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The 'Boom' of Sports Documentaries, Where Everyone is Messi

Yolanda Veiga Domingo, 4 de mayo 2025, 00:17 Comenta Compartir Jorge Valdano says of Sergio Ramos that he ‘has the attributes of a hero’; Messi of Andrés Iniesta that ‘every player would want to score the goals he did’; Carolina Marín’s coach that ‘if there’s someone who cannot fail, it’s her’; Schumacher’s wife about her […]

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The 'Boom' of Sports Documentaries, Where Everyone is Messi

Yolanda Veiga

Domingo, 4 de mayo 2025, 00:17

Jorge Valdano says of Sergio Ramos that he ‘has the attributes of a hero’; Messi of Andrés Iniesta that ‘every player would want to score the goals he did’; Carolina Marín’s coach that ‘if there’s someone who cannot fail, it’s her’; Schumacher’s wife about her husband that he is ‘tremendously strong’; and the Olympic commentator about Simon Biles that she is ‘a unique athlete’.

The list of adjectives is endless, all following the same epic path: immense, exemplary, magician, phenomenon, extraordinary, unique, unstoppable, a star… This is how Carlos Alcaraz is also portrayed in the documentary recently released by Netflix. Docuseries about athletes or teams—from Pelé to ‘skater’ Bob Burnquist, from Real Madrid to the Boston Celtics in basketball—have become a television genre in their own right, the latest phenomenon embraced by streaming platforms. Amazon Prime, HBO, Netflix…

All have made room for them among Nordic series, true crime, or luxury real estate reality shows. But where does this fever… and this prolific production come from? ‘It responds to a viewer’s need to know the ‘human side’ of success. For years, we have seen athletes as almost unreachable figures, and these documentaries have opened the door to their vulnerabilities, internal struggles, and growth processes,’ explains Alejo García-Naveira, coordinator of the sports psychology section of the Official College of Psychology of Madrid and professor at Villanueva University.

Producer Jordi Marquès also emphasizes the value of seeing the person behind the athlete. ‘Sports have epic and values like overcoming and teamwork. But there are also hatreds, envies, egos, betrayals… Hence, it is reasonably easy to have a good story to tell.’ Because, García-Naveira agrees, ‘today what connects is not just the victory, but the story that precedes it.’

The precedent of ‘La Roja’ ‘Everyone is portrayed as heroes, stars. They are the best, number one, unrepeatable…’, adds García-Naveira. Many of these products tend to mythologize the protagonist, constructing an almost epic figure. But it is also a narrative strategy that seeks to inspire and engage. Do they exaggerate? Sometimes, yes. But if we look beyond the ‘legend’, they also show insecurities, sacrifice, pressure… For example, the one about David Beckham talks about his sporting successes, but also about mental health issues, the harassment he suffered, his obsessions, the problems with his partner… Even without being the Beckhams, other less renowned athletes also have ‘great stories’ in their biography. ‘Senna’, dedicated to Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, is an audiovisual gem.

In ‘Brothers and Enemies: Petrovic and Divac’, basketball player Vlade Divac narrates a story of sports, friendship, and war that leaves no one indifferent. And ‘Red Army. The Cold War on Ice’ shows how international politics and hockey mix masterfully,’ adds other examples Marquès, producer of Minoría Absoluta. Both experts agree that the genre is experiencing a ‘boom’, but it is difficult to pinpoint when it exploded. ‘I would say the turning point was ‘The Last Dance’, the documentary about Michael Jordan.

It wasn’t the first, but it created a before and after in terms of narrative, production, and reach. From there, many platforms saw the emotional and commercial potential of telling these stories,’ opines the psychologist. The producer looks back to the pre-streaming platform era, which arrived in Spain in 2015. ‘Canal+ was already broadcasting ‘Informe Robinson’ with documentaries about the sports world, like the one dedicated to the Spanish national team’s triumph in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.’ More Dramatic But what started only with football has now extended to (almost) any sport.

‘In documentaries about cycling, boxing, or Formula 1, the focus is more dramatic because the physical and mental wear is extreme, and that provides a lot of material. These sports have a component of risk and solitude that lends itself well to the television format: the body’s suffering, the mind under pressure… They are powerful stories,’ highlights Alejo García-Naveira. Jordi Marquès is surprised by ‘the rise of documentaries about climbing, a very minority sport. Even if you’re not interested, there’s a title, ‘Free Solo’, that gives you goosebumps and generates tension on par with any other. You also have to see ‘The Price of Gold’, which portrays the rivalry between skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding for the Olympic gold, leading them to court. And in the sports underworld, we find the title about the sexual abuse by doctor Larry Nassar of American gymnasts.’

College Sports

Century of School Sports: MHSAA’s Move to TV, Now Internet, 60 Years Old & Growing

On any given day during a sports season, you can choose from nearly 100 high school sporting events in Michigan to watch online. More than 600 high schools are partners with the NFHS Network, and their freshman, JV, and varsity games all air live on that platform. In fact, since the MHSAA joined the Network […]

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On any given day during a sports season, you can choose from nearly 100 high school sporting events in Michigan to watch online.

More than 600 high schools are partners with the NFHS Network, and their freshman, JV, and varsity games all air live on that platform. In fact, since the MHSAA joined the Network in 2013, more than 216,000 events from Michigan have aired, trailing only Georgia and California. During the 2023-24 school year alone, nearly 47,000 events from Michigan were on live.

The NFHS Network is also home to the Finals in boys & girls cross country, boys & girls soccer, boys & girls Lower and Upper Peninsula swimming & diving, girls volleyball, 8-player football, competitive cheer, gymnastics, ice hockey, skiing, wrestling, baseball, softball, boys & girls lacrosse, and track & field. And starting with the 2025-26 school year, Finals in field hockey, boys volleyball, 11-player football, and boys & girls basketball will also air on the Network.

But it wasn’t always this easy to have so much content on your phone, computer, or TV.

During the mid-1950s, the MHSAA Representative Council began to explore the possibilities of having the Boys Basketball Finals televised. The Council discussed ideas of having all four classes broadcast to statewide audiences, and creating a modest new revenue stream while protecting existing ticket sales, which was already happening in some states.

It wasn’t until 1961 that a proposal from WJIM-TV in Lansing was approved by the Council on a one-year “experimental” basis.  All four title games would be shown, with WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, WPBN-TV in Traverse City and WTOM-TV in Cheboygan joining the network. Since the games were already sold out, a rights fee to protect against lost ticket sales was waived.

No live television took place in 1962, but Michigan State University’s WMSB-TV recorded the games to be shown the following day.

In 1963, only the Class A Final was televised on six stations – WXYZ-TV, Detroit; WJRT-TV, Flint/Saginaw/Bay City; WJIM-TV, Lansing; WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo; WWTV, Cadillac; and WWUP-TV, Sault Ste. Marie. At least one station – WXYZ (the flagship station of the network) – could make only a two-hour time slot available, and when that window closed, the broadcast ended before the end of the contest.

From 1964 through 1974, Final games were televised on anywhere from two to four stations, with MHSAA BULLETIN accounts listing WZZM-TV in Grand Rapids as the originating party most years up to 1970, and WOTV-TV in Grand Rapids from 1971-74. The BULLETIN reported that 10 stations carried the Class A game in 1968, and the number of stations varied for the other three games. Flint, Detroit and Cadillac were other markets in which games were regularly shown.

In 1975, the MHSAA struck up a relationship with Public Broadcasting for the games for seven years, with WCMU-TV in Mount Pleasant coordinating the network that included affiliates in Allendale, Detroit and University Center the first year. Stations in Alpena, East Lansing and Marquette would later be involved. WFUM-TV in Flint would assume responsibility for the network in 1981, and also produced one year of the MHSAA Football Finals at the Pontiac Silverdome.

The games went back the commercial air waves in 1982, originated by WILX-TV in Lansing and carried by stations in Cadillac, Flint and Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids affiliate, WXMI-TV, would assume control of network operations from 1986 to 1989, and included live telecasts of the Girls Basketball Finals in its market.

When the Boys Basketball Finals moved to The Palace of Auburn Hills in 1990, Palace Sports & Entertainment produced and distributed the games statewide with WKBD-Southfield as the flagship station. At the same time, the MHSAA began to produce Finals in girls basketball, volleyball, soccer, ice hockey and other sports to be shown live and delayed on Pro-Am Sports (PASS Sports). Football Finals and the Football Selection Sunday Show also aired for several years on PASS. (A large collection of those games are available to view on the MHSAA YouTube channel.)

In 1998, the MHSAA began a 28-year partnership with Fox Sports Detroit (which became Bally Sports Detroit in 2021 and FanDuel Sports Network Detroit in 2024). Fox Sports broadcast Boys and Girls Basketball Semifinals and Finals and Football Finals, and also produced the football playoffs selection show during this time.

Starting in 2007, the MHSAA created the School Broadcast Program – which allowed schools to provide content to Comcast, which aired the games throughout the state on a delayed basis.

Six years later, the NFHS Network was born – with Michigan one of the founding states. The Network has shared nearly $1.5 million dollars with partner schools since the Network’s start.

In 2017, the addition of the Pixellot camera – an automated unit equipped with multiple high-definition cameras that operates without human assistance by focusing on the ball and player movement – sped up the number of schools supplying content to the Network. Otisville LakeVille Memorial in 2017 became the first Michigan school – and one of the first nationally – to implement the technology that now broadcasts events from fields and gyms all over both peninsulas.

But perhaps the most rapid acceleration of digital broadcast presence occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to live audience limits during much of the 2020-21 school year and made putting events online a must so families and friends could follow the action. And following that rapid rise in live streaming, the number of broadcasts has only continued to grow.

For those unable to attend a game in person, it’s never been easier to watch the game from home or anywhere with an internet connection.

(Retired MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties John Johnson contributed significant research to this report.)

Previous “Century of School Sports” Spotlights

May 27: Upper Peninsula Helps Make Michigan’s School Sports Story Unique – Read
May 20:
From Nearly A to Z, Schools Repped by 221 Nicknames – Read
May 13:
These Record-Setters were Nearly Impossible to Defeat – Read
May 6:
200+ Representatives Fill All-Time Council Roster – Read
April 29:
MHSAA Programs Prioritize Health & Safety – Read
April 23:
Patches Signify Registered Officials’ Role in MHSAA Story – Read
April 16:
Student Advisory Council Gives Voice to Athletes – Read
April 9:
State’s Storytellers Share Spring Memories – Read
April 2:
Sharp Leadership Synonymous with MHSAA Success – Read
March 25:
Athletic Directors Indispensable to Mission of School Sports – Read
March 18:
2025 Finals Begin Next Half-Century of Girls Hoops Championships – Read
March 11:
Boys Basketball’s Best 1st to Earn MHSAA Finals Titles – Read
March 5:
Everything We Do Begins with Participation – Read
Feb. 25:
Slogans & Logos Remain Unforgettable Parts of MHSAA History – Read
Feb. 19:
MHSAA Tickets Continue to Provide Fan-Friendly Value – Read
Feb. 11:
We Recognize Those Who Make Our Games Go – Read
Feb. 4:
WISL Conference Continues to Inspire Aspiring Leaders – Read
Jan. 28:
Michigan’s National Impact Begins at NFHS’ Start – Read
Jan. 21:
Awards Celebrate Well-Rounded Educational Experience – Read
Jan. 14:
Predecessors Laid Foundation for MHSAA’s Formation – Read
Jan. 9:
MHSAA Blazes Trail Into Cyberspace – Read
Dec. 31: 
State’s Storytellers Share Winter Memories – Read
Dec. 17: 
MHSAA Over Time – Read
Dec. 10:
On This Day, December 13, We Will Celebrate – Read
Dec. 3:
MHSAA Work Guided by Representative Council – Read
Nov. 26: 
Finals Provide Future Pros Early Ford Field Glory – Read
Nov. 19:
Connection at Heart of Coaches Advancement Program – Read
Nov. 12:
Good Sports are Winners Then, Now & Always – Read
Nov. 5:
MHSAA’s Home Sweet Home – Read
Oct. 29:
MHSAA Summits Draw Thousands to Promote Sportsmanship – Read
Oct. 23:
Cross Country Finals Among MHSAA’s Longest Running – Read
Oct. 15:
State’s Storytellers Share Fall Memories – Read
Oct. 8:
Guided by 4 S’s of Educational Athletics – Read
Oct. 1:
Michigan Sends 10 to National Hall of Fame – Read
Sept. 25: MHSAA Record Books Filled with 1000s of Achievements – Read
Sept. 18:
Why Does the MHSAA Have These Rules? – Read
Sept. 10: 
Special Medals, Patches to Commemorate Special Year – Read
Sept. 4:
Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships – Read
Aug. 28:
Let the Celebration Begin – Read



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Krewson and Brown Named to CSC Academic All-District List

By: Rebecca Osowski Story Links AUSTIN, Texas – On Tuesday, College Sports Communicators announced its annual Academic All-District list, recognizing Dartmouth’s Elliot Krewson and Ethan Brown.   To be eligible for Academic All-District, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore with a 3.50 grade point average. They also must have played […]

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AUSTIN, Texas – On Tuesday, College Sports Communicators announced its annual Academic All-District list, recognizing Dartmouth’s Elliot Krewson and Ethan Brown.
 
To be eligible for Academic All-District, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore with a 3.50 grade point average. They also must have played in 90% of the team’s games or started 66% of the games.
 
Krewson played in 34 of the Big Green’s 36 games as a senior, tallying nine doubles to tie his career high and two home runs, his most in a season with the Big Green. To start the season, Krewson rode a nine-game hitting streak. His 18 RBI ranked third on the team as Krewson recorded his first multi-RBI game, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and his first home run of the season versus Penn. A few series later, Krewson knocked two doubles and four RBI at Columbia.
 
In 131 at bats, Krewson struck out only five times, posting 26.2 at bats between strikeouts. He was not only the hardest batter to strikeout in the Ivy League but the third most difficult in the nation.
 
Brown played in all but one game in his sophomore campaign with the Big Green, leading the team at the plate with 13 doubles, three home runs, and 25 RBI. From March 2 to April 6, Brown rode a 12-game hitting streak, including going 3-for-4 with three RBI at the plate vs. Penn. Brown also had multi-RBI games against UMass Lowell, Columbia, Merrimack, and Cornell, helping the Big Green to a series sweep.
 



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New Mexico Ice Wolves hockey team seeks host families

The New Mexico Ice Wolves hockey team has out-of-state players who are finding themselves right at home here but they need your help to make that happen. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Hockey players from all over the U.S. and the world are coming to New Mexico to play for the Ice Wolves but they need families […]

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The New Mexico Ice Wolves hockey team has out-of-state players who are finding themselves right at home here but they need your help to make that happen.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Hockey players from all over the U.S. and the world are coming to New Mexico to play for the Ice Wolves but they need families to host the players.

Players are all about 17 to 22 years old. They’re either finishing up high school or taking a gap year before college in hopes of getting NCAA Division I scholarships. Many of them are not only from out of state but also out of the country so they need a place to stay while achieving their goals.

For hosting a player, each family gets $425 a month and discounts on merchandise and food at the rink. Families must pass a background check and provide them their own room and laundry services but players often take care of their own transportation.

The Ice Wolves are hosting information sessions before players lock in their host families by the end of July. Learn more about the sessions here.

MORE: Families host non-local New Mexico Ice Wolves players



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Men's Soccer Announces 11 Additions to 2025 Roster

WASHINGTON – Head Coach Craig Jones and the GW men’s soccer program announced the addition of 11 student-athletes on Monday, filling out the Revolutionaries’ 28-man roster for the upcoming season.  “Everyone on staff has worked really hard to bring in the players we needed,” said Jones. “This class was built to fill some positional needs, […]

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Men's Soccer Announces 11 Additions to 2025 Roster

WASHINGTON – Head Coach Craig Jones and the GW men’s soccer program announced the addition of 11 student-athletes on Monday, filling out the Revolutionaries’ 28-man roster for the upcoming season. 

“Everyone on staff has worked really hard to bring in the players we needed,” said Jones. “This class was built to fill some positional needs, get a balance between youth and experience, and strengthen the squad to be successful next year.”

The group includes three Division I transfers, who come to GW by way of Penn State, St. Bonaventure and Holy Cross. Two Division II transfers are also featured in the class, coming from Northern Michigan University and the University of Mount Olive.

Six first-year student-athletes have also been added for 2025, including a set of twins from Charlotte, one player from Maryland, and three international players, coming from France, the Dominican Republic and the UAE.

“It’s great to get the players we wanted, and we’re looking forward to integrating our new class with the talent we already have to move us forward,” said Jones.   

Omar Alsabagh | Midfielder | First-Year | Abhu Dhabi, UAE | British International School of Abhu Dhabi
Club: Al Jazira FC
Career Highlights: Played for Al Jazira FC U21…Outstanding Achievement Award in Sports and Exercise Health Science 2025…BSMEWinner 2023…EXACT 11 Nomination 2023.
IG: omar._.football

Liam Coffey | Midfielder | Transfer | Harrison, NY | College of the Holy Cross
Clubs: Sporting Kansas City II, Sporting Kansas City Academy, Beachside SC 
Career Highlights: Spent four years at Holy Cross in the Patriot League…Patriot League Honor Roll (’21)…Appeared in 17 games in both 2022 & 2023 with 12 total starts and 1,542 career minutes player…Collected four assists at Holy Cross…Before Holy Cross spent 2020-21 with Sporting Kansas City U19, and trained with USL Championship team Sporting Kansas City II…Captained Beachside SC Academy for three years.
IG: liam.coffey
X: liamcoffey02

Babacar Fall | Forward | Transfer | Dakar, Senegal | University of Mount Olive 
Club: Greenville United
Career Highlights: Played two seasons at University of Mount Olive (Division II)…Appeared in 30 games over two seasons with 14 starts…19 career points on six goals and seven assists…1130 minutes played.
IG: _babacarfall
X: __babacarfall

Tommaso Lami | Forward | Transfer | Bologna, Italy | Northern Michigan University
Club: Bologna
Career Highlights: Amassed 30 points in 37 starts over 3 seasons at Northern Michigan (NCAA DII)…Scored 13 goals and 4 assists over 2,952 minutes…Six game-winning goals…Was named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Second Team (2024)…Named GLIAC Freshman of the Year and to All-Conference First Team (2022)…CSC Academic All-District in 2024…Played for Bologna FC Youth Academy. 
IG: tommylamiii

Ben McGovern | Midfielder | First-Year | Salisbury, MD | Worcester Preparatory School
Club: Maryland United FC
Career Highlights: U17 All Conference First Team…ECNL Conference Cup Attendee…2024 ECNL VA selection game…U15 ECNL All-Conference Team…4x ESIAC All-Conference First Team…4x ESIAC Champion.
IG: ben_mcgovern5

Diego Pena | Goalkeeper | First-Year | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | The Hun School of Princeton
Club: Match Fit Surf Academy
Career Highlights: 2024 1st Team all Area; 1st Team all Prep; All League Selection MAPL…2023 2nd Team All Area…2022: All area 2nd Team; 2023 1st Team All Prep…2023: Soccer All MAP…2022: Soccer All MAPL 1st Team…Hispanic Latino Student Union Leader…Captained U19 team in 2024-25.
IG: diegopena3306

Connor Russ | Defender | First-Year | Charlotte, NC | Covenant Day School
Clubs: Queen City Mutiny, Charlotte Eagles, Vardar SC
Career Highlights: Senior Year: Captain of Queen City Mutiny U19 MLS Next…Played every minute of every game, 1 goal, 10 assists, #5 for MLS NEXT FLEX, #1 for League…Junior Year: Captain of Queen City Mutiny U19 MLS Next…Played every minute of every game, 1 goal, five Assists, #1 for MLS NEXT FLEX, 3rd for League…Sophomore Year: Queen City Mutiny U19 MLS Next (04/05)…Started lll games, 2 assists…Freshman Year…Charlotte Eagles 06: Won State Cup. Played every minute of every game, 4 assists (9).
IG: cfruss_06

Joel Russ | Forward | First-Year | Charlotte, NC | Covenant Day School
Clubs: Queen City Mutiny, Charlotte Eagles, Vadar SC
Career Highlights: Senior Year: 37+ MLSNext Goals…Club goal scoring record…15+ assists…Candidate for U19 MLSNext MVP….School record holder for boys 4 by 100 meter relay…Junior Year: Queen City Mutiny U19 MLSNext (Top 5 Flex Power Rankings)…Sophomore Year: Queen City Mutiny U19 MLSNext and 2006s (Won CCL) Top Scorer in Club…First-Year: Varsity High School (4A) and Charlotte Eagles U19 USL Academy and 2006s (Won CCL) Top Scorer in Club 10th.
IG: joelruss_7

Rashid Seidu-Aroza | Forward | Transfer | Acra, Ghana | St. Bonaventure University
Clubs: Real Colorado, Rocky Mountain Soccer Academy
Career Highlights: Played at St. Bonaventure (2023-24) and Dayton (2021-23)…Appeared in 34 games at St. Bonaventure and one at Dayton…Picked up 10 points at St. Bonaventure via four goals and two assists…Rangeview all-time leading goalscorer & most goals in a season (2019)…A-10 Regular Season Champion at Dayton in 2021…A-10 Dean’s List (2023).
IG: rashidaroza
X: rashidaroza

Jonah Shao | Midfielder | First-Year | Thonon, France | University of Nebraska High School
Clubs:
PSG Academy Pro Residency, Thonon Évian Grand Genéve, Virginia Union ECNL, Bethesda Soccer Club MLS Next
Career Highlights: ECNL Mid-Atlantic All-Conference Second Team (2021/22)…Captained U19 PSG Academy Pro Residency Greater Geneva…2x PSG Academy Pro Player of the Month (Nov. ’24 & Jan. ’24)…2x PSG Academy Pro U19 Top Goal Scorer…PSG Academy Pro U19 Mediterranean International Cup Top Goal Scorer (April ’25)…PSG Academy Pro Goal of the Month Winner (April ’25)…Blonay Cup Player of the Tournament
IG: jonahshao

Sebastian Vainstein | Midfielder | Transfer | Entre Ríos, Argentina | Penn State
Career Highlights: Academic All-Big Ten (2023)…Played in nine games over two season (2023-24) at Penn State…Played 98 total minutes for the Nittany Lions…Played with Club Atletico Boca Juniors for three years…Scored first goal in 2-0 win in 2016 National Championship Match…Played with Club Atletico Union de Santa Fe for five years…Team finished fifth nationally in 2021…Was first captain in 2017…Was second captain 2018-21…Club was City Champions in 2017-18
IG: sebavainstein

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Borough council members discuss DHS list naming State College, Centre County | State College News

State College Borough Council President Evan Myers made several remarks during a council meeting on Monday to a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that was published — and later taken down — by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that included both State College and Centre County. According to a press release by the DHS, the […]

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State College Borough Council President Evan Myers made several remarks during a council meeting on Monday to a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that was published — and later taken down — by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that included both State College and Centre County.

According to a press release by the DHS, the list — created to fulfill an executive order by President Donald Trump — was meant to “identify and publicly highlight jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.”

The press release also demanded that these jurisdictions revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.

Meyers expressed frustration with the DHS’s description of the list and how it attempts to shift blame onto the listed jurisdictions.

“DHS issues this provocative statement that communities are violating the law and then it goes on to say, ‘Well, maybe not; figure it out for yourself,’” Meyers said. “They’re actually the agency that’s making the claim.”

Meyers also mentioned a report by FOX News in which Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem mentioned continued use of a list to catalog sanctuary jurisdictions, and expressed his frustration, asking the room, “Is your head spinning yet?”

He went on to state that the State College Police Department does not have any policies to enforce federal immigration law and considers that responsibility to be one that belongs to federal enforcement agencies.

“We wouldn’t expect ICE to enforce our traffic laws or give out parking tickets,” Meyers said. “It’s not their jurisdiction, like immigration measures are not in ours.”

Meyers clarified that State College had not declared itself a sanctuary city but did state that the borough will continue to express the values of “promoting an open, diverse and welcoming community,” and urged the Trump administration to “stop playing with people’s lives.”

Mayor Ezra Nanes thanked Meyers for his remarks and shared his own frustrations with the DHS’s actions.

“When the Department of Homeland Security released its list of so-called ‘sanctuary jurisdictions,’ it did more than name communities,” Nanes said. “It pointed a finger at elected officials and implied wrongdoing.”

Nanes described the language used by Noem in the press release as “inflammatory… accusatory without evidence… and (language that) uses broad, harmful labels to target entire groups of people.” He said such statements “create stress,” and “waste time.”

“The time we spend serving and working for our community is precious,” Nanes said. “ We’ve earned the right to be treated with decency, professionalism and respect for our time.”

Nanes concluded by stating that State College is committed to “building a community that is safe, thriving and honors the dignity of all people.”

Council member Gopal Balachandran praised Meyers and Nanes for speaking out and shared his own thoughts about the division of duties between local and federal agencies

“Local government and policing are distinct from federal law enforcement and enforcement of federal laws,” Balachandran said. “It’s important to realize the separation of powers that’s enshrined in our constitution is not only between the different branches of the federal government, but it’s also about the relationship between state and local governments and the federal government.”

Balachandran added that the enforcement immigration laws is not a “core function” of local governments or law enforcement, and requiring the SCPD to do so would remove resources from their intended duties, while also affecting how State College residents interacted with local law enforcement.

He also called State College’s current stance on policies towards immigration“wise,” and noted that the model used by the borough has been “replicated by communities throughout the country — red or blue.”

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE


Trump administration names State College as sanctuary jurisdiction amid crackdown on immigration

The Department of Homeland Security has designated State College as a “sanctuary jurisdictio…

 

If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.



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Frankenmuth goalie goes from backyard rink to Penn State scholarship

FRANKENMUTH, MI – When Lauren Hernick had a choice, she picked pads over sequins and toe saves over toe loops. Hernick is only 5-feet, 4 inches, but she has become an imposing figure in the goalie crease, earning a scholarship to play college hockey at Penn State. It began for the 18-year-old Frankenmuth native when […]

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FRANKENMUTH, MI – When Lauren Hernick had a choice, she picked pads over sequins and toe saves over toe loops.

Hernick is only 5-feet, 4 inches, but she has become an imposing figure in the goalie crease, earning a scholarship to play college hockey at Penn State.

It began for the 18-year-old Frankenmuth native when she was 3 years old and watching her father, Thomas Hernick, play hockey in a beer league at Saginaw Bay Ice Arena.

“My dad played hockey, so I wanted to skate right away, and we had a backyard rink,” Hernick said. “I went to Saginaw Bay Ice Arena and started playing hockey in preschool. I’ve been playing ever since.”

Thomas and Sandy Hernick took both of their daughters, 3-year-old Lauren and 5-year-old Payton, to Saginaw Bay Ice Arena to learn how to skate.

“I don’t remember which girl asked, but they wanted to play hockey,” Thomas Hernick said. “I told them that we had to teach them how to skate first, so we went to Saginaw Bay. One half of the ice was figure skating. The other half was hockey.

“My oldest gravitated to the figure skating side, and Lauren went to the hockey side.”

Lauren Hernick noticed that she was an unusual participant in the hockey activities.

“The figure skating side was all girls, but the hockey side was all boys,” Lauren Hernick said. “I remember that you were only playing like half of the ice and you don’t really have a goalie … you kind of rotate being the goalie.

“My first game doing it, I did really well and didn’t let in any goals at a tournament. Nobody else wanted to do it. I was pretty good at it, so I asked them to let me stay doing it. Let’s see if we can win. After that, I stayed the goalie for the rest of the year.”

And a goalie was born, although it wasn’t always easy finding a team.

She played on a boys travel team in Bay City and then the Saginaw Jr. Spirit girls team. She still practiced with the boys teams, offering to serve as a goalie for their workouts.

“If you want to play locally, there really wasn’t a girls team,” Lauren Hernick said. “I give a lot of the credit for my skill level now to playing against the boys growing up, especially boys older than me. They were a lot faster, and the game was faster.”

She continued to play locally during her first year at Frankenmuth High School, while also competing in track for the Eagles as one of the team’s top freshman sprinters.

As a freshman, Hernick ran the 100-meter dash in 13.92 seconds and the 200 in 28.75 seconds. She teamed with Rosemary Brenner, Dani Titsworth and Keira Larrison on an all-freshman relay team in the 800, finishing in 1:53.76.

She also earned a Division 2 regional title as part of a 400 relay team that won in 52.70 seconds.

But Hernick’s hockey aspirations grew larger, and she traveled to Northville to play for HoneyBaked Ham and Biggby Coffee teams during her sophomore and junior years of high school.

“When I played for Biggby, it was really exciting because there were a lot of shots, and I was able to keep my team in the games,” Lauren Hernick said. “I was getting maybe 50 shots on goal a game.

“It was fun. It was entertaining. It was in our zone the whole time, and I was constantly seeing action. It was exciting knowing that I could win games for me team.”

Her future changed, however, when she enrolled in an elite hockey camp at Penn State, making the seven-hour drive in December.

“Penn State has always been a dream school of mine, and I subscribed to their email list,” Lauren Hernick said. “I got an email about the camp and asked my parents if we could go. I went to the camp and afterwards sent them an email saying thank you.

“About a month later, the goalie coach called me and offered me a spot on the team. I knew the coach (Ben Halford) before I went to the camp. I knew him from his goalie coaching business, and I had been talking to him all year. I never thought that while I was talking to him, he might have been recruiting me too.”

Penn State plays in the Atlanta Hockey America conference and is coming off a 31-6-1 season, 19-1 in the conference. The Nittany Lions were ranked in the Top 10 in the country before falling to St. Lawrence in an NCAA hockey regional game.

The Penn State coaching staff, however, had plans for Hernick before she took the ice for the Nittany Lions.

“I committed to Penn State in January of my junior year,” Hernick said. “They thought it would be a good idea for me to play in Philadelphia during my senior year because I could improve my skills and play for a better team.”

In 11 games for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 19-under team, Hernick was 8-3 with four shutouts and a 2.61 goals-against average for a team ranked 11th in the nation.

“The Flyers were a Tier I team, and we were ranked 11th in the country and went to the nationals, which was really cool,” Hernick said. “It was in Boston, and the rink had 12 different sheets of ice with a ton of scouts everywhere. Everywhere you went, there was a college coach watching.

“I had already committed, so I wasn’t super nervous playing there. I didn’t have to worry about it. It was good, though, because my college coaches were able to watch me play.”

Hernick played in two games for the Flyers in the national tournament, going 1-1.

She does not expect to play much during her freshman year. Penn State returns standout goalie Katie Desa, who was the Goaltender of the Year in the AHA.

“There’s another freshman goalie coming in, so we’ll compete to get in a few games our freshman years to get some experience,” Hernick said. “That’s my goal.”

Hernick does have dreams about maybe playing professionally or in the Olympics, but her goal is to become a dentist after her college hockey career.

“Sometimes I wish I was a forward because it looks so much cooler and more fun to score goals,” Lauren Hernick said. “But I’m really glad that I chose goalie. I enjoy it, and I’m good at it.”

It also beats wearing sequins.

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