Tom Parker ’10 Takes the Reins as New Head Basketball Coach
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OHIO CITY, OH – Saint Ignatius High School has found its new leader for the varsity basketball program as Tom Parker ’10 will take the reins of the Basketball Cats. “This is a dream come true. I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this great program,” says […]
OHIO CITY, OH – Saint Ignatius High School has found its new leader for the varsity basketball program as Tom Parker ’10 will take the reins of the Basketball Cats.
“This is a dream come true. I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this great program,” says Parker. “Coach Cam left some big shoes to fill. I don’t think it’s my job to be like Cam, but it is my job to sustain the success of this program and continue having us play at an elite level. I am excited to help these kids grow through the game of basketball.”
Parker has been a key figure in the Saint Ignatius basketball program for several years, beginning with his high school career as a three-year varsity letter-winner.
“Tom is the right person at the right time for this position. It is about putting our young men in the best possible situation to succeed, in sports and their lives, and Tom fits all of that,” explains athletic director Rory Fitzpatrick ’88. “As athletic director, I look forward to supporting Tom as he continues to build on the excellence and success of the program.”
Parker’s coaching tree begins with his freshman year coaches, Stephen Becker ’96 and Jason Reed ’95. Entering his sophomore year wearing the Blue and Gold, Parker earned a spot on the varsity roster, guided by legendary coach Brian Becker ’77.
“At Saint Ignatius and playing under coach Becker, I learned what it meant to earn your keep. My freshman year was influential with coach [Stephen] Becker and Reed. They took me under their wing and to this day still coach me,” explains Parker. “Coach [Brian] Becker gave me an opportunity. He challenged me and showed what it took to become elite.”
After the 2007-08 season, coach Becker would step down to focus on family, and Sean O’Toole ’87 took the keys of the program for Parker’s junior and senior seasons at Saint Ignatius.
“I don’t know any coach who prepares like Coach O’Toole; he made me college-ready,” says Parker. “The whole coaching staff taught me what it meant to be an Ignatius Man; they taught me how to be elite and to have a standard of excellence.”
Parker graduated from Saint Ignatius in 2010 and earned the program’s Defensive Player of the Year honors. “In my opinion, and I don’t want to make enemies, Tom is one of the top two defenders I have seen play at Saint Ignatius, the other is Jonathan Gannon ’01,” says Fitzpatrick. “He is a run-through-a-brick-wall type of person; he will do whatever it takes to win.”
Parker continued his basketball journey at Lake Erie College in Painesville. Competing for the Storm, Parker earned his degree in business and communication and graduated in 2014.
Since beginning his coaching career in 2015, Parker has dedicated himself to youth development. In 2017, he founded ‘Push Thru Athletics,’ a program aimed at helping young athletes build skill and character. When Coach Cam Joyce was hired in 2019, he named Parker the Junior Varsity Head Basketball Coach.
“Cam is a basketball savant and has a passion for the game; I learned about the game from Cam and got advice on what to do and what not to do. And then, more than anything, watch him lead by example with the players. Working with Cam for five out of the six years has been very developmental for me,” Parker explains. “When I got the news that I’d be the next head coach, he called me, and I just had to thank him. Thank him for welcoming me back to this family. He could have picked anybody to be his JV head coach, but he chose me.”
Coach Cam came to Saint Ignatius, knowing Coach Parker, because they played against each other at the collegiate level when Northwood University faced Lake Erie College. “It’s funny, I did not like playing against Tom because of his aggressive defense,” says Joyce. “When I first got here, I sat down with him, and he was open to coaching any level, so I told him I wanted him as the JV coach.”
From 2019 to 2022, Parker led the team to an impressive 54-7 record, including a historic 21-0 undefeated season in 2021-22—the first in the program’s modern era. Parker would also be a varsity assistant for the 2021 and 2022 Regional Champion Wildcats.
“The one issue Tom mulled over after taking the Euclid job was not being around if we won a State Championship. He would always tell me that it would be the Class of 2024 to win a title,” explains Joyce. “To have Tom back for the 2024 season was special because this program means so much to him.”
Parker was appointed Head Basketball Coach at Euclid High School for the 2022–23 season before returning to Saint Ignatius as Director of Player Development for the 2023–24 State Champion Wildcats. Most recently, Parker helped guide the Wildcats to a 2025 Regional Championship.
“Tom understands what it’s like to coach at every level; he knows what it is like to lose, but knows what it’s like to get to the top of the mountain,” says Fitzpatrick. “I am super thankful for what Cam has done for this program, and the fact that Cam and Tom have worked closely with each other makes me feel he is perfect for our program and putting the kids in the best possible situation to succeed.”
The 2025-26 campaign will begin in November, when Parker will debut as the Wildcats’ head coach. But he knows that the work starts now with off-season training in full swing. “I hope the kids are as excited as I am. I hope to create memorable experiences for them through basketball and teach them how special this school is,” says Parker. “I feel a true sense of responsibility to continue our tradition of excellence that Cam is leaving.”
On Thursday, May 8, Saint Ignatius announced the hire to the basketball program in the Companions Center. Coach Cam, who will be Loyola’s (CA) basketball coach in Los Angeles, was thrilled to see his former assistant take over as head coach.
“Tom brings a genuine energy that is receptive to the kids. He is also open to hearing players out, which gives them a comfort level,” Joyce says. “I’m ecstatic for Tom and the coaching staff to remain here. We have great coaches on all levels, and he will excel.”
After the introduction, Tom told the players, “Let’s get to work.”
Last Wednesday evening Lamppost Head, playing for the first time on their designated home field, Oak Glen’s new synthetic turf Field of Dreams, broke a slump by crushing the ball to the fence and racing around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Two days later he did It again on the same field but […]
Last Wednesday evening Lamppost Head, playing for the first time on their designated home field, Oak Glen’s new synthetic turf Field of Dreams, broke a slump by crushing the ball to the fence and racing around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
Two days later he did It again on the same field but against a different team, scoring even through he slipped and fell on the “slide-friendly” turf rounding second. These teams play in rain – they have to, if they want to get a season in – but this was a steady downpour and the game was called, erasing Lamppost Head’s home run.
A couple of days before, his brother, The 747, pitched four and a third innings and struck out 13, walking only four. On Friday, playing catcher on a rural baseball Field of Mud, where the rain was not so heavy as to prevent play, he went hitless at the plate and overthrew a pickoff attempt at third, allowing a tying run to score. He had an awful game, as did almost the whole team.
So it goes in spring youth baseball.
We grandparents bring our own chairs and sit with daughter Shark behind the chain-link fences, squinting into the sun or bundling against a chill wind or dripping on each other with our umbrellas. We cheer the good plays and moan at the bad ones, calling out “You’ve got this” to a pitcher searching for the strike zone and “Get the next one” when he doesn’t find it. We use their names when we yell encouragement to the players because they can hear us, at least when they want to.
Our daughter Shark’s boys play every organized youth sport available, including basketball, track, and soccer, which is probably their favorite. They tried football one year over Grandma Honey’s objections. She made them watch the movie “Concussion” before she would reluctantly agree to attend their games.
They both love baseball, at least when they’re not in a hitting slump. When Lamppost Head got out of his, he marveled that it was like a switch suddenly turned on. Coach moved him up in the lineup. The 747, a usually dependable hitter batting leadoff, is doing everything right at the plate but not finding that switch. We know he will.
Lamppost Head is 13, playing in the Pony Division of the Ohio Valley Youth Baseball League. The 747, 12, plays 12 and under, the Bronco Division. There are nine Pony teams and 23 Bronco teams in the league this year, all from towns in the valley or just up out of it, from East Liverpool down to Brilliant.
In that Field of Mud game, the balls in play were all uniformly brown after a few minutes. Except for the muffed throw to third, The 747 played his position well, even cutting down a runner stealing second.
The opposing team was short a couple of players and apparently called up a boy from a Mustang team, but still had only two in the outfield. (Players can play up an age group, but not down.) The call-up boy, who was very undersized, played left field, right in front of where we were sitting. He had a different uniform, and his name, “Pettit,” was stitched on the back, prompting unkind remarks from me because it’s from the French for “small.” My doubts abouthis abilities were dead wrong. This kid could throw and hit, and he caught the only fly ball our team managed to send to the outfield.
After the game, I heard our coach chew out our players when I walked on the field to get a picture of them in their muddy uniforms. He told them they played line a 1-and-9 team instead of a 10-and-0 team.
“It’s a win and we’ll take it, but you’d better get your heads on straight for these next games,” he said.
Yep, they won, 4-3, and are undefeated with three games left before playoffs. Lamppost Head’s team is also undefeated. Both teams have won with blowouts and squeakers, winning, I think, not because they are loaded up with the top players, but because they are good teams: solid defense, good pitching, smart and aggressive base-running and not bad at the plate. They have good coaches who care about the kids and can be tough, but don’t abuse their players like some coaches we hear.
The hero of Friday’s Field of Mud game was Brody, who earned three RBIs and pitched the last couple innings with a broken arm. A mostly healed broken arm, they said. Whatta guy.Our son-in-law Snickers is an assistant coach on The 747’s team. When he told the players I wanted to get a picture, one of them ran back to the infield and slid heavily into second because his uniform wasn’t muddy enough. It was just the right thing to do.
The coaches laughed and one yelled “sorry about the laundry” to his mother.
The synthetic turf has its advantages, but it would be a sad thing for baseball if kids never got to play on a Field of Mud.
By STEPHANIE UJHELYI
Staff Writer
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San Antonio Spurs Forward Julian Champagnie youth basketball camp in Los Fresnos
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie hosted his youth basketball skills camp at the Los Fresnos United School in Los Fresnos. 85 kids registered for the camp that started at 12 p.m. and ended 4 p.m. They went through fundamental skills, dribbling, shooting and passing. The campers ended the day with a 5v5 game having […]
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie hosted his youth basketball skills camp at the Los Fresnos United School in Los Fresnos.
85 kids registered for the camp that started at 12 p.m. and ended 4 p.m. They went through fundamental skills, dribbling, shooting and passing. The campers ended the day with a 5v5 game having the chance to go up against Champagnie.
Channel 5 news asked him about the importance of bringing these camps to the Valley.
“It’s super important because there aren’t any NBA games down here. I think we’re the closest ones out of the three Texas teams so coming out here is super important giving the kids something to look forward too and someone to look up too,” said Champagnie.
He also said he would love to come back out here and hopes to be here as soon as August.
Community and school youth football field support grants
OUR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES: Youth Today’s grant listings are carefully curated for our subscribers working in youth-related industries. Subscribers will find local, state, regional and national grant opportunities. THIS GRANT’S FOCUS: Youth Sports, Youth Football, Physical Activity, Low-income Community/YouthDeadline: June 30, 2025 “The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program provides non-profit, neighborhood-based organizations with financial and technical assistance […]
OUR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES: Youth Today’s grant listings are carefully curated for our subscribers working in youth-related industries. Subscribers will find local, state, regional and national grant opportunities.
THIS GRANT’S FOCUS: Youth Sports, Youth Football, Physical Activity, Low-income Community/Youth Deadline: June 30, 2025
“The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program provides non-profit, neighborhood-based organizations with financial and technical assistance to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local football fields. Athletic fields can serve as tremendous community assets by offering opportunities for recreation, education and relaxation that contribute to the local quality of life. The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program seeks to redress the shortage of clean, safe and accessible football fields in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. There are two levels of funding available: (1) General Field Support and (2) Field Surface Grants.
(1) General Field Support: applicants may submit requests of up to $50,000 for capital projects not associated with the actual field surface. This support includes the installation/refurbishment of bleachers, concession stands, lights, irrigation systems, etc.
(2) Field Surface Grants: Matching grants of up to $250,000 are available to help finance the resurfacing of a community, middle school or high school football field. Matching grants of up to $250,000 will be available to applicants seeking to install new synthetic sports turf surfaces. The ability of these new surfaces to withstand constant use and require little ongoing maintenance costs makes this an attractive option for communities, schools and youth groups to consider.
A smaller number of matching grants of up to $100,000 will be available to help finance the resurfacing of a community, middle school or high school football field utilizing natural grass/sod surfaces.”
Funder: The NFL Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Eligibility: Community-based organizations, middle schools or high schools serving a neighborhood consisting of low- and moderate-income families and individuals with 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status or school tax exempt status. Amount: Up to $250,000 Contact:Link →
Related: Q&A: From summer slide to summer glide — Blending learning, engagement and fun
>>> CLICK HERE to see all of Youth Today’s GRANT LISTINGS
Rep. Nancy Mace Says Nike Should Face ‘Consequences’ For Trans Youth Athlete Study
PublishedJune 9, 2025 9:16 AM EDT•UpdatedJune 9, 2025 9:16 AM EDT Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link While everyone involved in the allegedly Nike-funded transgender youth athlete study remains virtually silent, one member of Congress is calling on Nike to face “consequences” if they truly provided funds for a study that involves minors taking puberty-blockers. Rep. […]
While everyone involved in the allegedly Nike-funded transgender youth athlete study remains virtually silent, one member of Congress is calling on Nike to face “consequences” if they truly provided funds for a study that involves minors taking puberty-blockers.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) spoke to OutKick about the damage that transgender ideology has on young people. Mace is a very outspoken pro-women member of the House of Representatives and she explained why that position is so important to her.
“I’m a woman who’s been through some things, and I’m a girl mom and I have sisters and a mother, of course, and friends who’ve been through some traumatic events in their lives. And having gone through my own trauma, I’ve realized… there’s just so much more we can do to protect women and girls,” Mace said.
“To see women being erased in real time by the left, by progressives, by people who are mentally ill, doesn’t sit well with me. And there aren’t enough women speaking up and speaking out and fighting for other women, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Nancy Mace speaks with OutKick’s Dan Zaksheske about transgender athletes in women’s sports
Even though President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban males from girls’ and women’s sports, several states continue to defy the ban. Over the past few weeks, males have won state championships in several girls’ high school events.
“We saw what’s going on with the governor of Maine really doubling down on this gender ideology that hurts women and hurts girls. It’s appalling. It’s offensive,” Mace told OutKick. “I think that there will be more women in the Republican Party coming to our party, fleeing to our party because they don’t like what they see happening to women and girls. But we need conservative governors across the country who will protect women. And girls, that’s the next fight. It’s not just at the federal level, it’s going to be at the state level now.”
Rep. Nancy Mace told OutKick that Nike should face “consequences” for their role in allegedly funding a study on transgender youth athletes as young as 12 years old.
(USA Today Network/Imagn Images)
Mace turned her attention to Nike, the company that allegedly helped fund a transgender youth athlete study on children as young as 12 years old. OutKick has tried to speak with the company dozens of times, and they’ve stonewalled us at every turn.
“That’s not the behavior of an innocent company. And if they’ve been caught red-handed funding, gender transition research and studies on underage minor children, then we do need the media and influencers and folks online to point it out and expose it for what it is. There should be consequences to this behavior,” Mace said.
While radical left-wing Democrats continue to push gender ideology – even on children – Mace pointed out that the overwhelming majority of Americans reject providing “gender-affirming” care to minors.
“[The] vast majority of Americans don’t agree with progressives or the Democrat party on transitioning underage kids. And in fact, there are a lot of studies around the world that show that if your child has gender dysphoria, once they get through their teenage years in puberty and get to the other side, they no longer have gender dysphoria. What we’re doing is damaging and harming these kids, making their mental health worse, and we’re physically mutilating them,” Mace said.
While OutKick continues to try and get answers about this alleged study, no other media outlet is putting any pressure on Nike to come clean about its role. Mace suggested that perhaps the reason other media outlets aren’t covering this study is simple: money.
“Nike is a big advertiser. They throw a lot of money around. They have a lot of power and influence and people are afraid of giants, but like in the Bible, David existed – David [vs.] Goliath – and he won,” Mace said.
Taking down Goliath wasn’t easy, but it was possible. The key is not to stop fighting. And we have no plans to quit anytime soon.
‘Sanford Sports Night’ Ft. Kalen DeBoer in Sioux Falls July 10
Last month, Sanford Sports announced that while the free youth sports camps would remain, the Legends for Kids Banquet would be coming to a close after 25 amazing years. On Monday, Sanford Sports announced ‘Sanford Sports Night,’ a new event that will be taking place in early July. The event will pay tribute to the […]
Last month, Sanford Sports announced that while the free youth sports camps would remain, the Legends for Kids Banquet would be coming to a close after 25 amazing years.
On Monday, Sanford Sports announced ‘Sanford Sports Night,’ a new event that will be taking place in early July.
The event will pay tribute to the great 25 years of the Legends for Kids Banquet and also bring one of South Dakota’s favorite sons home for a special night here in Sioux Falls at the Sanford Pentagon.
Per Sanford Sports:
South Dakota native and University of Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer returns to the Rushmore State for Sanford Sports Night with Kalen DeBoer on Thursday, July 10 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The event will take place from 6:30-8:00 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.
Coach DeBoer’s former teammate at the University of Sioux Falls, Kurtiss Riggs, will moderate a discussion with Kalen discussing the insights, challenges and future of youth sports. The evening will conclude with a special message from Coach DeBoer as well as a tribute to the Legends for Kids program, which is retiring after 25 amazing years.
DeBoer was named head coach at the University of Alabama in January 2024 after the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban. DeBoer led the Crimson Tide to three top 25 victories and a 9-4 record in his first season at the helm, tying the record for most wins by a first-year coach in Alabama history. DeBoer has an unprecedented 113-16 overall record as a head coach, which includes stops at Fresno State and Washington, where he led the Huskies to the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship game.
Born and raised in Milbank, South Dakota, DeBoer’s football journey began at the University of Sioux Falls, where he set school records for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He returned to his alma mater as offensive coordinator in 2000 before his promotion to head coach in 2005. In his five years at the helm of USF, DeBoer had a record of 67-3 and led the Cougars to three NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008, and 2009.
READ MORE: Sioux Falls Cougar Athletics Unveils New Rebranded Logo
“It’s always great when I get the chance to come back to South Dakota, especially for such a special event like this one,” DeBoer said. “Sanford Health is a staple of this community and it’s an honor to partner with an organization that has impacted this region so much. Returning home always reminds me of all the great people and places that made me who I am and helped me to get where I am today. My roots are in Sioux Falls, and coming back here as the head coach at the University of Alabama is truly a full-circle moment for me.”
“We are honored to have Kalen DeBoer return to Sioux Falls for this special night,” said Steve Young, president of Sanford Sports. “Coach DeBoer’s passion and philosophy have proven themselves time and time again over the course of his illustrious career. Fans, parents and student-athletes will learn a lot from his vision of the current landscape of youth sports and we couldn’t be more excited to have him back in his home state!”
General admission tickets are now on sale for $5, while groups of 8 can reserve a table on the floor at Heritage Court. Suites are also available. To purchase general admission tickets, visit the link here or call the ticket office at (605) 312-7917. To purchase a table or suite, you can call the ticket office or email Sanford Sports Complex director Brock Reynoldson at brock.reynoldson@sanfordhealth.org.
Online purchases subject to additional fees. Tickets can be purchased online through July 9, 2025. Day-of tickets will also be available for purchase at the door.
Source: Sanford Sports
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