WorldPride Will Host The Inaugural 5-Day Capital Cup Sports Festival During Pride Month
WorldPride will be hosting a HUGE sports festival with over 7,000 participants, and we couldn’t be more excited. Credit: Shutterstock Let’s face it, DC is a sports city, and for good reason! DC has one of the most extensive local networks of LGBTQ+ sports teams and leagues in the world. That’s why WorldPride will be […]
WorldPride will be hosting a HUGE sports festival with over 7,000 participants, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Credit: Shutterstock
Let’s face it, DC is a sports city, and for good reason! DC has one of the most extensive local networks of LGBTQ+ sports teams and leagues in the world. That’s why WorldPride will be hosting the inaugural Capital Cup Sports Festival that is taking place from May 30th to June 4th! Over 7,000 people from athletes to organizers will be participating to make this huge event happen.
There are many different sports taking place from kickball and pickleball to basketball and water polo. We’ve got the tentative schedule below:
Basketball 3v3
NGBL National Gay Basketball League
May 30-31
Bocce
Stonewall Bocce
May 31, June 2
Cornhole
Rogue
May 31
Climbing (Bouldering & TBD Top Rope)
Stonewall
June 2-4
Swimming, Water Polo, Diving, Artistic Swimming, Open Water Swimming
DSeahorses and DC Aquatics Club (IGLA+ 2025 DC)
May 31 – June 5
Darts
Rogue
May 31
DCFR Pride Run (5k)
DC Front Runners
June 1
Dodgeball
Stonewall Dodgeball
May 31
Flag Football
National Gay Flag Football League and DC chapter
May 30 – June 1
Kickball
Stonewall Kickball
June 4-5
Golf
Lambda Links
May 31 – June 2
Pickleball
DC Queer Pickleball
May 30 – June 1
Regatta
DC Strokes
June 1
Roller Derby
DC Roller Derby
June 1-2
Rugby 7’s
DC Furies
May 30-31
Soccer
Federal Triangles Soccer Club
June 1-2
Tennis
Capital Tennis Association
June 2-4
Volleyball (Indoor & Sand)
DCPVL- DC Pride Volleyball League
May 30-31 & June 2-3
Wrestling
District Wrestling
May 30-31
WorldPride itself will be taking place between May 17th to June 8th, with different events scheduled. There’s Latinx Pride, API Pride, Trans Pride, the WorldPride Film Festival, the 17th Street Block Party, and the Fabric of Freedom nighttime event on June 7th and 8th.
For more information about the full schedule for WorldPride, check out the website.
Milford, Massachusetts high school student detained by ICE was “targeted,” girlfriend says
Marcelo Gomes, a Massachusetts high school student who was suddenly detained on his way to volleyball practice over the weekend, was still being held by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Monday. Gomes, an 18-year-old junior at Milford High School, was one of four volleyball players on their way to practice Saturday morning […]
Marcelo Gomes, a Massachusetts high school student who was suddenly detained on his way to volleyball practice over the weekend, was still being held by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Monday.
Gomes, an 18-year-old junior at Milford High School, was one of four volleyball players on their way to practice Saturday morning when three unmarked vehicles pulled up behind them. One of the students in the car told WBZ-TV that’s when an ICE agent knocked on the window.
Marcelo Gomes
Gomes family photo
“They asked him what his documentation was,” said the student, who did not want to be identified because he is also undocumented. The agent questioned everyone in the car and Gomes was taken into custody, separating him from his friends and family. The student who spoke to WBZ said he was not detained because he is underage.
“He’s been here 13 years”
“He’s been here for 13 years. This is all he knows. Milford and Massachusetts is all he knows,” said Gomes’s cousin Ana Julia Araujo.
“It’s kind of heart-breaking. Marcelo is such a kind person and he’s the last person that this should be happening to, I guess. His siblings are so young and they’re asking questions like, whether they’re ever going to see him again,” Araujo said.
She said he was supposed to play the drums at Milford High School’s graduation Sunday. Instead, the community held a rally for him at town hall. That brought Araujo hope.
“It makes me really happy, because I don’t think the community would come together like this for any other person. It shows how special he is,” she said.
Held at ICE detention center in Burlington
Araujo said Gomes was able to call his parents and that he’s currently being held at an ICE detention center in Burlington.
There has been no comment from ICE about the Gomes case. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley will have a news conference with the agency Monday at 11:30 a.m. in Boston to discuss the immigration enforcement surge in Massachusetts.
Milford Police Chief Robert Dusino said his department didn’t learn about Gomes’s detention until after it happened.
“We want an open dialogue with the federal government about who’s getting detained, why they’re getting detained. We don’t want people just coming into town and being detained or arrested solely because they’re here illegally,” he told reporters.
“He was targeted”
“Marcelo was a good kid. He was excited for his future. He did absolutely nothing wrong. He was innocently going to a practice and he was targeted,” said Gomes’s girlfriend, Julianys Rentas, who graduated from Milford High School on Sunday.
She said many students are living in fear of ICE.
“There’s no patterns, so no one knows who’s next,” Rentas said.
Cherie Peterson, who taught English to Gomes, said students “deserve to feel safe.”
“I can’t image how scared he is. He doesn’t know how to navigate this system. I wouldn’t know how to navigate this system,” she said.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she wants ICE to provide “immediate information about why he was arrested, where he is and how his due process is being protected.”
Mike Toole
Mike Toole is the managing editor for CBS Boston. He has worked in the WBZ-TV newsroom for more than 20 years. He previously wrote and produced news and sports at WABC-TV in New York.
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference boys volleyball postseason awards
First team Kevin Tinio, Randolph senior; Ben Barninger, Randolph junior; Cole Cantada, Randolph junior; Dorian Kaminski, Jefferson junior; Jack Schild, Jefferson senior; Victor Silva, Vernon junior; Rex McDowell, Morristown senior; Diandre Carr, Sparta senior More: ‘Playing for something bigger than ourselves,’ Jefferson claims NJAC boys volleyball title Second team Alex Fairbairn, Chatham senior; Jan Rostek, […]
Kevin Tinio, Randolph senior; Ben Barninger, Randolph junior; Cole Cantada, Randolph junior; Dorian Kaminski, Jefferson junior; Jack Schild, Jefferson senior; Victor Silva, Vernon junior; Rex McDowell, Morristown senior; Diandre Carr, Sparta senior
More: ‘Playing for something bigger than ourselves,’ Jefferson claims NJAC boys volleyball title
Second team
Alex Fairbairn, Chatham senior; Jan Rostek, Randolph sophomore; Aiden Perez, Randolph junior; Andrew Molenhoff, Jefferson senior; Josh Jean, Vernon senior; Caden Krzyzak, Vernon senior; Aiden Sorsby, Morristown senior; Josh Tolentino, Sparta junior
Honorable mention
Nathaniel West, Chatham senior; Gabriel Sherwood, Randolph junior; Allan Czerwinski, Jefferson junior; Cyrus Cruz, Vernon senior; Alex Kalfoglou, Morristown senior; George Tsamadias, Sparta junior; Estuardo Calderon, Dover junior; Kevin Minchala, Dover senior
As senior year comes to a close, members of the Class of 2025 are reflecting on what they’ve learned—both inside and outside the classroom. From time management tips to lessons in friendship and confidence, their advice offers a glimpse into the highs and lows that defined their high school experiences. Linda Gabele: Be Open and […]
As senior year comes to a close, members of the Class of 2025 are reflecting on what they’ve learned—both inside and outside the classroom. From time management tips to lessons in friendship and confidence, their advice offers a glimpse into the highs and lows that defined their high school experiences.
Linda Gabele: Be Open and Reach Out
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
“Be open to meeting new people and try to connect with them as well,” Gabele said.
Gabele also encourages students to step outside their comfort zones. “Stay locked in and make friends with people you normally wouldn’t be with,” she said. “It’s easy to stick with familiar faces, but some of the most meaningful friendships come from unexpected places.”
Casey Watkins: Try, Connect, and Slow Down
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
For Watkins, high school has been centered around connection, effort, and reflection. One of his most meaningful experiences has come from being on a team. “Being part of a sports community like water polo is a sense of brotherhood, and it’s so awesome,” he said.
He also encourages others to take initiative socially. “You should never be shy. You can’t go out and make friends without trying,” Watkins added. “Definitely try to make the best out of every difficult situation, and don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the time.”
Kasra Motamedi: It’s Okay, Just Keep Going
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
Senior Kasra Motamedi has learned a lot—sometimes the hard way. “Talk to your teachers when something is wrong. Teachers want you to succeed and they don’t want you to fail,” he said.
Motamedi also regrets waiting too long to finish assignments. “I wish I didn’t procrastinate as much,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had so much stress and I’d be able to have more fun.”
For Motamedi, keeping perspective is key. “It will be alright in the end—what college you go to, your friends, and everything else,” he said.
Don’t care too much about what people think. I used to think too much about what others thought, and it would ruin my mood. I’d even change how I act in front of others,” Motamedi shared.
Juliana Gamez-Diaz: Don’t Hold Back, and Study Hard
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
To Gamez-Diaz, social advice is just as important as academic tips. “Don’t be scared to talk to new people and to do things that are embarrassing,” she said. “If you’re too scared to be embarrassed, you can hold back on a lot of things.”
When it comes to academics—especially in a big school—her biggest takeaway is the value of focused studying. “Focusing a lot on doing deep studying is better because multi-tasking is just a waste of time,” she explained. “If you’re so distracted, it takes like hours to do things, but like, if you’re in deep focus, you can get it done in, like a small amount of time. Short forms of content and, like, TikTok, it’s like, it’s like your attention span decreases.”
Lainey Egnal: Stay Organized
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
If there’s anyone who figured out how to manage senior year wisely, its Lainey Egnal. As a Dance Team captain juggling college applications and a social life, Egnal found that planning ahead made all the difference. “Do as much as you can as a junior and the summer before senior year,” she said.
“You have UCPIQS (personal insight questions) and the Common App questions summer before senior year. If you get those done, by the time you get to first semester senior year, all you have left is supplementals,” she explained. “It will make your life ten times easier.”
“Don’t stress too much about doing something all the time, usually you are doing exactly what you need to be doing,” Egnal concluded.
Phoebe Matin: Live while you can
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
Matin encourages underclassman not to waste their time worrying about the wrong things. “Don’t care what other people think,” she said. “Do what you can to have a good time and live—these years go by so quickly.”
Her favorite memories were not made in the classroom, but rather outside with friends. “Go out on the Green and play spikeball with your friends,” she said. “The small, joyful moments stick the most.”
Alessandro Delfin Novoa: Work Hard and Enjoy
Taylor Bentley / M-A Chronicle
Alessandro Delfin Novoa has one big tip for balancing academics and fun: plan ahead. “Take all of your hard classes your junior year,” he said. “Taking hard classes junior year means you can enjoy your senior year.”
For Novoa, authenticity remains crucial in high school. “Just stay true to yourself. High school goes by a lot faster than you think, and I feel like every moment you have to make the most of it,” he said.
His biggest piece of advice? Embrace failure. “Don’t be afraid to fail. I feel like part of my high school journey was definitely shaped by my downs,” he said.
LA28 Olympics adds Honda to top sponsorship tier in push towards US$2.5bn sales target
Deal also covers Team USA and includes media buy with NBC LA28 has now secured as many sponsors in 2025 as it did during whole of last year Automotive category made available to local organising committee after Toyota chose not to renew IOC TOP deal Japanese carmaker Honda has been named a founding partner of […]
Deal also covers Team USA and includes media buy with NBC
LA28 has now secured as many sponsors in 2025 as it did during whole of last year
Automotive category made available to local organising committee after Toyota chose not to renew IOC TOP deal
Japanese carmaker Honda has been named a founding partner of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, making it the first brand to join the event’s top sponsorship tier in nearly four years.
Financial terms of the deal, which also sees Honda become the official automotive sponsor of Team USA for the next two Olympics, have not been disclosed. However, it has secured the highest designation available for local sponsors of LA28, with Delta Airlines reportedly paying US$400 million to become the inaugural founding partner of the Games in 2020.
Comcast is currently the only other founding partner of LA28 after Salesforce opted to end its sponsorship less than three years into the deal.
As part of the agreement, Honda will supply a suite of vehicles to help transport athletes, officials and other stakeholders during the Games, offering an opportunity to showcase the company’s electric range, such as its upcoming Honda 0 Series and Acura RSX.
Honda, which first established a presence in the US in Los Angeles in 1969, will also benefit from a multi-platform media collaboration with NBCUniversal, which will spotlight the brand during its coverage of both Milano Cortina 2026 and LA28.
Local organisers have a stated aim of securing US$2.5 billion in sponsorship revenue for LA28 and are planning to have US$2 billion of that total secured by the end of 2025.
John Slusher, who is the chief executive of US Olympic and Paralympic Properties, the joint venture selling combined partnerships on behalf of LA28 and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), told Sports Business Journal (SBJ) that the deal with Honda means more than US$1.5 billion have now been generated from sponsorship sales.
“As a privately funded games, our mandate is to generate the revenue we need to produce these Games,” Wasserman said. “The biggest line item of that is sponsorship revenue. To be able to announce another big partner with a really spectacular brand who has been invested in Southern California for a long time is both [financially] important but also, in many ways, strategically important.
“It’s another brand that sees the power of our Olympic platform to tell their story in a community that’s very important to that industry that they’ve been invested in for a long time.”
By: SU Sports Information Story Links SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University head swimming coach Tim Verge has confirmed the recruitment of seven student-athletes who have each agreed to attend the university and will suit up for the Raider women’s swim program in the fall. The recruiting class includes five swimmers from Pennsylvania and one from New […]
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University head swimming coach Tim Verge has confirmed the recruitment of seven student-athletes who have each agreed to attend the university and will suit up for the Raider women’s swim program in the fall.
The recruiting class includes five swimmers from Pennsylvania and one from New Jersey and Virginia.
“We have a wonderful dynamic on our team and these new additions will really help to strengthen and continue that,” Verge stated. “They are certainly very talented swimmers who will make our team better but more than that, they are tremendous people and students. There is a lot of versatility and range in the group in terms of their swimming abilities. It will be exciting to see how they develop in our program.”
Verge added, “I am honored that they and their families have entrusted SHIP with their futures. I am looking forward to welcoming them in late August and helping them kick off their Raider careers.”
The recruits are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Alyssa Brown Senior Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg Area (East Stroudsburg)
East Stroudsburg University: Placed 10th in the 1650 at the 2025 PSAC Championships, swimming a time of 19:05.58.
Shippensburg Area Senior High School: Totaled four varsity letters for the Greyhounds under head coach Johnathan Hoffman…district qualifier…Mid-Penn qualifier…she also competed in field hockey for two seasons.
About Brown: Full name is Alyssa Brown…is the daughter of Jeff and Jennifer Brown…has a sister; Addison, and a brother; Lucas.
Bria Burkholder Freshman Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata
Ephrata High School: Totaled four varsity letters for the Mountaineers under head coach Mickey Molchany…competed at the club level for Reading YMCA under coach Kim Evans…15-time Lancaster-Lebanon League medalist…5-time district medalist…2-time state qualifier…ranked 13 in her class with a 4.449 GPA.
About Burkholder: Full name is Bria Burkholder…is the daughter of Dane and Jamie Burkholder…has a sister, Cali.
Methacton High School: Totaled four varsity letters for the Warriors under head coach Tori Rosa…competed at the club level for Methacton Aquatic Club under Tori Rosa…achieved prep personal bests of 1:07.82 in the 100 breast and 59.68 in the 100 fly.
About Ketterer: Full name is Isabella Marie Ketter…is the daughter of Denise and Michael Ketterer…has a brother, Ethan.
Zoë Midura Freshman Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck
Colts Neck High School: Totaled three varsity letters for the Cougars…competed at the club level at YMCA Greater Monmouth County under head coach Jack Caucino…placed first in the 200 free at the New Jersey YMCA Sliver Championships as a junior…four-time NJYMCA Silver Championships qualifier…three-time NJYMCA state qualifier…Honor Roll student…maintained a 4.6 GPA.
About Midura: Full name is Zoë Angelina Midura…daughter of Nicole and Joseph Midura…has two brothers, Wiley and Brody.
Ella Nick Freshman Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton
Bishop Ireton High School: Totaled four varsity letters for the Cardinals under head coach Kaitlyn Gerke…competed at the club level for Trident Triathlon Swim Team under coach Scott McLallen…a two-time Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection (2024-25), including First Team All-WCAC as a junior…two-time Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Honorable Mention (2024-25)…team MVP and top 50 in state rankings as a senior…team MVP and top 25 in state rankings as a junior…Alexandria Sports Club Athlete of the Month (March 2025)…First Honors each semester…Distinguished Scholars Program…National Honor Society…Ro Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society…also completed in cross country.
About Nick: Full name is Ella Nick…relatives Stefani (Moose) Nick (2002), Whitney (Moose) Hiscock (2009) and Brad Hiscock (2008) all graduated from Shippensburg.
Ann Secord Freshman Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York
Northern High School: Totaled four varsity letters for the Polar Bears under head coaches Kaitlyn Neuman and Bill Resser…Academic All-American honoree…team captain senior year…also lettered in cross country and track & field
About Secord: Full name is Ann Secord…is the daughter of Nancy and Robert Secord…has two sisters, Mary and Jane.
Nya Solvino Freshman Reading, Pa./Schuylkill Haven
Schuylkill Valley High School: Swam for the Panthers under coaches Kyle Campbell, Justin Eisenhofer, Megan Fox, and Abbey Maulick…competed for the Reading YMCA Swim Team under coach Kim Evans…placed second in the 100 fly and fourth in the 100 free at 2025 PIAA District 3 Championships… placed first in the medley relay and second in the 200 free relay at the 2023 PIAA District 3 Championships…placed eighth in the medley relay at the 2023 PIAA 2A State Championships …scored over 1,900 points for the Panthers…State Farm Sunshine Player of the Week…Honor Roll and Merit Roll student…also competed in tennis.
About Solvino: Full name is Nyanna Solvino…is the daughter of Jennifer Solvino…has a brother, Nico.
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story. Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading. The University of Hawaii women’s water polo program, coming off back to back appearances in the national semifinals, announced two signings Monday. Coach James Robinson, entering his second season at the helm, said Asimina […]
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The University of Hawaii women’s water polo program, coming off back to back appearances in the national semifinals, announced two signings Monday.
Coach James Robinson, entering his second season at the helm, said Asimina Klapsianou of Greece and Ariadna Temprano Xambo of Spain will join the Rainbow Wahine for the 2026 season.
Both players represented their countries in September 2024 in the World Aquatics Women’s U18 Water Polo Championship in China, where their teams advanced to the gold medal match. Spain prevailed 11-9, with both Rainbow Wahine recruits scoring.
Klapsianou will be the first player from Greece to compete for the program. Temprano Xambo will be the program’s eighth player from Spain.
The 2025 squad that went 22-5 and lost to eventual national champion Stanford 13-4 in the final four boasted players from Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as Hawaii, California and Oregon.
“We are very excited to have Mina and Ari become Rainbow Wahine,” Robinson said in a statement issued by the school. “Both have shown the ability to compete at the highest levels of our sport, and I look forward to seeing how they impact our program from Day 1 from a performance standpoint and also culturally. After seeing them play in international competitions and getting to know them over the past year, I have no doubt they will fit into our team culture and help us continue to push deeper into the postseason.”
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Second-team All-Americans Bernadette Doyle and Jordan Wedderburn are among the four players who completed their eligibility this past season.