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Sports take: Trump administration threatens future of funding for brain injury patients, research

By Kalena Reynolds | Staff Writer A recent request from the Trump Administration has put high school and youth sports in jeopardy. The administration’s 2026 fiscal budget request sent to Congress proposes eliminating funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) research and education. While this would detrimentally impact the medical field directly, the significance lies in […]

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By Kalena Reynolds | Staff Writer

A recent request from the Trump Administration has put high school and youth sports in jeopardy. The administration’s 2026 fiscal budget request sent to Congress proposes eliminating funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) research and education.

While this would detrimentally impact the medical field directly, the significance lies in addressing head injuries in sports among young athletes.

“Each year, between 1.6 and 3.8 million concussions occur in the United States as a result of sports or recreational activities,” according to an article published by the National Library of Medicine. “Concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury.”

The proposed budget was released on Friday and includes funding cuts for traumatic brain injury research within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This would mean withdrawing the $8.25 million that was previously funding TBI research within the CDC and public education on the dangers of concussions. In addition to the money going directly to TBI research, the administration is also considering cutting $3.59 billion for CDC funding.

While this would initially impact high school and youth sports, the repercussions of this change would also cause immense problems for college athletics.

Here’s the good news: although Trump proposed this, Congress still has to approve the final budget; however, the fact that this is being considered is highly concerning. Concussions and head trauma are a considerable factor affecting all of athletics, and jeopardizing funding for that is putting young adults and youth at risk.

To further deepen the issue, cutting funding would also affect concussion-prevention programs as well as employees working in the area of head trauma research at the CDC.

Patients with brain trauma often require ongoing treatment, and eliminating funding would mean stopping services that those patients need to continue functioning in life and facilitate recovery.

For people who have experienced brain injuries, there is often no permanent solution, and this request would mean leaving someone with a lifetime problem with no help.

A concussion-prevention program called “Heads Up” is already having a significant impact. The program was created for athletic trainers, youth and high school coaches and other sports officials. The CDC workers who ran the program were put on leave, leaving the forty-five states that utilized the program empty-handed.

“A pause in federal funding would disrupt many brain injury programs throughout the country and would directly impact brain injury survivors and the healthcare professionals providing treatment and support,” Rick Willis, president and CEO of BIAA, said. “Survivors of brain injury face so many obstacles in their day-to-day life, and many require ongoing support and services. Suddenly stopping programs that many of them rely on is inexcusable, especially with no warning.”

Ultimately, this request comes with a multitude of problems that would create a domino effect of chaos for both government workers and people affected by head injuries. Research would be significantly hindered, and athletic programs across the country would suffer immensely due to the lack of resources and information the cut would cause.



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AB 749 looks to improve youth sports

AB 749 looks to improve youth sports – CBS Los Angeles Watch CBS News A new bill, AB 749, would create a statewide commission to oversee youth sports in California but at a cost. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Link […]

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A new bill, AB 749, would create a statewide commission to oversee youth sports in California but at a cost.

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Good News: Milbank’s Bennett Schwenn Earns Academic All-Summit League Honors at USD | Local News

{KXLG – Milbank, SD} Milbank native Bennett Schwenn, the son of Rick and Miriam Schwenn and a junior at the University of South Dakota, has been named to the Academic All-Summit League team for the second time in his collegiate career. The conference office announced the honors Tuesday afternoon, recognizing student-athletes for their combined academic […]

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{KXLG – Milbank, SD} Milbank native Bennett Schwenn, the son of Rick and Miriam Schwenn and a junior at the University of South Dakota, has been named to the Academic All-Summit League team for the second time in his collegiate career. The conference office announced the honors Tuesday afternoon, recognizing student-athletes for their combined academic and athletic achievements.







Bennett Schwenn

Bennett Schwenn


Schwenn, who is pursuing a degree in Pre-Business, maintains an impressive 4.0 cumulative grade point average. His athletic contributions to the Coyote men’s track and field team include a fourth-place finish in the long jump and a sixth-place finish in the triple jump at the recent Summit League Championships.

In addition to his latest academic recognition, Schwenn’s career honors include being a Summit League Champion in the indoor long jump in 2024, earning All-Summit League honors in both indoor long jump and triple jump in 2023, and outdoor long jump in 2024. He has also been named to the Summit League Honor Roll for the 2022-2023 academic year.

A three-time state champion for Milbank High School, he swept the triple and long jumps at the 2021 South Dakota Class A State Track and Field Championships as a junior, in addition to winning the triple jump crown as a freshman in 2019, garnering five state medals heading into his senior season. He was the 2021 South Dakota Class A Field Event MVP and led the Bulldogs to a runner-up team finish. Schwenn owns personal bests of 46-3 ½ in the triple jump and 22-7 ¾ in the long jump, and he is a member of the National Honor Society. He also played both football and basketball for the Bulldogs.







Bennett Schwenn

Bennett Schwenn


To qualify for the academic all-conference team, student-athletes must hold a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher, have completed at least one academic year at their institution, and have participated in a minimum of 50% of their team’s competitions. Selections are made through voting by the sports information directors and faculty athletic representatives of the conference’s institutions.

Other University of South Dakota Academic All-Summit League Honorees:

  • Sara Reifenrath (Hartington, Neb.): A Computer Science major with a 3.98 GPA, Reifenrath earned her third outdoor all-Academic honor and sixth career all-Academic team recognition. She claimed three Summit League titles this season in the 200- and 400-meters and as anchor of the 4×400 relay, also earning all-Summit League honors in the 4×100 relay. She advanced to the NCAA West Prelims in the 200 and 400, setting a school record in the 400 with a time of 51.91 to advance to the NCAA Championships.
  • Averi Schmeichel (Hartford, S.D.): A senior Pre-Nursing student with a 3.91 GPA, Schmeichel received her third outdoor all-Academic honor and fourth overall. She swept the hurdle races at the Summit League Championships and ran on the winning 4×400 relay and all-Summit League 4×100 relay. Schmeichel competed at the NCAA West First Round in both the 100 and 400 hurdles, placing 13th in the 400 hurdles.
  • Cassidy Mooneyhan (Pea Ridge, Ark.): A senior Psychology major with a 4.0 GPA, Mooneyhan earned her second outdoor all-Academic team honor and fourth overall. She earned all-Summit League honors by placing third in the pole vault and competed in the NCAA West First Round pole vault competition.
  • Spencer Buley (McKinney, Texas): Buley, a Sport Marketing & Media major, holds a 4.0 GPA and received his second outdoor all-Academic honor. He was the Summit League runner-up in the pole vault and placed 14th at the NCAA West.



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Butte Central grad Dougie Peoples reflects on winning national championship

BUTTE — The past three years have seen Butte Central product Dougie Peoples enjoy some huge achievements on the basketball court. He hit an unforgettable walk-off 3-pointer to ice the 2022 Class A state championship and was soon after tabbed the Montana Gatorade player of the year. The 2023 graduate then opted to join the […]

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BUTTE — The past three years have seen Butte Central product Dougie Peoples enjoy some huge achievements on the basketball court.

He hit an unforgettable walk-off 3-pointer to ice the 2022 Class A state championship and was soon after tabbed the Montana Gatorade player of the year.

The 2023 graduate then opted to join the College of Idaho’s men’s basketball team and, after coming up short in the 2024 national semifinals, the Yotes rolled through Oklahoma Wesleyan University 93-64 in the championship last March with sophomore Peoples knocking down five 3-pointers in the rout.

It was C of I’s second national title in three years.

“It was really cool to go down there and achieve that,” said Peoples, who was in Butte on Wednesday running his Little Dribblers youth basketball camp. “The past few years have been great. I’ve had some really high highs, so that’s been fun.”

Watch the video and hear from Dougie Peoples here:

Butte Central grad Dougie Peoples reflects on winning national title with College of Idaho

He conceded that it was a tough decision to depart his hometown and that his freshman year was a big adjustment. But he believed in the vision of Yotes head coach Colby Blaine — who played for Steve Keller at Montana Western — and wanted to join a program where the expectation was to win national titles.

“Leaving Butte was so hard because everyone has been so good to me,” said Peoples. “The Butte community is amazing.”

But he wanted to chase a national title and joined the defending national champions with the goal of helping them earn another.

“Going to C of I, that’s kind of what the plan was, that’s kind of why I made the choice to go there,” he said. “And that’s what me and coach Blaine talked about, was winning a national championship.”

He also got to win the national title as one of four Montanans on the Yotes’ roster — Missoula Sentinel’s Alex Germer, Scobey’s Caden Handran and Great Falls’ Drew Wyman are the others.

“A lot of times I’d get homesick and they understood the Montana dynamic,” said Peoples. “I was really lucky to have them and it was just cool to do it with the Montana guys.”

A lot of people invested in Peoples, and he’s returning the favor this summer as he runs his kids camp — which has about 80 participants spread across multiple sessions — for the third straight year.

“I hope that these kids are excited to come up here and have fun,” he said. “I’ve never seen as much passion as these kids have.”





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Chelsea sign German youth international forward Alber

Chelsea have completed the signing of German youth international forward Mara Alber on a four-year deal. WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Blues this afternoon. Advertisement Alber will officially join Chelsea when she becomes a free agent on 1 July 2025. The 19-year-old has spent her […]

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Chelsea have completed the signing of German youth international forward Mara Alber on a four-year deal.

WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Blues this afternoon.

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Alber will officially join Chelsea when she becomes a free agent on 1 July 2025.

The 19-year-old has spent her entire senior career to date with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. She initially turned out for the club’s B Team before going on to impress in the first team. The player can operate in any position across the front-line.

On the international stage, Alber has represented Germany up to and including Under-20 level.

After completing her move to Chelsea, Alber said “I feel proud to have signed for Chelsea. It is a special moment for me because it is such a big club and I am really happy to have this opportunity. I am a player who has worked really hard up until this point and I am someone who always gives 100 percent every day in training and in every match I play – I just love football so much.”

Alber is Chelsea’s second signing of the summer transfer window. The Blues have also signed Swiss goalkeeper Livia Peng on a free transfer.



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VanMeter set to lead PSM TinCaps youth travel baseball program | Sports

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) – The last Northeast Indiana baseball team to win an IHSAA state title was the 2013 Norwell Knights. Josh VanMeter was a member of the state championship squad, before going on to get drafted into pro baseball, play briefly for the Fort Wayne TinCaps, then compete in 300 Major League Baseball […]

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) – The last Northeast Indiana baseball team to win an IHSAA state title was the 2013 Norwell Knights.

Josh VanMeter was a member of the state championship squad, before going on to get drafted into pro baseball, play briefly for the Fort Wayne TinCaps, then compete in 300 Major League Baseball games.

VanMeter is now retired for pro baseball and is living in Northeast Indiana.

The former big leaguer is teaming up with Parkview Sports Medicine and the Fort Wayne TinCaps organization to launch a set of new premier youth teams in the region.

VanMeter, PSM and the TinCaps announced the formation of the PSM TinCaps in a Wednesday afternoon press conference at Parkview Field.

Organizers hope to recruit some of the top baseball players across Northeast Indiana to compete against other top teams in summer tournaments.

“There’s a lot of good talent here, a lot of good resources. Just for a high school team to not win a state championship, honestly, it just blows my mind. There’s too many good players in and around the city,” VanMeter said.

“Just from my time being an amateur and being around the players that I played with from all the different schools, I just really think that this market needs maybe a newer, fresher face. I think that, humbly, I think I check all those boxes of coming back and trying to start a program.”

The PSM TinCaps teams would have a primary focus on player development, helping young athletes reach the peak high school, college and professional levels.

VanMeter plans to coach the oldest age group while also working in an oversight role as the PSM Baseball Academy Director.

“I got a lot of experience from my time playing. I filled just about every role when it comes to being a player all the way to the highest level of the game. On top of that, being able to partner with PSM and really provide that one-stop-shop for baseball development, that has really taken off to another gear even since I was that age,” VanMeter said.

“So I think marrying the minds and being able to do that is going to set us apart. I’m excited for the opportunity and ready to capitalize on it.”

The teams will start competing beginning in 2026, though the first tryouts will take place later in the summer of 2025.

Ages 10-12U tryouts will be July 15, with the 13-17U tryouts slated for July 22.

Both sets of tryouts will start at 5:00 pm at the University of Saint Francis Baseball and Softball Fields.

Have a story you want FOX 55 to cover or a news tip? Send an email to news@wfft.com.



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A conversation with Hall of Famer and NBA Champion Ray Allen :: WRALSportsFan.com

So, Ray, what’s it like transitioning from obviously being a basketball star, NBA champion to now a basketball dad? Well, you gotta remember it wasn’t really a transition because even when I played in the NBA I was still a dad. So now I’m just the dad and the Uber driver, uh, because every morning […]

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So, Ray, what’s it like transitioning from obviously being a basketball star, NBA champion to now a basketball dad? Well, you gotta remember it wasn’t really a transition because even when I played in the NBA I was still a dad. So now I’m just the dad and the Uber driver, uh, because every morning I’m there and I’m taking the kids to school and picking them up and, you know, at, at all their sporting events. So I’m not as gone as much uh as when I played, um, so just consistently, they know I’m always there and It’s amazing because When I put my shoes on and go take out the trash, they’re like, uh, Dad, where are you going? I’m like, I’m just going to take out the trash because they’re used to now me being home so much, which is uh which is great uh being retired. Obviously, being the son or daughter of Ray Allen has its advantages, but how have you made sure that doesn’t come with too much pressure or too much of a burden too as as they pursued their own basketball dreams. Uh, sometimes I have to take myself out of the, the, uh, equation. Uh, when there’s some games I just don’t go to, just Um, no, or I would say more practices, uh. Uh, being a coach, being an assistant coach in some different programs helping out, sometimes I just kinda stay away from it. Uh, some games I just try to. Wear a hat and sit in the bleachers and I try not to be too loud and draw attention, uh, cause there are times when people know I’m there, they’re like, which one is your son? And I’m like, he’s out there. Because because then kids started to pay more attention to to who who he is and then. They don’t know how to operate with that bull’s eye on their back just yet and so. It it does require me just to pay attention. Uh, at all times. Like, I know you guys want me to be there and I’m going to be there, but I’m not going to be where you need me to be, where you can see me. I’m going to be watching from under the bleachers or Just something just to just take the pressure off of the situation for everybody cause sometimes. The other kids get distracted. Like I, what I would do sometimes, I did this last term there and I left the game early. And I knew the team was playing a little harder because it was my team and my kids were on it. And literally, they ran out of the gym looking for me when I, when I was in the parking lot. And so it, it does sometimes distract other people, but even with my AAU program, I always tell the kids I was like, sometimes you guys are playing against kids that want to beat me and not you because they see the name on your chest. I said, so you got to really understand there’s a little more bull’s-eye on you than you realize. So in the very least, Have energy Uh, don’t let them work harder than you. Uh, be focused and know that they feel like they’re playing in a championship game because they want to be able to beat you guys. No, I’m, I’m just starting this journey myself. I’ve got a seven year old daughter, 5-year-old son, and, and a, a 1 year old here, and, you know, I didn’t play college athletics, pro sports, not expecting them to, but there’s obviously a ton of incentive now for kids to get into college sports if they can, between NIL and scholarships. But I’m trying to figure out, I mean, when’s the right age to pursue more advanced coaching, private lessons, and, and how do you know if your child is, is really gonna benefit that all, from all that comes into that? Well, hm. Because it, it’s not a, it’s not a quid pro quo. Um, if you go into it with the hopes of an a reward or something at the end of the rainbow, then a lot of times you end up disappointed by it because now you’re driving a narrative. Now you’re, you know, I had parents that were paying, I have one parent that was paying $500 an hour. Um, for, for a trainer, and the trainer ought to be ashamed of itself, but. They just knew that he can tell this guy anything because he had the money to pay for it. And that’s just not, that’s not the formula. You know, private lessons is not the formula. The formula for me, for, for kids specifically in basketball is just put them in environments where they could play and there’s other kids better than them and just keep showing up and playing basketball every single day. Uh, foundationally for you as a dad. It’s about your environment that you’re creating for your kids. Do they, do you walk with them on the weekends? Are you playing board games with them, um, at home, instead of them, everybody just going their their separate directions? Are you watching sporting events and cheering and and celebrating and creating your your moments with your family? You know, are you eating at the table together? All those things create this communal spirit that live with inside kids that that allow them to want to be a part of something. You know, now they’re learning how to be a part of a system, a team. And then when you’re playing board games, they’re learning how to want to win at those board games. They want to compete. You know, you don’t win anything, but there’s so much fun. Challenging each other and talking and doing all these things. And so now you’re building something with inside of that, that child, their heart and their desires. So then you put them in any situation and they want to compete. And then they go out and play basketball, and they want to beat the kids and get better. So, it’s about changing their hearts and minds and and putting something on them so they can start to say, I want to do that, and I want to compete, and I wanna learn because you’re teaching them that at home. But if you’re saying, go out and play basketball and do all these things, but every day you sit on the couch, you don’t work out, you don’t do anything to improve yourself, they’re mimicking your behavior, and they’re like, oh, I’m good, I’m just gonna stay here. Now your kids, you got two of them playing in AAU tournament this weekend at Disney Wild World of Sports, right? Yeah. I is AAU still the best place you think to compete and get seen at colleges at a high level for, for youth sports? No. I, I don’t think it’s. It doesn’t have to be the best place. It doesn’t have to be the optimum place for you, because remember, It is finding a uh a system for your kids to be able to play basketball every day. Now, if they’re playing every day and they’re competing in their community and they have a place to go, and they have, I played, I became good because my dad was in the Air Force and I played on the weekends with him and all these grown men. You know, I played, if, if I compare percentage wise, AAU was probably. 10, 15% of my life growing up. You know, where you, I played once or twice, 11 summer and then I end up playing a couple more teams that summer. Because now I can showcase my skills, but I wasn’t coming to AAU to build my skills, to learn. My program now is hoping to help those kids build their skills so they can learn and fall in love with the game and then get better. And then you have the games to see how you stack up. But a lot of AAU programs, they’re just about what shoe you’re wearing, the uniforms, what tournaments you’re playing in. And we, as a, as a culture, we we we need to change that. We need kids to start learning the concepts of basketball and understanding. What it takes to be part of a team and then individually work on your own skill set. So, if you’re, I, and I, I don’t even like A kid that’s just playing, just doing all this skill development. I would rather them be out of the backyard playing 21 and playing 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 because now It’s unadulterated. You don’t have to you don’t have to fix these situations. They’re learning how to play basketball by just getting comfortable being in the backyard playing pickups. So that, that, that’s what I would say more than anything is just them playing. It’s funny how much the game has changed too just so recently, like I was looking at some of your stats today. Most threes you made in a season I saw was 269 and two Celtics almost did that this year. Uh, do you think we’ve gone too far with the evolution of the three-point shot and just how much of basketball is a math equation now? Well, threes are more than twos, um, the, these analytical guys will tell you that. Um, but I’ll say that. Not making a 3 isn’t better than making a layup or getting a mid-range shot where you’re getting 2 points. Um, traditionally, In in the NBA big men have always been the leading. The leaders in field goal percentage. Uh, you know, you could bank that literally and and and figuratively. So, over the course of the last couple of years, big men are no longer really have a presence in the game. So that’s a skill that we don’t see anymore. There used to be so much great dominance of bigs on the block, scoring post moves, and when you want a bucket down the stretch, you can go to your big man. Now it’s just shoot 3s. You just keep shooting threes, and that could be a hit or miss proposition. Um, and I think that that doomed the Celtics a lot this year. Uh, just, you know, just living and dying by the three-pointer. Um, but when you need a bucket, sometimes you just need a bucket and it’s gotta, you, you know, it’s gotta be a mid-range. You sometimes get to the hole, get a layup, and that builds offensive rhythm. So, I, I just think right now, analytically. I understand where they where where they come from, but. I, I just think right now, there’s too many players on the team shooting threes. And there’s no diversity in the game. As much as everybody can do it, it’s 5 out basketball, but there’s, there has to be more to it than just that. You know, and and the players today will tell you that the skill, they’re so much better than the players from the past. But I’ll show you. Terrell Brandon, uh, and these are guys I’ve played with, you know, Glenn Robinson. Uh, Ben Baker. Um, You know, those guys that were great mid-range scorers. Terrell was great in the pick and roll. Sam Cassell was great on the block. Um, you know, none of them guys shot threes at all, and they were so specific in their skill set, they could score and were problems out there on the floor. But now we don’t have that type of, those types of players anymore because we, we’ve sacrificed that skill for three-point shooting. And the 3 points, it’s a lot of great shooters in the league today, but there’s also a lot of bad shots taken, a lot of untimely, you know, 3s taken, which, you know, they’re gonna score more cause long term you shoot more 3s, but from a skill perspective, Now certain players aren’t uh uh making it to the league anymore because there’s no No post presence. Yeah, it’s, uh, it’s, it’s fascinating. My son down there. I wish I could say he’s wearing a Ray Allen jersey right now. He’s got, uh, Steph Curry on, but I, I, I was a big fan of your career, so I appreciate you taking time to do this with me today, man. Yeah, no problem. It was a pleasure. And good luck to your kids down there in the tournament. Yeah, thank you. Appreciate you.



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