LYNNWOOD—The ACCESS Project’s weekly Youth vs Cops basketball character building events came to a close on Tuesday, June 17, but its founder Wally Webster II says similar sporting events are planned through the summer – including volleyball, soccer, and flag football.

The ACCESS Project was started in 2022 as a collaborate movement bringing together government officials, educators, faith leaders, community organizations, and wellness professionals to support and uplift youth in Snohomish County.

One of the initiatives the ACCESS Project sponsored was to create a Cops versus Youth Basketball Game, an event purposefully designed to build trust, foster meaningful relationships, between law enforcement officers and youth.

“I love this because I’m a basketball guy,” Lynnwood City Councilman David Parshall, and former basketball coach, told the Lynnwood Times. “One of the reasons I liked coaching, both girls and boys, is that I knew how important it was to help keep some of these kids in school, work hard in their classes, and stay out of trouble.”

Refereeing several of the games was Lynnwood City Council candidate Dio Boucsieguez who told the Lynnwood Times on Tuesday that he had a “wonderful” time and thanked Webster for the opportunity.

“Seeing the kids get to know to the cops and vice versa over the course of the games made me happy,” said Boucsieguez. “Developing good relationships with our police is exactly what our Lynnwood boys need to keep them busy with good fun and out of trouble. I’m looking forward to refereeing more games in the future.”

Since April, youths have been squaring up with local law enforcement officers at Lynnwood’s Trinity Lutheran Church every Tuesday. Through that time many of the participants shared that they felt more connected with local law enforcement officers and were able to dispel feelings of fear toward them, now seeing them as just people.

“I feel more connected with the cops in my community. I feel more comfortable with them, and I’m no longer scared,” said Sai, one of the youths participating in the event.

The program particularly aimed to attract individuals who were introverted or lacked mentors who they could confide in with life’s challenges.

Deputy Marquies Moses, with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s office, shared that when the program first started there was some hesitancy among kids, and parents alike, believing that it was a setup to take the kids away. But they made it an effort to ensure the kids, and parents, knew that law enforcement were there to just have fun and be a continued support system for the kids.

“This place gave me somewhere to go every Tuesday to play basketball. It gave me a chance to meet police officers and learn to not be scared of them like I used to be,” said Axel, another youth basketball player.

Marisa, a mother whose child was involved in the program, shared that among people of color there is often a disconnect between community members and law enforcement, that often when they “see something they just keep quiet.”

“This is a really good program. Giving our kids the confidence in our authorities is really, really, important, because they feel safe and they feel like they have someone they can call on just in case,” said Marisa.

A.J. Burke, Lynnwood Police Officer, said that when he was younger, he probably wouldn’t have joined a program like this because he lacked the life lessons and support at home to see “everyone as people.”

“What I hope everyone got from this is being able to see Police Officers as just people. People that you can talk to, just like your uncles, or cousins, or big brothers, your dad. We all go through the same things. When we’re on the court we’re all equal and that’s how it should be,” said Burke. “I’m not here to jam you up or get you in trouble, I’m here to help so come talk to me.”

Officer Luther Russell, with the Mountlake Terrace Police Department, added that at the end of the day cops take off their uniforms and spend time with their families, just like many of the youths who were playing basketball through the ACCESS Project’s program.

“We’re trying to be the stop before something bad happens. I don’t want to see your name on an arrest report. I don’t want to have to be the one who brings you to jail – that would literally break my heart,” said Russell. “Because when I look at you all I don’t just see some juvenile who wandered in off the street, I see my kids and other kids out there.”

Russell added that if there’s one takeaway, he hopes the kids walked away from the program with, it’s integrity matters; It’s doing the right thing when no one is watching. He also encouraged the kids to find a purpose in their lives because they only have one youth, and one life, to live.

Many of the police officers playing ball with the youths gave their personal cell phone numbers to the kids so they could be reached if they ever needed to talk or need a first contact before dialing 911.

“This event touched my heart. It touched my heart because I grew up in the rural south under Jim Crow. The laws were enforced by the Ku Klux Klan and most of the time the police officers were police officers during the day and clansmen during the night,” said Webster. “I was taught to fear in order to survive. To have this meeting, and this union between youth and police officers, helped me to dispel these emotions and those fears in a constructive way.

The purpose of the event, Webster added, was to provide youth with someone who they could call to prevent a criminal activity.

“There is a major difference between a video scenario and life. You cannot do what you see on TikTok, shut the screen off, and go to bed. If you do those same things in life, it will impact your life forever and ever. Think of the relationships you have with your friends, your community, with officers, with other adults who care about you so that you will have a long, productive life,” said Webster.

Back in April, Webster and the ACCESS Project’s Youth vs Cops basketball program was recognized by the Snohomish County Council with a resolution sponsored by Snohomish County Councilman Jared Mead.

MORRIS COUNTY – He authored landmark legislation known as “pass the trash,” signed into law in 2018, to keep sexual predators out of the classroom. Assemblyman Jay Webber wants to keep student athletes safe from predatory coaches.

On Thursday, the Assemblyman introduced a bill requiring anyone working with student athletes to undergo annual background checks.

“This isn’t the Saturday morning Little League of our childhood. This is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with the push to discover the next Shohei Ohtani or Caitlin Clark. The increasing demand for coaches and trainers and the popularity of travel teams has created more opportunities for our athletes while at the same time increasing their chances of being exposed to harm,” Webber (R-Morris) said. “Sadly, men and women who want to harm children find ways to work with children. And the lack of regulation and oversight within many youth sports makes it an attractive opportunity for predators.”

The bill comes on the heels of an explosive NJ.com investigation published this week that found more than 100 coaches, trainers, and sports complex owners have been accused of sex crimes against minors, 57 of those happening since 2020. Many were able to exploit the lack of background checks or inaccurate, out-of-date offender databases to gain access to victims.

A lack of uniform state law has allowed problematic coaches to avoid scrutiny and continue operating in the coaching realm. Despite thousands of youth sports teams across more than 20 sports, requirements for coaches vary drastically from league to league. Some require stringent background checks while others have none at all. The investigation found that some coaches with formal criminal charges are not on these lists. Some are on the list but still actively coaching.

The state sex offender registry, created under Megan’s Law in 1994, does little to deter offenders or prevent sex crimes, according to a 2009 study cited in the investigation. Seventy-two percent of that law’s offenders don’t appear on the registry. Only 14 of the 118 coaches accused of sex crimes since 2015 are registered sex offenders online.

Webber, a father of eight and a volunteer baseball, softball, and basketball coach, said he’s glad the NJ.com investigation has brought this critical issue to light. 

“My children have been in every sport imaginable, and overall, sports have provided our kids with tremendous experiences and incredible opportunities.  Parents perform their due diligence to keep their kids safe while they enjoy youth sports, but the tools are broken,” Webber said. “My bill will create uniform mandates for criminal background checks and tough penalties to encourage compliance for all youth sports coaches, trainers, and anyone working with our young athletes to keep predators away.”

(RAPID CITY, S.D.)—The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, are teaming up with the YMCA of Rapid City to host their first-ever NHL STREET learn-to-play-hockey camp on Saturday, August 2^nd from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Members of the Rush organization and the local hockey community will be in attendance to run the clinic, which will feature hands-on instruction, skills stations, and scrimmages. Registration is open for all kids aged seven through 12, with no prior hockey experience required. All equipment will be provided, and you do not have to be a YMCA member to participate.

“The YMCA brings our youth together as a community to celebrate fun and wellness.” states Elaina Kempin, Marketing Director for the YMCA of Rapid City. “Our wonderful partnership with the Rapid City Rush helps us achieve our mission of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.”

Launched in 2023, NHL STREET is the official youth hockey league of the National Hockey League. It is designed to provide kids and their families with the best of what youth sports can be: having fun, staying active, making friends and creating great memories. This is the first NHL STREET initiative offered in the state of South Dakota.

“NHL STREET was created to bring the love of hockey to more kids in more communities—and this event is a great example of that mission in action,” said Savannah Green, Director of Community Relations and Social Engagement for the Rush. “When you combine the energy of the Rush with the reach of community organizations like the YMCA, you unlock something really powerful.”

The YMCA of Rapid City is located at 815 Kansas City St., Rapid City, SD 57701. Registration is $35 per child. All participants will take home a custom NHL STREET hockey jersey.

Sign up here: bit.ly/RushYNHLStreet80225

2025-26 Rapid City Rush season tickets and mini plans are on sale now! You can score the best deals on tickets and take advantage of exclusive perks, including season ticket holder-only events and discounts at the team store. Call the Rush office at 605-716-7825 or visit www.rapidcityrush.com to learn more and secure your seats today.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – Western Mass News is learning how local summer camps are keeping kids cool.

We went to American International College’s Youth Football Camp Monday. The kids were having a great time out on the field despite the heat and the coaches were making sure the young athletes stayed safe and hydrated by bringing them inside every 45 minutes to cool down with athletic trainers on standby. We spoke with AIC’s football coach Dan Chipka Monday morning and not too long after we spoke, he let us know that once the wet bulb temperature hit 86% humidity, they brought the kids inside and moved the rest of the day’s activities into the gym.

Coach Chipka shared some of the other ways they were making sure the athletes stayed safe before it was time to head inside: “We’re taking consistent water breaks you know about every 15-20 minutes, we’re breaking under the shade tent for ice water and Powerade, we’re also going inside every hour, really every 45 minutes, and we’re mobilizing the troops into the gymnasium. I learned in the state of Ohio, when you get inclement weather and certainly here when you have the dramatic spikes in temperatures, your football clinic can turn into a basketball clinic really quick.”

If you’d like to sign up your youth football player for next year’s camp at AIC, Coach Chipka said sign-ups typically start a few months out during the springtime. A link to their website can be found HERE.

Copyright 2025. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

BATON ROUGE — Ablaze Youth Choir at United Christian Faith Ministries is redefining traditional Sunday morning worship. 

The group has more than 80 members in its choir, and they bring a different vibe to Sunday morning worship.

“When we come, we’re doing a remix, maybe music changes, but it’s all for the glory of God all in our own unique way,” said member Mark Ellis Jr.

By remixing traditional worship songs, Ablaze said they are drawing in a younger crowd and making church more appealing.

“We try to incorporate a lot of energy and just like have a fire for the Lord, and I think that’s really attractive to this generation and pulls them in,” said member Madelyn Ellis. “They want to get excited and dance in church and to sing and not feel ashamed.”

The youth choir performs every fourth Sunday of the month for the congregation, but they have spread their spirit beyond the church walls through social media.

Member Samarah Hayes said the faith-based content is not what typical teenagers would be posting on social media, but she’s proud of the work her group is doing.

“Being able to display that not being ashamed, being able to be up here and knowing that I’m putting my faith all in God,” Hayes said. 

Member Tre Alston said the group gets their creative ideas from God. 

“It’s a lot of just hearing from God, hearing from the Holy Spirit and that’s how we typically create our content. It’s the reason why it has so much influence,” said Alston.

Ablaze has gained social media attention for posting their performances and recently won the Black Christian Influencers Gen Z Influencer of the Year award. 

Group member Vuiron Carter said they have received a lot of positive reactions and even gained attention from Gospel artists like Tye Tribbet and Kirk Franklin.

“I just feel like it has been really good for our ministry and our choir as well because that allows more people to be drawn to this ministry that we’re doing,” Carter said. 

The group said it’s not just about praise and worship, but bringing people to know Christ. 

“This is not just worship, this is also evangelism. We’re also trying to reach the souls of the people who don’t in our generation,” said member Joshua Ricard Jr. 

Members said they hope to continue being a light and spreading the message to the youth to be “Ablaze” for Christ.

“You can live a Godly lifestyle and still have so much fun serving him so the faster and the younger you get it, the better,” Mark said.

The group will be releasing an album in July.