate and select a candidate publicly, which led to an awkward 20 minutes of stalling. 

Trustee Trish Robertson filled the silence by telling candidates that the volunteer job is a “huge time commitment.” As the board’s only retired member, Robertson said, she’s responsible for serving on committees and attending meetings scheduled in the middle of the day. 

This prompted Bonneau to abruptly withdraw his application. Bonneau, who is recently retired, said he needed to talk about the time commitment with his wife. “I know what a full-time job looks like and this is looking full-time,” he said. 

Bonneau’s withdrawal left just Smith and Atkinson. Trustee Manuel Godina finally said Atkinson was his top choice. “You guys are all great people. I’ve just known Don (Atkinson) for a long time,” he said.

Robertson and fellow trustees Marisela Pesina and Travis Manning preferred Smith. 

“All three were phenomenal,” Robertson said. “You guys made it really difficult.” 

When it became clear that Smith had majority support, trustees unanimously voted to appoint her.

Smith’s application had recommendation letters from eight people, including current and former district teachers and students. 

Smith could officially join the board as soon as its next meeting. She will be one of two new trustees come January. That’s when Sam Stone will join the board after running unopposed for Pesina’s seat. Pesina chose not to seek reelection as she unsuccessfully sought a seat on the Caldwell City Council. 

Here’s how the school board will look next year: 

• Trish Robertson – Zone 1 (term expires 2029).
• Manuel Godina – Zone 2 (term expires 2027).
• Travis Manning, chairman – Zone 3 (term expires 2027).
• Erin Smith – Zone 4 (term expires 2027).
• Sam Stone – Zone 5 (term expires 2029).

By Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal Counsel, Nonbinary & Trans Rights Project Director

For as long as I can remember, people have been throwing wiffle balls, basketballs, footballs, dodgeballs, volleyballs, frisbees, hockey pucks, and boomerangs at me.

As an adult, I’m now part of an adult softball league, where I get softballs hurled at me all the time. Lots and lots of softballs. To be honest, I have loved every second of it. I love to play.

Yes, it’s the feeling of my body in motion — the bat swings, the desperate sprinting, the catches in the field — but there’s more to it than the physical aspects. I love being part of a team for many, many reasons. 

One reason I love sports is that it is a great way to make friends. Some of my closest friendships have come through sports. Sharing a series of intense experiences with a group of people that you’ve come to rely upon and trust has led to the forging of lasting connections that often transcend the playing field. Many of my teammates have become permanent members of my friendship network. I turn to them for advice, consolation, and countless other reasons beyond athletics. 

Sports has also taught me about how to be a team player. Sometimes, especially whenever ego rears its ugly head, being on a team can be miserable. But there are very few experiences that rival being part of a team that is “clicking” — where everyone is lifting one another up and, regardless of the score, everyone is having a good experience. That magical “click” is something I actively try to nurture in both my professional and personal relationships.  

The importance of persistence is another thing I have learned from sports. No matter how much training you’ve done, or how much natural athleticism you enjoy, you are going to have periods when you are not performing well. Athletics teaches you to persevere through those difficult periods. We all experience slumps, injuries, negative self-talk, and other hurdles. Athletics teaches you that there are no short cuts, but that you will succeed if you are willing to put in the hours. Again, this kind of persistence has constantly paid off for me, both on and off of the playing field.

One other, underrated benefit of playing sports, especially outdoor sports, is the connection with nature that sports provides. It is deeply mesmerizing to stand in a field and watch trees swaying in the wind, hawks soar above me (along with the softballs), and hear dragonflies buzz around my head. Especially at dusk, when the conversations slow, geese fly by in their teams, crickets cheer, and bats (both kinds) dart across the sky. 

In short, playing sports has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life, and I believe everyone — including transgender people — deserve access to its joys and benefits.

How Politicians are Failing the Young Trans People of America

I literally cannot imagine my life without sports, and it is sickening to see hypocritical politicians viciously and vacuously disparage young transgender people who simply want to throw a softball, shoot a hoop, or run track with their friends. 

These self-proclaimed “experts” demonize transgender kids, warning against the evils of their inclusion. But when pressed, they are unable to name a single transgender athlete in their state. 

The rank hypocrisy underpinning these bills is disgusting. Mean-spirited politicians make a big show of protecting women by banning a handful of trans girls from playing sports, while they simultaneously do everything in their power to restrict the rights of women in so many other facets of their lives. From restrictions on the reproductive rights of women, equal pay for women, voting rights for women, and their obstinate refusal to support public policies that would empower women (such as subsidized child care), their cruelty and hypocrisy know no bounds.

Lambda Legal is Fighting Back, and the Facts Support Us

Lambda Legal, on the other hand, stands loud and proud behind its mission. For more than 50 years, we have been fighting to defend the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV, and that includes trans athletes. That is why we are representing a young trans girl who simply wants to play sports with her friends. 

Becky Pepper-Jackson, a teenager from West Virginia, wants to participate in her school’s track team activities for many of the same reasons I love playing sports. And of course, she wants to participate because she is a kid and because it is FUN. But politicians in her home state want to exclude her and to permanently ban her from participating.

That is why on January 13, 2026, Lambda Legal is taking Becky’s case, B.P.J. v. West Virginia State Board of Education, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. We believe kids should be able to play, regardless of whether they are trans. 

There are many different legal arguments that anchor our case. But I want to close by emphasizing the following points, especially to help dispel the misinformation often spewed by anti-trans politicians and so-called “I’ve done my own research” experts:

• Trans girls actually make up a tiny proportion of athletes in women’s sports. Trans youth make up only 1.4% of all 13 to 17-year-olds, and half of those (0.7%) are trans girls. Few of them play sports. Therefore, it is statistically impossible (and irresponsible and ridiculous) to argue that trans girls will upend women’s sports.

• The facts show that participation among high school girls has remained the same or increased in states where there are inclusive policies allowing trans students to participate in accordance with their gender identity. In contrast, participation among girls has decreased in states that have harmful bans. 

• Research studies that are cited to support bans never involve transgender athletes. They compare cisgender women and cisgender men. 

The most important policy argument, however, is that athletics provides countless endless benefits to those who wish to participate. (Like myself!) Depriving kids like Becky the opportunity to play will likely result in long-term negative impacts. We can’t let that happen, and we won’t.

Learn more about B.P.J. v. West Virginia by reading our case page.

Game Details: Sunday, Dec. 14, Clemson, S.C., 2 p.m.

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Promotions: Youth Day Game, 500 Kendama Giveaway, Spyros Bros Halftime Show, & Superhero and Princess Appearances

Clemson, S.C. – Clemson women’s basketball hosts Pitt in its second ACC matchup of the season in Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 7. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m., and the game will stream live on ACCNX.

SETTING THE STAGE

The Tigers are looking to extend their current single-game win streak and reach .500 in league action. The Panthers have one two of their last three contests as they enter their first ACC game of the year.

THE CLEMSON-PITT SERIES

Clemson trails in the all-time series against Pitt, 11-10, and the Panthers are on a two-game series win streak. The pairings between the Tigers and the Panthers span back to the 1976-77 season. In the last clash, Pitt topped Clemson, 72-59 (Dec. 21, 2018).

LAST TIME OUT

Clemson used a 48-point second-half surge to top App State, 78-59, at Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. Senior guard Mia Moore logged a season-high 21 points, and Taylor Johnson-Matthews added a season-best 20 points to become the first pair of Tigers to score 20-plus points in a game since Amari Robinson (24) and Dayshanette Harris (22) against Miami (Feb. 8, 2024) last season. Senior forward Raven Thompson (11 points) shot 100% (3-3 FG, 1-1 3PT, & 4-4 FT) for the second-straight game. Senior guard Rachael Rose (season-high five assists) has dished out three or more assists in five games so far this season. For the first time since November 2023, Clemson knocked down 20-plus free throws, finishing the game with 21 makes at the line.

BEST OF THE TIGERS

In the latest Nitty Gritties Report, Clemson is ranked 51st in the NET, 18th in the NET SOS, and 50th in the WAB. The Tigers are led by the scoring duo of senior guard Mia Moore (12.6 ppg.) & junior guard/ forward Rusne Augusinaite (10.8 ppg.). Augusinaite is also averaging 2.5 3PM Per Game (3rd in the ACC). Moore holds a team-best 6.5 rebound average and 4.9 assists average (5th in the ACC). Senior guard/forward Hadley Periman is the squad’s leading shot blocker (1.1 bpg.) (15th in the ACC).

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 CANNED GOODS DONATION DRIVE

Clemson women’s basketball will be hosting a Canned Goods Donation Drive (Benefiting Paw Pantry & The Nook) on Sunday, Dec. 21 vs. North Florida. Tiger Fans who bring donation items will receive $5 off admission to the game against North Florida. Items in need include: Wipes, bar soap, shampoo, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, feminine products, Dry goods, canned goods, rice, pasta, Sugar, oil, cereal, canned soup, shelf-stable milk, canned meat, condiments, instant oatmeal/grits, and granola bars.

TIGERS INK MONSTER SIGNING CLASS: HIGHEST EVER IN PROGRAM HISTORY!

The incoming 2026 class is the highest-ranked signing class in program history and ranks third nationally (per 247 Sports) and sixth nationally (per ESPN). Coach Poppie, who is in his second year at the helm, has signed six Top-100 recruits in two years. Prior to the Poppie Era at Clemson, the program has only had six Top-100 recruits in the previous 12 years.

The Class includes: Trinity Jones, Kimora Fields, Julia Scott, Meeyah Green, and Dyarri Braddick.

RACHAEL ROSE NAMED TO NANCY LIEBERMAN PGOTY PRESEASON WATCH LIST

Senior guard Rachael Rose is 1-of-20 players (1-of-6 in the ACC) named to the 2026 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason watch list, announced by Hoophall & the WBCA. The Nancy Lieberman Award recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must exhibit the floor leadership, playmaking, and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lieberman. Fans can vote for Rose here.

TICKETS

Fans can purchase women’s basketball tickets by calling 1-800-CLEMSON or at ClemsonTigers.com/Tickets/.

FOLLOW CLEMSON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

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