A stellar season for the Nelson Volleyball 17U Club has come to an end, with the club finishing among the best in BC.

A month after winning the Division Two Provincial Championships in Richmond, the team of West Kootenay teens competed in the 200-team Seattle Evergreen Classic May 24-26, finishing in the middle of the pack of 28 teams in their division.

Nelson played eight close games with teams from US cities including Tacoma, Coeur d’Alene and Seattle.

Coach Sara Smith says the Nelson Club has come a long ways, languishing in Division Five only two seasons ago, but now amongst the best teams in BC.

“The arc of the team was perfect,” says Smith.

“They peaked in provincials, they came together and excelled at just the right time.”

The Richmond finals were the culmination of the Volleyball BC Super Series, with tournaments in Langley and Vernon as well.

“All the girls came in as athletes but left as real team mates,” says NVC captain Gianna Davidson, “we learned how to play as one, not just for ourselves.”

Davidson is one of four Grade 12s leaving the team, along with New Denver’s Ria Kosling, Nelson’s Paityn Lake and Crawford Bay’s Georgia Shuel.

Graduating player, and NVC alumni Kara Strong, who moved to join the Fraser Valley’s legendary Rain City club in January, was selected to the National U17 All Star Team, making her one of the top six 17U players in Canada. Strong went on to lead Rain City to a national club championship.

Smith, a former college player and mom of three who returned to club and school coaching for the last six seasons, says NVC has a promising year ahead.

“We’ve got a lot of girls coming up for next year and we’re going to field a 18U team,” says Smith, “we’ll see if we can break into the top 12 teams in the province.”

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What truly defines Virginia Military Institute are the people. Cadets, faculty, and staff, both past and present, are what make it “No Ordinary College.” I Am VMI showcases the outstanding individuals who have accepted the challenges and embraced the spirit of VMI. Their perspectives provide authentic insights into life at the Institute and the value of this unique military college.

Role at VMI: 2nd Class Cadet (Junior), VMI Class of 2026
Major: International Studies
Hometown: Ontario, California
Featured Activities: NCAA Division 1 Water Polo | Hotel Co. Commander 2025-26 | Honors Program
Post-Graduation Plans: Government Intelligence

Sadie Smith ’26 was looking for a college that could prepare her for a successful career and life. She said Virginia Military Institute is a place like no other and it offered the kind of lifestyle she was striving for.

“I am a cadet-athlete and VMI makes it possible to balance intense academics, sports, and rigorous military obligations,” she said. “VMI has given me so many tools to succeed and incredible leadership opportunities within the Corps and on the water polo team. I knew I would face many challenges here, but I was looking for that and it has made me into who I am today. VMI has provided me with unique opportunities to build good discipline, honor, and incredible character while putting service before self.”

As an international studies major, she has discovered a passion for national security.

“I enjoy seeing various viewpoints on topics, as well as the variety of skills political science knowledge helps build like writing, reading, debating, and organization. I added a computer science and national security minor because it is very applicable to the field of work that I would like to pursue,” she explained.

Smith went on to highlight the growth her professors encourage. “I especially value the academic challenge here and how well I have gotten to know the professors in the international studies department, they are incredible and always looking to help me succeed.”

She said her experience at VMI has been transformational — for both herself and for her water polo team. VMI has served as a place where she can balance Division I athletics, a challenging major, ROTC, and the opportunity to partake in rank positions within the Corps of Cadets.

“VMI is an environment that fosters professionalism and accountability on a daily basis, which maintains a structured military lifestyle,” she said.

With the opportunity to hold rank, she’s been able to train new cadets by establishing a good culture and spirit. Smith has also been able to balance her responsibilities by practicing good time management skills that have made her a proficient worker, team member, and friend.

“There are very few schools that make it possible to do this, and regardless if you are commissioning or not, you can be involved in incredible leadership opportunities,” she said. “I am involved in training incoming rats at VMI, and have developed so much as a leader and feel that being on a team doing this we give back to VMI by helping to form the incoming rats into a class and setting individuals up to live a successful life here. This all boils down to the connection VMI cadets have with each other and alumni that are long lasting and unlike any other.”

She said she’s proud to be a VMI cadet because she’s been able to embody honor and discipline.

“There is an incredible culture here of hard work and dedication, and I feel that I can rely on anyone to be supportive in the VMI community,” she commented. “The honor system instilled and the ability to sustain it makes VMI special. Discipline and hard work are highly valuable here and will pay off due to all of the incredible opportunities VMI has to offer.”

Although she believes that everyone has the potential to be a leader, she credits VMI for giving her the confidence and support to grow as one.

“This requires facing challenges that are not always pretty or fun in the moment, but they have really shaped me into a well-rounded individual and given me resilience and confidence to attack any challenge with effort and perseverance,” she admitted. “VMI has shown me that when you put your mind to something and are purpose driven, then you can accomplish your goals in all aspects of life.”

Her future hopes include working for the Defense Intelligence Agency. This summer, she is well on her way to that goal with an internship with the agency.

“I feel that VMI has prepared me as a well-versed leader to be able to succeed at this internship and to go out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I feel excited to work in a team environment and hope to receive further opportunities with this agency later after graduation. VMI has also taught me to be prepared for the unexpected and that not everything goes your way all the time. I like to keep an open mind and know that the skills I have learned here will aid me if I receive a job, go to graduate school, or take time to travel after VMI.”

Overall, VMI has given her relationships she knows will last for life.

“I have made so many amazing friends and have had the opportunity to interact with and work with incredible people, teammates, coaches, and professors,” she explained. “VMI, being a small community built on integrity and resilience, allows people to form long lasting bonds and relate significantly on a personal level. Everyone here is on their own path and working at their own goals, however, I love how cadets still feel very connected. VMI also has an amazing support system and resources to succeed in athletics, academic, and military.”

– VMI –

Stade Orange Vélodrome in Marselle being prepared for 2024 Six Nations opening match between France and Ireland in February

Of all the rapidly changing trends witnessed by sports – and in particular their fans – over the past decade, one of the most significant is what has become of sports stadiums. Indeed, it could be argued that the term ‘modern sports stadium’ is somewhat old fashioned as the homes of sports teams have evolved into multi-use events facilities.

Any stadium that is being constructed from new or being upgraded is done so with the clear message that the end result won’t be what passed before to satisfy fans. The new or enhanced stadium is now a true communications hub, capable of meeting the connectivity demands of those who visit them: that is of the transmission of masses of video content to and from not just fans but also broadcasters, and not just content from sports fans but also those going to music events.

For all sports stadiums, providing a modern, high-quality communications network is very much a team game, principally involving a leading comms operator that not only understands current demands but can demonstrate how to manage the inevitable data explosion. Few countries’ sports arenas have had to deal with this issue more than those in France. And – as exemplified with its work for the last Rugby World cup and Olympic Games, as well as routine Ligue 1 games – few companies have provided solutions to meet this demand more than Orange.

Calling growth in data at today’s sports arenas ‘robust’ would be very much an understatement. A 2024 study from Ericsson calculated that arena venues had seen a 67% growth in data usage compared with a year previously, noting specifically that fans in stadiums now demand high-performance, robust and reliable mobile coverage to share, interact with and stream content. The next survey will almost certainly see this figure surpassed considerably. At the Stade Orange Vélodrome in Marseilles, this will be a certainty.

The home of Olympique de Marseille (OM) – traditionally seen as France’s second team behind the enriched Paris Saint-Germain – is unique in that not only does it have naming rights sponsorship from a leading global comms operator, it is also the home of a test bed for mobile and fixed communications technology and services. Orange’s relationship with OM really began in earnest in the 4G days of June 2016 as part of a grand strategy to create a totally renovated connected stadium in time for that year’s Euros tournament.

Recalling the connectivity demands of the time, Guillaume Chabas, head of innovation at Orange Business and head of the 5G Lab at Orange Vélodrome, said the first step was to create something significant with the wireless connection and create and purpose some applications for new usage. In 2016, 4G was the mobile standard but on its own it was not enough. WiFi connectivity had to be implemented to upgrade network capacity because 4G was not enough to meet anticipated network loads.

Six years later – just months away from a Rugby World Cup that would see Orange Vélodrome act as a key host stadium – 5G had very much entered the room and not just metaphorically. The end of the 2021/22 football season saw fans in the hospitality boxes and premium seats able to make use of the Orange 5G network to see the first use cases that the next-generation mobile infrastructure could support. Indeed, Orange Vélodrome was also France’s first 5G-equipped stadium, taking advantage of a non-standalone core network that comprised a 3.5GHz mid-band network complemented by experimental mmWave 5G in the 26GHz range. There was also AWS Edge Capacity connected to an experimental 5G area and to a cloud/hybrid edge.

Initial supported technologies and services included virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), video analytics based on artificial intelligence (AI), and real-time monitoring of stadium resources. One of the most impressive and interesting of these was the Augmented Match service, a mixed-reality mobile app developed jointly by Orange and Immersiv.io that allowed fans to access real-time technical and statistical information about the players on the field. This gave the option of data on the players – such as distance ran, goals scored, general pedigree etc – transposed upon the official TV feed of the game for those watching on a smartphone. The players’ positions were displayed in real time along with other data, such as shots, dribbles, passes and defence.

The app ran over the experimental 26GHz 5G network along with edge computing, using Computer Vision to detect player position, with 5G ensuring a very high-speed connection, necessary to provide the lowest possible latency to avoid any lag between the actions on the field, AR data and even digital twins of the players.

It’s no surprise to discover that Chabas and his team were also actively involved in the 2024 Paris Olympics for which select maritime events were hosted in the nearby marina in Marseilles. In terms of challenges, and indeed environment, the Marseilles nautical events brought about unique conditions for network broadcast. The company leant in on the established Stade Orange fibre network that routinely sees use in transporting high-quality broadcast video during OM home fixtures. A key part of the broadcast service was based on using specially optimised Samsung S24 smartphones as TV cameras directly on boats, supported by an Orange private 5G network.

Fast forward to 2025 and the Orange Vélodrome is upping the connectivity ante to stay relevant for today’s fans. “From the way athletes train to how fans experience the game, technology is transforming sports at every level. While unlocking new business opportunities, it creates immersive entertainment and democratises sports, making them more interactive and inclusive,” says Chabas.

Orange has now deployed four key applications to boost broadcasting and ultimately the fan experience, namely an evolved Immersiv.io app that brings AR overlays and live stats and replays directly into the stadium; Touch2See which is designed to enable visually impaired fans to ‘feel’ the game through tactile tablets; 5G+ for Camera, said to offer “seamless” media production; and Team Connect, based on a private 5G network that is said to enable private 5G media production. Specifically, the app is designed to allow real-time, high-performance interference-free live broadcasting and critical event communications during events using dedicated frequencies and cloud services to streamline operations.

Going forward, Chabas see more innovation from the connectivity set up. Key projects being investigated include potential advanced monetisation opportunities from video feeds by which AI could recognise key brands’ sports equipment. Prioritised electronic payment services are regarded as another key area. But essentially, the key will be delivering an advanced comms infrastructure to make these potentials real, with AI very much at the forefront in the new immersive world of sports broadcast.

“As 5G, AI, and immersive technologies evolve, the future of sport is not just something you watch; it’s something you live,” Chabas concludes.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – While most of the track focus in South Dakota was on the the high school State Meet, athletes from the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State were hard at work in Texas trying to earn a spot at the NCAA Division One National Championships.

Eleven Jackrabbits and a Summit League-high 22 members of the Coyotes’ teams went down to College Station for the NCAA West First Round last Wednesday through Saturday.

It’s been a good season at both schools with USD’s women finishing second in the Summit and SDSU’s men winning their first conference title since 1986.

Going to regionals is step up in competition and pressure, with Coyote senior Averi Schmeichel saying you have to empty the tank.

“Everyone is super good there so, I mean, you just got to go all out every race and give it your all because you don’t know what’s going to make the next round for times. So just giving it everything you got.” Schmeichel says.

Averi just missed out on making Nationals on Saturday, finishing 13th in the 400 meter hurdles in 57.32 seconds, just 0.18 seconds out of clinching a spot.

Four of her Coyote teammates did move on to the National Meet. To the surprise of no one plenty of Derek Miles’ pole vaulters are heading west with Tre Young, Anna Willis and Gen Hirata qualifying. On the track Sara Reifenrath ran the 400 in a school record time to punch her ticket.

Meanwhile South Dakota State will be represented by Warner’s Cody Larson via the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase.

Nationals will be in Eugene, Oregon June 11-14.

Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.

Records are meant to be broken, and breaking records leave a legacy at El Camino.

Warrior athletes Lexi Ramirez (softball) Tilliana Wakefield- Carl, (track and field) and Iyanah Samayoa (swimming &diving) broke records this Spring.

Ramirez set multiple records with most wins in a season (30), shutouts (12), innings pitched (235.2), and total appearances (41) in a single season.

Softball went on to the 3C2A State Championships and finished in fourth place and a record of (39-9).

According to the ECC athletics website, she was named the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Cal-JC Pitcher of the Year.

She also received the 2025 NFCA Cal-JC Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a pitcher.

Ramirez also became the first Warriors player to ever be named the NFCA Pitcher of the Year and second player to earn a gold glove award. Not only that she also was a part of the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America team.

She was also named the South Coast Conference Co-Pitcher of the year, and she was All -SCC First Team.

Wakefield- Carl is another athlete who broke records and won many invitationals for track & field.

Wakefield Carl broke the pole vault record on Friday, April 4 at the Moorpark Open.

She took first place with a mark of 3.68 meters, breaking the previous record set by Katrina Wilbanks (3.66 meters) in 2012.

Wakefield-Carl and Wilbanks are the only women in ECC history to complete a pole vault attempt of 12 feet or greater.

Wakefield-Carl also won the pole vaulting competition at the Viking Invitational with a season-best mark of 3.40 meters (11 feet, 1.75 inches), which placed her third in Southern California and sixth in the state.

The pole vaulter was one of six athletes to qualify for the Regional Finals.

At the Dave Shannon Invitational, she tied for first place in pole vaulting with a mark of 3.50 meters (11 feet, 5.75 inches) with University of California, Los Angeles track and field member Camila Brennan.

She was the only community college athlete to record a mark past 10 feet. Wakefield-Carl said she’s just getting back into the sport and wants to keep competing.

“I competed for two years in high school, I felt like this year, I was just getting back into it. I look forward to next year here at ECC and getting a scholarship to compete at the next level,” Wakefield-Carl said.

She’s currently looking to transfer to UC Irvine or California State University, Long Beach, to study kinesiology and public health.

“Those schools I’m really interested in because of the programs they have there and looking into their track program,” she said.

In swimming, Samayoa has broken several records and won awards in her two years at ECC.

She was named the 2025 South Coast Conference Co-Swimmer of the year for the second straight year, taking home three individual awards at the SCC championships.

The swimmer took first place in the 200-yard individual medley, along with the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke for the second straight year.

In the 3C2A State Championships this spring, she captured two state championships and broke records.

She grabbed two wins and made a new state record at the 3C2A State Championships.

Samayoa went back-to back in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, and broke the 200 breast state record by 1.57 seconds.

Also in the state championships, she defended her title in the 200 breast. Samayoa bested her own time from 2024 by nearly three seconds after winning in 2:15.93.

In addition, she earned the 3C2A Swim and Dive Coaches’ Association All-American honors at the end of the season.

She took the best times in the state in the 100 breast (1:03.41) and the 200 breast with a state-record performance of 2:15.93. Her latter time was not only the best in the state, but the best in the nation.

Samayoa ends her ECC career with five individual state titles.

The 2025 Moravia junior high volleyball camp, led by legendary Coach Jerald Harter, will be held on July 8, 9, and 10 in the new gymnasium. Hours will be from 9 a.m. – noon each day. Campers will learn skills and take part in scrimmages to help them hone their game before next fall. Girls going into 7th and 8th grade next fall are invited to attend. The cost for the three sessions includes a camp shirt. Sign-ups are needed before July 1. For questions or to register a player, contact Coach Emily DeJong at (641) 895-8722.