HAMPTON, Va. — On a steamy summer day in Hampton’s Wythe neighborhood, young players hit the court for a few lively games of basketball—all part of a program meant to keep kids active and engaged during the summer.

The event was organized by Stop and Pop Youth Sports Charities Incorporated, a nonprofit that has been serving the community for more than two decades.

Organizer Jamen Mainor said it’s personal for him.

“I grew up here, and it’s just something that I can just take pride in giving back to—things that we probably didn’t have when I was a kid,” Mainor told News 3’s Jay Greene.

The organization’s work goes beyond basketball.

“It include[s] auto maintenance, includes different things like theatrical. We have a stage in there for them to do different activities and things,” Mainor added.

Despite Monday’s hot and humid weather, the games continued—alongside precautions to protect kids from the heat.

“We have water in our, you know, buckets here for them, and they can have that to hydrate and keep going,” said Mainor. “And then after a while, if we start seeing indications of heat fatigue, we pull them off to the side, have them sit down and cool off.”

Those steps align with advice from medical professionals. Dr. Michael Poirier, chief of emergency medicine at CHKD in Norfolk, said staying hydrated is key.

“You need to be really, really careful to make sure that they maintain their hydration,” Poirier said.

He added that symptoms like vomiting, flushed skin, unresponsiveness, or altered mental status are signs a child needs to get out of the heat immediately.

The Virginia High School League also sets heat safety guidelines for student athletes. When the heat index is below 89 degrees, practices can continue as normal with regular water breaks. But when it rises to 105 degrees or more, all outdoor activities should be canceled.

As the sun began to set and temperatures eased, the games at the shaded neighborhood court continued—right where the kids wanted to be.

“So this is a unique court. And of course, with us having the trees right next to it, we have great shade,” Mainor said.

Even in the middle of an intense game, Mainor said his volunteers are there to step in when kids need to rest.

“So you got to be the one that tells them, ‘Hey, you know, time to sit down for a second, take a little break, get some water in you, you know, and then come back out to play,’” he said. “The court ain’t going nowhere. You’ll be able to play again.”

The Broken Bow Youth Sports Club will host a fundraiser on Friday June 27th in downtown Broken Bow on the north side of the square just outside Legends Neighborhood Bar and Grill.  The fundraiser is part of the Give 4 Custer County fundraising event currently in progress.  The group was formed last summer in an effort to help cover some of the personal expenses that youth and their families encounter when they want to participate in youth sports.  Group members Ryan Wetovick and Skylar Morris visited with KCNI/KBBN sports about the upcoming fundraiser and shared the organization’s vision.

“Yeah, so we’ve kind of been thinking about how we really want to keep our participation up and help increase our participation for youth sports, and hopefully that trickles into high school sports and middle school sports. But we started this organization with the thought that we will fund kids if they need anything from shoes to cost of camps, anything like that, jerseys, anything, we are there to help them. So basically, we just kind of had the idea and got a group of us together and it took off.

To piggyback off of that, a big part of it as well is participation.  We want that three sport athlete. And we felt like over the past handful of years we’ve seen kiddos pick and choose and whether that is a funding issue that parents can’t afford just to do football or just to do wrestling. And so we don’t want that to be something that is keeping kids from doing or trying all athletics and increasing their skills in all areas.”

The organization was extremely thankful for the generosity that was shown by businesses, organizations and individuals in their first year of existence.  Morris shared what the group was able to do in year one.

“The total funding that we did this first year was $6,729 and that funded for 35 different athletes. Some were for multiple things. We had 14 of those 35 who were first year athletes. So they had never done something like wrestling, they had never done a club volleyball, they hadn’t done something. But we like to think that because of us allowing this funding, they were able to participate in these athletics.”

This year’s fundraiser will feature some games for all ages, a beer garden, a hot dog meal deal and a ball drop.  Entries into the ball drop can be purchased for $25 per ball.  First place payout will be $500, $250 for second, $150 for third, $100 for fourth, and $75 for fifth.  Former Broken Bow coach and member of the Broken Bow Athletic Hall of Fame Dan McLaughlin has been announced as the celebrity guest who will drop the balls from high in the sky.

The event will begin at 5:30 with the ball drop scheduled for 8 p.m. on June 27th.

For those who can’t attend the event but would like to support the group, donations can be made through the Custer County Foundation.

“Kids now are made in labs” – John Stockton on the most significant difference in young players’ development in today’s era and during his time originally appeared on Basketball Network.

John Stockton’s path from Spokane gym rat to NBA legend is a story rooted in a very different era of basketball development, one where learning came from pickup games, not private trainers or viral highlight clips. Reflecting on the changing culture of the sport, Stockton is quick to note the stark contrast between his upbringing and the way kids are molded today.

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“Now, kids are made in labs. And so it’s kind of hard to teach, you know, just the nuances of the game that you get into playing,” he said on a podcast with Adam Morisson.

How battling older players shaped Stockton

For Stockton, basketball was a nightly adventure, not a scheduled workout.

“Absolutely. No, in my front yard, my brother, if I could talk him into playing, those were always bloody messes and I was always unsuccessful,” Stockton recalls. “And then, sneak in down at Gonzaga and play against college students and did that every night. I’d do that after practices. So we’d practice at prep. Pat Clark was there with Terry Irwin. And after practice, I’d go home and eat dinner and I’d go sneak in with the students down at GU and just play,” he revealed.

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Stockton’s basketball education was built on trial, error and the humility of getting his ass kicked by older and stronger players.

The modern game, he observes, is dominated by structured skill sessions, trainers and curated social media moments.

“Kids work out, which is fine, but also, they don’t, you don’t play against older people. You don’t understand what your weaknesses really are, how you get by them. And so, I’m always just like, go find it, go find a run. But then also, there’s not really been as many runs as there used to be,” he explains.

“But it’s the hardest thing to teach kids. You got to go play against older people, get your ass kicked and you figure out kind of like how to survive without a doubt,” he said.

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Stockton’s formative years were a tapestry of pickup battles, late-night gym sessions and solo shooting when no one else showed up.

“There are a lot of Friday nights when everybody’s out doing other things, but I would just go down and hope that somebody be down there realistically and end up shooting by myself. So a little bit of a weird kid, maybe in that regard, but I did love it,” he said. For him, the game was more than just a repetition of drills.

Related: Lance Stephenson explains why Carmelo won’t play against Michael Beasley 1-on-1: “Nobody wants to lose their stripes”

What today’s youth basketball is missing

Today’s youth basketball scene, Stockton notes, is missing that raw, unfiltered education. The culture has shifted toward individual skill-building and highlight-chasing, often at the expense of learning how to compete, improvise and lead on the fly.

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“It’s kind of hard to teach, you know, the just the nuances of the game that you get into playing,” he says. The result, he worries, is a generation of players who may have polished moves but lack the instincts and adaptability that only come from battling older, smarter opponents.

Stockton’s message is clear – the best development doesn’t happen in a lab or a private gym but in the crucible of real competition. For Stockton, that’s where greatness is forged, not in the spotlight but in the shadows of empty gyms, chasing the next run and learning the game the hard way.

Related: “Come to work, do my job, and go home without anybody fu*king with me” – A Jazz official describes Stockton’s mentality throughout his NBA career

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.

Representatives with the engineering firm, Providence Partners, said these are preliminary concept plans, which will include traffic, environmental, first responder response and other impact studies. The final construction plans will be voted on by the county commissioners once the concept plan is completed. 

The design phase is estimated to take between six to eight months, with construction lasting approximately one year. The anticipated opening of the park is set for summer of 2027. 

Several members of the community spoke during the public comment period of the commissioners meeting, some in support, but most in opposition of the project, which county officials refer to as the Southmont Community Center. 

“A project of this size and shape doesn’t fit well in Southmont,” said David Chase. “There is a lot to consider before making a quick judgment. There has to be a better location or scale it down from a mini theme park…to more of a community park.” 

Mike Lida said he was disappointed in the lack of communication with property owners near the sports complex, and that there were concerns about the county commissioners pushing forward without taking input from the citizens.  

“Show citizens of Davidson County that you actually care about the impact on us,” said Lida. 

Sammy Antonelli, head soccer coach at Oak Grove High School, spoke in support of the new sports complex, saying he understands the emotions this project has garnered, but it is important to support activities for the youth.  

“We all know there is a growing issue, that the youth have nothing to do in this county,” said Antonelli. “This is the perfect opportunity to give kids something to do, something to be proud of. I understand there are a lot of issues, but we need to think who is this for, it’s for the kids.” 

Commissioner Todd Yates, who owns Yates Grading and Paving, addressed the crowd following the public comment period concerning recent rumors on social media indicating that he has some kind of personal or professional interest in the project. He said that he will not profit in any way from this project. 

“I didn’t own land in Southmont. I’m sorry if you think I’m a thief or no good. It’s tough to hear how I’ve taken millions of dollars, I have not made one penny…The sports complex is too big for my company (to do the paving), even if I could make a bid,” said Yates. 

Also during the meeting, the county commissioners approved a sponsorship proposal developed by the Davidson County Parks and Recreation Department for naming rights for amenities to be built at the sports complex. 

The sponsorships start at $5 million for the overall naming rights of the sports complex, $1 million for the aquatics center, and $500,000 for the community center for a 10-year period.  

Naming rights for the championship soccer/multipurpose field will be $75,000, and $50,000 for the championship baseball field. The lesser soccer and baseball fields are $10,000.  

Other sponsorship levels include $50,000 for the campground, $15,000 for the pavilion over a five-year period. Also $10,000 for the two disc golf courses and the four pickleball courts and $5,000 for the two tennis courts and the cross-country track. 

On June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court decided U.S .v. Skrmetti, a case about a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming hormone therapies for transgender youth (SB-1), which was challenged as violating the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by discriminating based on sex and transgender status. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for a 6-3 conservative majority, held that the state only needed to show a “rational basis” for the law, and allowed SB-1 to go into effect, banning hormone therapies for transgender youth in that state. Although the decision is hugely consequential for transgender children, their families, and friends, it leaves unanswered important constitutional questions about protections for transgender people. Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, dissented.

The ruling allows for discrimination against transgender youth in healthcare based on the majority’s finding that SB-1 merely makes age and medical distinctions by barring the use of hormone therapies for youth with gender dysphoria. The majority does not reach the foundational constitutional questions of whether laws targeting transgender people violate equal protection and whether laws drawing distinctions based on transgender status are subject to the same “heightened scrutiny” (meaning the court requires a stronger justification for such laws) that has always previously been applied to laws that differentiate based on sex. Rather, the majority reasons that SB-1 does not rely on sex-based classifications – it just “prohibits healthcare providers from administering puberty blockers or hormones to minors for certain medical uses, regardless of a minor’s sex.” U.S. v. Skrmetti, 605 U.S. ___ (2025), slip op. 10.

The dissent points out the inherent contradiction in claiming that discrimination based on “gender dysphoria” is somehow distinct from discrimination based on sex: 2 “In addition to discriminating against transgender adolescents, who by definition ‘identify with’ an identity “inconsistent” with their sex, that law conditions the availability of medications on a patient’s sex. Male (but not female) adolescents can receive medicines that help them look like boys, and female (but not male) adolescents can receive medicines that help them look like girls.” Sotomayor dissent, slip op. 2.

Justice Sotomayor illustrates the point with this example:

Consider the mother who contacts a Tennessee doctor, concerned that her adolescent child has begun growing unwanted facial hair. This hair growth, the mother reports, has spurred significant distress because it makes her child look unduly masculine. The doctor’s next step depends on the adolescent’s sex. If the patient was identified as female at birth, SB1 allows the physician to alleviate her distress with testosterone suppressants. What if the adolescent was identified male at birth, however? SB1 precludes the patient from receiving the same medicine. Id. at 11.

While the majority opinion’s strained reasoning is dubious and draws on questionable prior precedent that declined to find pregnancy related to sex, the way in which the case was resolved leaves open the possibility of other challenges to laws that restrict gender-affirming care and otherwise discriminate against transgender people.

Questions & Answers

What is the immediate impact of this case?

This decision will have devastating impacts for transgender youth, their parents, and medical providers. It means that whether youth can access gender-affirming care, even with parental consent, will depend on where they live. The ruling does not impact care in states without bans. However, in addition to Tennessee, twenty-six other states have enacted bans on gender-affirming care for minors. In two of those states – Montana and Arkansas – existing court orders continue to prevent those bans from going into effect. Cases challenging bans in other states will continue and are likely to make their way up to the Supreme Court to consider this issue again.

The harm to transgender children and their families in states with bans is great. As the dissent puts it, “access to care can be a question of life or death.” Id. at 4. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry all agree that care for gender dysphoria is appropriate and medically necessary. Id. In states with bans, families are denied basic care that has been shown to “meaningfully improve the health and wellbeing of transgender adolescents, reducing anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and (for some patients) the need for more invasive surgical treatments later in life.” Id. at 5 (cit. om.).

Although the ruling heightens anxieties for transgender youth and their families, advocates for transgender rights have made clear that they will not be deterred. Chase Strangio, Co-Director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, who argued the case on behalf of the challengers, said: “We are as determined as ever to fight for the dignity and equality of every transgender person and we will continue to do so with defiant strength, a restless resolve, and a lasting commitment to our families, our communities, and the freedom we all deserve.”

What does this mean for Trump’s attempt to ban gender-affirming care for people under 19?

On January 28, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order that seeks to prevent transgender and intersex youth from accessing recommended health care by removing coverage for gender-affirming care from federal health insurance policies, modifying requirements under the Affordable Care Act, and preventing hospitals or other medical providers who accept Medicare or Medicaid (or who receive federal funding for research or education) from providing gender-affirming care of any kind to people under the age of 19. Federal lawsuits challenging this executive order are ongoing. Courts deciding those cases will take the Skrmetti decision into account, but the plaintiffs in those cases continue to have strong arguments that Trump’s nationwide restrictions constitute an unlawful exercise of power, and they can point to the Administration’s demonstrations of animus and overt cruelty toward transgender people as violating constitutional equal protection. There is strong precedent that attacks targeting a disfavored minority group based on animus violate equal protection.

Federal lawsuits challenging this executive order are ongoing. Courts deciding those cases will take the Skrmetti decision into account, but the plaintiffs in those cases continue to have strong arguments that Trump’s nationwide restrictions constitute an unlawful exercise of power, and they can point to the Administration’s demonstrations of animus and overt cruelty toward transgender people as violating constitutional equal protection. There is strong precedent that attacks targeting a disfavored minority group based on animus violate equal protection.

What does this mean for other cases about transgender rights, such as sports bans and bathroom bans?

Because the Court found that the Tennessee law drew distinctions based on age and medical treatment, the decision does not directly answer important questions about the rights of transgender people in many other important contexts, like youth sports and bathroom access.

The Court also declined to answer the question of whether its decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U. S. 644 (2020), applies beyond the Title VII employment context. This means that lower court decisions relying on Bostock’s reasoning that “it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex,” id. at 660, remain good law.

What supports are available for transgender students?

NEA resources for supporting transgender students are available here: https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/racial-social-justice/tools-justice/lgbtqsupport-protection.