By Andy Mathis

Oconee County High School women’s basketball head coach Katie David’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

“Sweep… left hand,” she said with middle school students swarming the sidelines, bouncing balls and pumping knees in a rhythmic warm-up before station drills began.

North Oconee’s three-hour youth girls basketball camp blends skill groups, themed activities and varsity mentorship to forge a path from the youngest feeder teams up to the high school ranks.

“We have a strong feeder system here,” David said. “Almost all of our campers are already really involved in our program — third grade, fourth grade up, etc.”

Beyond ball skills, the camp promotes three pillars drawn from the school’s “warrior way”: play with joy, be a good teammate and always work hard.

“Once they get here, they already sort of have that embedded in them,” she said.

Daily schedules break skills into bite-sized segments to keep energy high and focus sharp. One morning session drills various dribbles paired with movement to open up shooting opportunities and weave in defensive footwork. The next shifts to passing techniques under live-action scenarios before the campers face off in small-scale scrimmages to reinforce each day’s lesson.

“We don’t do anything too long, so we keep them moving,” David said. “Five versus five is sort of hard at camp, because you could just be running up and down and not really touch the ball.”

Campers also embraced daily dress-up themes too.

The first day was red, white and blue themed. Jersey day followed, where campers sported their favorite athlete’s apparel. For the final day, they donned camp T-shirts and sported “Bueckers braids” in tribute to standout WNBA player Paige Bueckers.

Seventeen varsity players volunteer as on-floor coaches each day as well, arriving straight from their own practice to lead stations and offer pointers.

“They go to middle school games when they can,” David said. “I would say we have a very connected micro community.”

That presence cements a faction that bridges age groups and fuels admiration from even the youngest campers. David said she has witnessed that connection extend beyond camp hours through year-round initiatives such as the “Driveway Series” and “May Day” that encourage at-home practice.

“I have two daughters,” David said. “One in the seventh and the other in the ninth grade. They are products of this environment. I know how much it means to them, and I feel like I want that same feeling for every girl.”

Finishing last season with a 7-18 record, McNary Girls Basketball has tabbed a new coach to lead the coming season.

Isaiah Gentry, 27, has taken the helm and plans to make basketball more accessible to athletes in Keizer – from the youth to high school.

“McNary has had a high turnover in the last couple of years, and I’m trying to help it grow, starting in the youth programs,” he said.

Gentry has served as the team’s varsity assistant coach for the last two years and was recently hired as McNary’s health and wellness teacher.

Basketball has been a part of Gentry’s life since he was a kid in Milwaukie. After graduating from Milwaukie High School in 2016, he went on to play in college, first at Clackamas Community College and then at Vanguard University in California.

After graduating, Gentry played for Salem’s semi-professional basketball team, as well as a professional basketball team in Mexico. His coaching career began six years ago at the Legends Basketball Facility in Vancouver, Washington. 

He said that his recent involvement with youth basketball made him a strong candidate for the McNary position.

“In February, I started doing youth camps…and they just saw something in that,” he said.

He describes his approach to coaching as encouraging and supportive.

“I won’t tell somebody what they’re doing wrong without telling them how to correct it and fix it as well,” he said. 

For Gentry, the team’s overall player height remains a major challenge, which will require a playstyle adjustment.

“We need to be a stronger and faster team and play stronger and more physically,” he said.

Capitalizing on rebound opportunities, getting the ball to the point guard, and pushing quickly down the court will prove essential to their success, the new coach said.

“We are going to be a high-motor team that is looking to be the aggressor,” he said.

In the short term, Gentry hopes to develop a newfound chemistry among the players. By next season, he wants the girls to be like family.

Gentry has also set some long-term goals for the program. With his wife, Amanda Chan, serving as the  track and field coach, Gentry has roots at McNary. He plans to stay with the team for a decade. 

“In 10 years, I would love to have 50 girls trying out for basketball and being at the top of our conference,” he said.

His long-term plans include cultivating off-season youth camps and opening the gym, twice a week, for elementary and middle school basketball players during the off-season.

Gentry also hopes to start working collaboratively with other athletic programs, such as volleyball, to craft a multi-sport culture at McNary.

“A lot of girls think they should focus on one single sport without knowing that another sport could help them in other areas,” he said.

News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: [email protected].

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With summer break fast approaching, Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda has announced the 2025 INDE Vacation Plan and the Summer Camps and Workshops Program by the state Department of Culture. These initiatives aim to foster sports and cultural engagement among children and teens across the region.

Speaking at her Wednesday morning press conference, the governor shared details of the cultural offerings, which will include five summer camps at state arts centers in Mexicali, Ensenada, Tecate, Tijuana, and Playas de Rosarito. Additionally, 34 individual workshops for children and teens aged 3 to 16 will be held, designed to blend creativity, play, and learning in an inclusive and dynamic environment.

The cultural camps will run from July 14 to August 8, with the exception of Mexicali, where they will take place from July 11 to 31. Camps are scheduled for the morning, while the individual workshops will be held in the afternoon.

In San Quintín, the workshop The Fantastic World of Leonora Carrington will offer classes in art, music, dance, and theater for youth aged 8 to 16, completely free of charge. Alma Delia Ábrego Ceballos, head of the Baja California’s Department of Culture, emphasized the importance of accessible, quality cultural programming across the region.

Meanwhile, the 2025 INDE Vacation Plan, set to run from July 14 to August 1, will offer a wide range of sports activities for children and teens aged 6 to 13, including participants with disabilities. The program will be hosted at Ciudad Deportiva in Mexicali and high-performance centers in Ensenada and Tijuana.

Participating youth will have the opportunity to train in athletics, wrestling, fencing, soccer, basketball, swimming, field hockey, taekwondo, archery, badminton, gymnastics, handball, and other sports depending on the municipality. Laura Marmolejo Toscano, Director of the Sports and Physical Culture Institute, noted that the activities will be led by professional coaches at top-tier facilities. Sessions will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a recovery fee of 1,495 pesos.

These programs reflect Baja California’s continued investment in the development, well-being, and creativity of its youngest residents during the summer months.

Mily Animal Sanctuary Expands Facilities in Mexicali

In a separate announcement, Governor Marina del Pilar shared updates on the third phase of construction at Mily Sanctuary, aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating abused or abandoned animals while promoting respect for all living beings.

She confirmed that work is underway on three new entry areas, increasing the sanctuary’s capacity from 109 to 270 dogs, along with upgrades to recreational spaces and the crematorium.

“Animal well-being is a key policy we’ve championed, solidifying Baja California as the state with the strongest animal rights laws. Mily Sanctuary is welcoming volunteers this summer to support our mission,” the governor said.

Mónica Vega Aguirre, head of the Department of Environment and Sustainable Development, reported that since its 2024 opening, 183 animals have been adopted, with over 670 volunteers joining the cause. Those interested in adopting or volunteering may call: (686) 591-6897 or (686) 591-7107.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – The Capitol City has a new record, and its not related to Abraham Lincoln. The new dome at the Scheels Sports Park is the largest air-supported sports dome in the world, according to the project team.

“This marks a milestone for the park and for our city and it is a visible indicator of our progress in the city,” said Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher. “We are expecting the Scheels Sports Park to bring 250,000 new visitors to Springfield, providing 25 million in an annual boost to our local economy and over 50,000 new hotel nights.” 

The dome is more than 710 feet long and 275 feet wide. At it’s peak, the dome is 98 feet tall. 

“To give you a perspective of how huge this dome is, the entire Scheels store plus another half of the store could fit comfortably inside the dome,” said Chris Stritzel, project manage3r for the Scheels Sports Park. “Every soybean harvested last year in Sangamon County could fi inside that dome.” 

The project is on track to open for local school athletes this fall. The team hopes to host tournament starting in 2026. 

“The Springfield Clinic dome, anchored by Scheels Sports Park, will house one of the most sought after youth sporting venues in the nation,” said Ryan McCrady, CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. “The sports park will include eight outdoor, all-synthetic, turf, lighted fields that will be convertible for multi-sport play, including up to 15 youth baseball or softball diamonds, which can also play as six full size adult baseball fields, if needed or eight full size soccer fields at one time.”

The dome is fully inflated, but not fully set up. First the team will install lights inside the dome. They will then install flooring and netting before opening the facility to the public.

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