Rec Sports
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ECNL VIRGINIA
Story Links The ECNL Boys head to Virginia this weekend, for the final national event of the 2024-25 regular season, ECNL Virginia, at River City Sportsplex in Midlothian, Virginia. The three day event will feature 150 teams from the ECNL Boys U15-U17 age groups. The weekend will be highlighted by Saturday night’s […]

The ECNL Boys head to Virginia this weekend, for the final national event of the 2024-25 regular season, ECNL Virginia, at River City Sportsplex in Midlothian, Virginia. The three day event will feature 150 teams from the ECNL Boys U15-U17 age groups.
The weekend will be highlighted by Saturday night’s Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game. The game will kickoff at 6:30 PM from Field 6 at River City Sportsplex and can be live streamed here.
Check out all the information below to learn everything you need to know about this event.
Date: May 24-26, 2025
Location: River City Sportsplex | Midlothian, Virginia
Schedule: Every team is guaranteed three games in three days, playing competition of similar levels outside of their conference. Check out the ECNL app for the complete schedule or view the full schedule of games here.
Team List: View the full list of teams here
Streaming: Watch games from ECNL Virginia as well as Saturday night’s Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game here
Three Things to Know
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VDA B08 went an unbeaten 12-0-2 on the season to claim the Mid-Atlantic Conference title. This weekend, they make the trip across the state to take on El Camino FC Salinas, Association FC, and Louisville City Academy.
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SLSG MO B09 team clinched the Heartland South Division with a record of 11-2-1 and have won nine in a row heading to Virginia. This weekend, they take on NCFC Youth, Potomac Soccer, and FSA FC, as they look to keep their winning streak going.
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Florida Kraze B10 team went an unbeaten 13-0-3 to win the Florida Conference title. This weekend, they look to keep their unbeaten run going when they take on NCFC Youth Academy, NVA, and FSA FC.
Continental Tire NSG Rosters: The Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Games are “all-star” matches that bring top players at each regular season ECNL National Event together for representative competition on the first day of the event. They are one component of the ECNL National Selection Program, which encompasses all player identification and development programs within the league.
Players were selected for the games by ECNL Player Identification staff through a combination of scouting and recommendations based on performances over the past several months. These athletes will not compete for their clubs on this day in order to properly rest and prepare for the National Selection Game.
Rosters
East
Jorge Becford (United Futbol Academy)
Logan Bugni (VDA)
Kevin Coronado (Connecticut FC)
Ashton Fleming (Florida Elite SA)
Curren Gaskill (Wilmington Hammerheads Youth)
Garrett Griffin (FC Tucson)
Kevin Howard (NCFC Youth Academy)
Grafton Kahl (Richmond United)
Elias Mas (Davis Legacy)
Misha May (San Francisco Elite)
Sebastian Montes (California Odyssey SC)
Daniel Pell (Association FC)
Shiloh Reese (Palm Beach United)
Angelo Rodriguez (Supreme FC)
Ayden Scammacca (Placer United)
Henry Schultz (STA)
Declan Sengbusch (WNY Flash)
Dayton Wauchope (East Meadow SC)
Thomas Weinrich (Louisville City Academy)
West
Max Baker (Colorado Rapids)
Sean Chamberlin (Marin FC)
William Cohen (Arlington Soccer)
Micah Eldridge (FC Pride Elite)
Elijah Font (Match Fit Academy)
Louis Gastelu (Manhattan SC)
Nathan Gritzmacher (FSA FC)
Alvin Hernandez (Rockford Raptors FC)
Malachi Huisman (CCV Stars)
Alex Kuhner (NC Fusion)
Cade Lussier (Legends FC San Diego)
John Maggio (Beach FC (VA))
Luke McDonough (SUSA FC)
Enrique Ortiz (Penn Fusion SA)
Cesar Ramirez (Charlotte SA Academy)
Alvaro Reyes (El Camino FC Salinas)
Gavin Stone (Santa Rosa United)
Luke Weber (FC Wisconsin)
Colton Wells (San Juan SC)
To view a full list of the rosters for the National Selection Game, click here.
More Information: To view the address for the complex and more ECNL Virginia information, click here.
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About the ECNL:
The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential.
The ECNL’s mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports.
The ECNL Commitment:
We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence.
www.TheECNL.com
Boys FB: /ECNLboys | Boys IG: @ECNLboys | Boys TW: @ECNLboys
Rec Sports
Tent Revival & Youth Day
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Rec Sports
Swansea youth Little League teams wins District 6 championships
SWANSEA — The Little League baseball youth program of Swansea has had a spring to remember. Two teams — the 11U and 10U programs — each recently won District championships in their respective age groups. Here’s a look at the past results: Swansea 11U all-stars The Swansea 11U all-star team won the District 6 championship […]

SWANSEA — The Little League baseball youth program of Swansea has had a spring to remember.
Two teams — the 11U and 10U programs — each recently won District championships in their respective age groups.
Here’s a look at the past results:
Swansea 11U all-stars
The Swansea 11U all-star team won the District 6 championship for the second straight season. Assistant coach Chris Kenyon said its an incredible feat that showcases not only the talent of the players but also the dedication and teamwork of everyone involved.
Members of the champion 11U Swansea all-star team are from, left to right, include Blake Emard, Luke Cabral, Nathan Robinson, AJ Amodie, Mason Marcel, Jaxon Kelsey, Ben Bumpus, Ethan Kenyon, Jack Wilkerson, Ethan Arruda and Aiden Patel.
Player not pictured: Lucas Camara. Coaches in the back row left to right are Josh Robinson, Tony Amodie, manager Joe Arruda and assistant Chris Kenyon.
Swansea 10U all-stars
The Swansea squad went 3-0 on their run to a District championship. Swansea had contributions from the entire team throughout the District round of the tournament.
Swansea 10U had an 8-1 win against Taunton West followed by two close games against Seekonk, where Swansea won 4-3 and 8-6 in the championship game.
Swansea will continue in the sectionals this week against Milton National and Sandwich Little League.
Members of the Swansea 10U District champions are from left to right, front row Brady Monte, Jake Sousa, Lucas Richardson, Camden Jones, Brady Cabral, Reilly Borges and Theo Rapoza.
Middle row: Pierce Emard, Herodi Germosen, Ben Marshall and Mason Sousa. Back Row Coaches Chris Jones, (Manager) Joe Cabral, Nick Monte and Joe Sousa. Player not pictured: Jack White.
Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @Chezsports
Rec Sports
RWJBarnabas marks milestone in NJ student-athlete cardiac screenings
For 15 years, the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes (MJM), an initiative of RWJBarnabas Health, has been advancing safety in sports through many programs and screenings. Annually, 300,000 concussions occur because of sports-related injury annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Offering one of the most comprehensive pre-season […]

For 15 years, the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes (MJM), an initiative of RWJBarnabas Health, has been advancing safety in sports through many programs and screenings.
Annually, 300,000 concussions occur because of sports-related injury annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Offering one of the most comprehensive pre-season screening and concussion management centers in the state, MJM has provided more than 50,000 concussion and cardiac screenings to youth sports athletes since 2010.
“This milestone reflects our long-standing commitment to keeping athletes safe, informed, and ready to compete,” said Dr. Jason Krystofiak, section chief, Sports Medicine at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and Medical Director of the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes at RWJBarnabas Health. “What started as a small initiative to offer cardiac and concussion baseline testing has evolved into the state’s leading program that serves the full spectrum of sports-related health needs for athletes at all levels.”
MJM provides education, assessment and evaluation of sports injury and sports-related cardiac and concussion screening. Offering one of the most comprehensive pre-season screening and concussion management centers in New Jersey, the center partners with more than 30 primary, secondary and NCAA partnerships across the state.
On Sept. 7, MJM will offer free cardiac and concussion baseline screenings to young athletes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at South Mountain Recreation Complex, Codey Arena, located at 560 Northfield Ave. in West Orange.
“These screenings, offered through The Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes, help families take a proactive approach to concussion and cardiac issues in our young athletes,” Krystofiak said. “The goal is not to terrify people with statistics, but to try to protect young athletes and allow them to safely do the things they love to do.”
When preliminary testing to identify serious cardiac problems is identified in young athletes, sudden cardiac arrest and tragic deaths may be avoided.
“Nearly 90 % of sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes occur during or after athletic activities, and hidden heart conditions are often the cause,” Krystofiak said. “Cardiac screening, open to 6- to 18-year-olds, will help to identify players who may require further testing or intervention.”
FDA-approved ImPACT Pediatric® concussion screenings are available to young athletes, ages 5 and older. Until recently, the screening was only available to those ages 10 and above. Having a concussion baseline study (ImPACT) can help identify issues in the future.
ImPACT Pediatric is an iPad-based computerized test that is individually and easily administered as well as engaging for children, while effectively measuring neurocognitive function.
“If an athlete is believed to have suffered a head injury, this screening test may be used to evaluate severity and determine when it is safe to return to play,” Krystofiak said.
Screenings are free of charge and a parent or guardian is asked to be present.
Founded with a mission to safeguard the health and future of student-athletes, MJM began by offering free concussion and cardiac screenings, targeting a critical need in youth sports. The program initially launched in Livingston and has since become a resource for families across the state.
“Having easily accessible, clinically excellent cardiac and concussion screening resources is invaluable to all parents who want to ensure health and safety for their families,” said Richard Davis, president and CEO of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.
“We are incredibly proud of the growth and impact the Center has had over the last 10+ years,” said Diana Toto, administrative director, Sports Medicine. “Reaching 50,000 concussion and cardiac screenings is not just a number − it represents thousands of young lives we’ve had the opportunity to help protect and care for. We’ve built something truly meaningful and essential for the communities we serve.”
In 2010 when MJM began, the program averaged 400 screenings per year and had two to three partners. Today, the MJM performs more than 5,000 screenings annually and has significantly expanded its services. It has grown into a regional leader in sports-related health, providing sports injury assessment, evaluation, training education and return to play care to athletes of all ages and abilities. MJM partners with more than 30 primary, secondary and NCAA programs across New Jersey and works with elite athletes from across the globe.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Morahan family for their extraordinary vision and generosity to create this Center,” said Mark Manigan, President and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health. “Their commitment to give back enabled us to reach this milestone creating an amazing legacy honoring Matthew J. Morahan III.”
In addition to its robust screening programs, MJM has been at the forefront of education and outreach, hosting hundreds of seminars for coaches, parents, and students, covering topics from concussion awareness to cardiac health and injury prevention strategies.
MJM’s team includes board-certified sports medicine physicians, certified athletic trainers, and cardiac professionals working together to ensure comprehensive care. It continues to grow, fostering partnerships with schools, community organizations, and athletic programs to provide access to top-tier sports medical care. Today, MJM provides physician oversight, screening and injury management services to many of the state’s top athletic programs, including Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, and the New Jersey Devils.
“As we look to the future, our focus remains on innovation and continuing to raise the bar for sports safety and care,” Krystofiak said.
At MJM, a multidisciplinary approach using top experts in their field provides athletes with the best approach to a safe recovery. The concussion program has been recognized for its trademarked approach to care, the MORAHAN CAARPTM (Comprehensive Academic Active Recovery Plan). Under MORAHAN CAARPTM, the Center regularly organizes and conducts classes, seminars, conferences, and workshops for medical treatment protocols and advanced care planning in the field of acute concussion recovery.
For more information or to request an appointment at The Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes, call 973-322-7913 or https://www.rwjbh.org/treatment-care/athlete-screenings/. To register for MJM’s next Cardiac and Concussion Screening for Young Athletes on Sept. 13 in West Orange, go to rwjbh.org/events.
email: cmakin@gannettnj.com
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Rec Sports
Jersey Shore town to host 9 big sports events on its beaches this summer. Full schedule.
From mid-July through August, Wildwood will transform its beaches into specialized venues for everything from soccer and ultimate frisbee to wrestling, rugby, field hockey, football, baseball, basketball, and Wiffle ball. Here’s the lineup: Cape Express More Beach Blast Soccer, July 19 and 20 Presented by Cape Express Soccer Club, Beach Blast Soccer attracts hundreds of […]

From mid-July through August, Wildwood will transform its beaches into specialized venues for everything from soccer and ultimate frisbee to wrestling, rugby, field hockey, football, baseball, basketball, and Wiffle ball.
Here’s the lineup:
Cape Express More Beach Blast Soccer, July 19 and 20
Presented by Cape Express Soccer Club, Beach Blast Soccer attracts hundreds of teams to the Wildwoods beach to compete in a sand soccer tournament, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Beach Blast is a five-on-five, barefoot on the sand soccer tournament with divisions for boys and girls U8 to U19, men’s, women’s, and co-ed open.
The tournament takes place on the beach between Baker and Poplar avenues in Wildwood.
There is an entrance fee for participants, and the event is free to spectators. For more information, visit www.CapeExpress.com.
Wildwood Co-Ed Beach Ultimate Tournament, July 26 and 27
The Wildwood Beach Ultimate Tournament is celebrating 33 years of flying disc competition this summer.
Featuring more than 400 teams from all over the globe, the event is held on the Wildwood beach from Montgomery to Schellenger avenues and Oak to Magnolia avenues.
The tournament is a 4-v-4 co-ed team competition for players of all skill levels, ages 18 and over. Tournament hours are Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is a high school division on Sunday only.
Partnered with the American Beach Ultimate Association, the Philadelphia Phoenix Professional Ultimate Team is hosting a Free Youth Clinic on Sunday, July 27.
The clinic can accommodate youth ages 7 to 18 who want to learn more about the sport of Ultimate Frisbee and improve their skills. Event is free to spectators. For more information or to register, visit www.WWBeachUltimate.com.
Morey’s Mania Beach Wrestling Tournament, Aug. 2
The Morey’s Mania Beach Wresting Tournament is an annual event that “combines the intensity of wrestling with the unique challenge of competing on the sandy shores of the Wildwood Beach.”
Held next to Morey’s Piers, this tournament draws wrestlers of all ages and skill levels from across the region, battling it out in a circular ring etched into the sand.
For more information, call 609-522-3600, visit www.MoreysManiaBeachWrestling.com, or email beach.sports@moreyspiers.com or MoreysManiaBeachWrestling@gmail.com.
Sevens Down the Shore Rugby Tournament, Aug. 2 and 3
Morey’s Piers will partner with the Washington Township Rugby Club to bring Beach Rugby to life on Aug. 2 and 3.
Youth and adult teams will compete in a 7s format on the Wildwoods beach.
For more information, contact the Washington Township Rugby Club at rpmcfall@gmail.com or Morey’s Piers at beach.sports@moreyspiers.com.
Sticks in the Sand Field Hockey Tournament, Aug. 2 and 3
This competition brings field hockey right on the beach. Teams of all ages and skill levels compete in small-sided games. For more information, visit www.moreyspiers.com/event/beach-hockey.
Beach Football League Open Tryouts, Aug. 9
The Beach Football League is set to make waves this summer with the Wildwood Classic Open Tryouts on Saturday, Aug. 9 (rescheduled from June 7), at the Schellenger Avenue beach in Wildwood.
The afternoon heats up with co-ed flag and tackle football exhibition games, featuring appearances by NFL’s DeSean Jackson, Clinton Portis, Tully Banta-Cain, Malik Jackson, and more, who will join fans right on the sand for football action.
In addition to open tryouts, BFL is hosting a youth camp for ages 8-17 called the Kids Zone, and a youth tournament for high school-aged players. For more information, visit www.BeachFootballLeague.com.
MudHen Beach Baseball Tournament, Aug. 8-10 and Aug. 15-17
Presented by Morey’s Piers, this tournament brings America’s favorite pastime to the sandy shores of the Wildwoods.
Held on the beach at Rio Grande Avenue, this event “challenges players to adapt their game to an unpredictable surface where diving catches send sand flying, and base running requires extra effort against the soft terrain.”
Boys youth teams compete in a “fun yet competitive atmosphere.”
This event hosts two tournament weekends on Aug. 8-10 and Aug. 15-17, behind the Wildwoods Sign on the beach.
Games take place on Friday and Saturday with championships on Sunday.
The tournament kicks off with a Home Run Derby the Friday of each weekend.
Off the field activities include local food vendors, merchandise, bat demos and more! For more information, visit www.WildwoodBeachBaseball.com.
Wildwood Beach Basketball Tournament, Aug. 9 and 10
Casiello Basketball is partnering with Morey’s Piers to bring the Wildwood Beach Basketball Tournament to the Jersey Shore town.
Played using UBall equipment, this “no dribbling” version of 3-on-3 basketball is played directly on the sandy beaches.
This year, teams of up to 4 players – 3 players and 1 substitute (optional) – will vie for the inaugural crown as the best ballers in Wildwood.
Courts will be set up on the beach next to Morey’s PigDog Beach Bar near Oak Avenue.
For more information, or to register, visit www.moreyspiers.com/event/wildwood-beach-basketball-tournament/. Open to youth and adult players. For questions and information regarding tournament play, email info@casiellobasketball.com.
Adult Wiffle Ball Tournament, Aug. 11 and 12
MudHen Brewing Company is set to host its 2nd annual Adult Wiffle Ball Tournament on the beach behind the Wildwoods sign on Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood.
The tournament takes place Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 11 and 12, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In this event, teams of up to six adult players (18+) will compete in round-robin pool play for a top prize of $500.
The $180 team registration fee covers both days of play. Teams can register online here. For more information, email mudhenevents@gmail.com or visit www.mudhenbrew.com/wiffle-ball.
For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.
Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
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Rec Sports
Nets rookies run camp at Sunset Park
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets’ 2025 rookie class stepped off the hardwood and into the heart of the borough, taking part in a Brooklyn Basketball clinic at the outdoor courts in Sunset Park. The event marked the first community appearance for Brooklyn’s five first-round draft picks. Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake […]

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets’ 2025 rookie class stepped off the hardwood and into the heart of the borough, taking part in a Brooklyn Basketball clinic at the outdoor courts in Sunset Park.
The event marked the first community appearance for Brooklyn’s five first-round draft picks. Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf helped lead drills, sharing advice, blocking shots, and engaging directly with the 50 local kids, ages 9–12, in attendance.
“It’s amazing,” Dëmin said. “It’s super fun for me. It’s really important to be impactful to a community. That’s one of my goals coming to Brooklyn: how can I help people? I want to motivate kids, I want to be affecting kids in a positive way. And this is huge for me.”
Dëmin, who came to the U.S. from Russia last year, said he’s already starting to feel at home in Brooklyn.
“I haven’t explored as much as I want to yet,” he said, “but I already love this place. There are so many different environments, and the people are really nice. And I’m a big eater, there’s a lot of good food here.”
For many of the young athletes at the clinic, it wasn’t just about learning a better crossover or perfecting their shot; it was about being seen, heard, and encouraged by players they look up to.
Drake Powell, a North Carolina native, took time during the drills to connect with the kids one-on-one, often playfully blocking shots or knocking the ball away, to plenty of laughs and smiles.
“It’s great just being able to interact with them, even in small ways,” Powell said. “Slapping the ball out of their hands, blocking a couple shots… It’s fun. These are kids who love basketball just like we do.”
He added that he still remembers the impact of similar moments from his own childhood.
“I went to UNC basketball camp. I remember shooting with Brice Johnson and being so happy that I scored on him. That moment stuck with me. Hopefully, we gave these kids a moment like that today.”

Nolan Traore echoed those sentiments. The 19-year-old French guard lit up when talking about the chance to give back.
“It’s great to see these kids out here working, especially in this heat,” Traore said, laughing. “I didn’t go to NBA camps growing up, but I played in the streets with my brother and friends all the time. That’s what summer was for. Playing outside, sweating, competing, this kind of stuff means a lot.”
The afternoon was part of the Brooklyn Basketball program, a youth development initiative led by the Nets and New York Liberty that aims to grow the game at the grassroots level by making it more accessible and empowering for kids across the borough.
Team Hype, the Nets’ official entertainment squad, brought added energy to the day, leading chants, hyping up plays, and helping create a celebratory atmosphere that felt more like a neighborhood block party than a formal basketball clinic.
For the rookies, it was a break from the grind of summer workouts and a reminder of what it means to wear “Brooklyn” across their chest.
The clinic wrapped up with group photos, autographs, and plenty of smiles, a memorable afternoon for the kids and a meaningful first step into the community for Brooklyn’s newest players.
As they continue settling into their new home, the rookies are already showing that their impact in Brooklyn will extend far beyond the court.
For more on the Nets, visit AMNY.com
Rec Sports
Stuve: My favorite sports video games – Alexandria Echo Press
ALEXANDRIA — Although I haven’t played video games much in the last four months or so, video games have played a big role in my life. Video games have been there when other things haven’t. I’ve ventured out from playing sports video games – playing games such as Red Dead Redemption, The Quarry, and Detroit […]

ALEXANDRIA
— Although I haven’t played video games much in the last four months or so, video games have played a big role in my life.
Video games have been there when other things haven’t.
I’ve ventured out from playing sports video games – playing games such as Red Dead Redemption, The Quarry, and Detroit Become Human, but for the most part, I’ve stuck to sports video games.
So with that said, here’s my sixeven favorite sports video games.
7. NBA Live 08 (PlayStation Portable)
There are two handheld gaming systems that 5-10 year old Sam couldn’t live without – a Game Boy Color (purple) and a PlayStation Portable.
The Power Rangers game on the Game Boy Color was a go-to for five-to-seven-year-old Sam. But by the time I turned eight, I couldn’t live without a PlayStation Portable.
And with how much I loved watching my older brothers play basketball, I fell in love with basketball and basketball-related games.
There’s no specific reason why I like NBA Live 08 for the PlayStation Portable besides nostalgia. It’s what got me through road trips from Ames, Iowa, to Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Louisville, Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas), Wichita, Kansas, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, for my oldest brother’s AAU Basketball Tournaments.
Growing up in Iowa, I didn’t see much hockey. Sure, I watched the local high school club team play, but I wasn’t fully invested in the sport. I didn’t have much knowledge of the game until I moved up here in January 2022.
There’s nothing specifically about this game that I think makes it special, but I hold this game up here because playing this game taught me more about the sport of hockey.
I also like the create a team feature in this game. It’s a feature I will always use no matter what.
And I’m proud to say that with me as the general manager, the Alaska Malamutes, an expansion team I created, won multiple Stanley Cups.
T-3. Backyard Baseball 1997, Backyard Football 1999, Backyard Basketball 2001 (Windows, Mac)
The Backyard Sports series pre-2008, I think, is what made me initially fall in love with sports.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the Backyard Sports series, they were a series of games – basketball, baseball, football, hockey, soccer, and skateboarding – where you could play in a youth sports league with other kids in the ‘neighborhood’.
It’s the movie, The Sandlot, where you draft a team of kids and play against each other, kids from the virtual neighborhood. It’s a perfect game for kids.
I played all of these games on Microsoft Windows. Winning the Super Colossal Cereal Bowl (football), and the Ultra Grand Championship (baseball) were among the highlights of my childhood.
2. NCAA Football 14 (Xbox 360)
Having grown up in a college town (Ames, Iowa), I’ve always loved college athletics. I have been playing college football video games for as long as I can remember.
I went back and forth between NCAA Football 13 and NCAA Football 14 (both on Xbox 360) for this entry, but I went with NCAA 14 because of the content that YouTubers I like made from this game.
I like the ability to change conferences in this game’s dynasty mode. This feature made this game continuously playable when the NCAA Football franchise was on hiatus until last summer.
The Road to Glory mode, where you play as a high school football player and work your way up to a college athlete for a school of your choosing (if they offer you), is great. This mode exists in previous editions of the game, but it hits a new level here.
And the graphics in this game are great for the time.
There is the TeamBuilder option in this game so you can create your own school, but I opted to rebuild struggling small schools. The Akron Zips, Florida International Panthers, New Mexico Lobos, New Mexico State Aggies, and Texas State Bobcats were the teams I chose to play as in Dynasty mode. Happy to say I won national championships with them all without having to move up to a bigger conference like the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big Ten, or the Southeastern Conference.
1. NCAA Basketball 10 (Xbox 360)
College basketball is my favorite sport. The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments are my favorite sporting events each year.
Because of that and a few other things, the NCAA Basketball 10 game on the Xbox 360 is my favorite sports video game of all time.
The game animations in this game are horrendously bad, but that makes it even better in my opinion.
There’s no Road to Glory mode, but it makes up for it with how extensive the Dynasty mode is. There are at least 300 schools you could choose to play as.
I’ve always been a small-school kind of guy, and much like I did with NCAA Football games, I chose to build up low-major schools. I always chose smaller schools from small conferences and stayed in that conference.
I played this game so much during the COVID-19 pandemic. It kept me sane. I picked teams that had never been to the NCAA Tournament at the time I played the game, hadn’t been to the big dance in forever, or were the worst team in college basketball in real life. My dynasty teams were the Stetson Hatters, Montana State Bobcats, Maine Black Bears, Binghamton Bearcats, New Hampshire Wildcats, Cal State Fullerton Titans, Cal State Northridge Matadors, Sacramento State Hornets, Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, the Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Jaguars, the Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastadons, the Southeastern Louisiana Lions, the Marist Red Foxes, the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers, the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, the University of Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks, and the Niagara University Purple Eagles.
I also liked that you could choose which game broadcast you wanted, CBS or ESPN. I have always been a big fan of CBS’s sports broadcasts, so that’s what I selected when playing this game.
EA Sports recently announced that the NCAA Basketball franchise will make a triumphant return soon. I hope that the newest edition of this game builds off of previous games and also incorporates women’s basketball as well.
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