NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nashville Predators are in the middle of development camp, but the real assist came off the ice.

Some of the Preds’ prospects played street hockey with kids on Wednesday at a youth sports camp at the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville.

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The players gave the campers some hockey tips and had some fun along the way.

“It’s always nice to see kids smiling whether it’s about hockey or other things,” Nashville Predators forward Matthew Wood said. “It’s nice to get out in the community and even though we might be playing a little street hockey, get away from the game a little bit, just enjoy and have fun and try to put some smiles on some faces.”

It was part of the team’s initiative to engage in service projects and youth outreach activities.

Other players visited Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, helped clean up the Cumberland River and even built furniture for schools.

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While their play on the ice is a priority, the players said their work off the ice is equally important.

The Predators return to the ice for their Future Stars Game at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Ford Ice Center in Bellevue.

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By Hugo Traverso

The week just passed encapsulated the great baseball program built by coach Joey Gomes with the Healdsburg Prune Packers. Tons of powerful offense paired with fantastic pitching and defensive web gems, on a team built with rising stars from across the country. It is frankly surprising to see the determination and great chemistry within a team like the Packers after only a month of playing together.

Some of these guys are returning players like Hideki Prather, Logan Sutter, Alex Leopard and Mason Lerma who understand the team tradition; while others like Caleb Debban and Jacob French came off of experiences with different summer teams in different leagues, states and even countries last year.

The love and friendship shown by this team is incredible and it is key to why they win so much. They reflect what the Packer teams before them have shown, that they will not go down easy, sometimes not at all. It doesn’t matter if the Pack are down three, five or even nine runs, they can come back. 

Looking ahead, we are near the season’s halfway point and the Packers are currently looking great, sitting at a fantastic 15-2 record. They sit two games ahead of the second-place Medford Rogues heading into Fourth of July week and only play two league games this week, both against the Kings on Saturday and Sunday. Nevertheless, great competition and thrilling theme nights come to Rec Park.

Later this week the Packers move into a two-game series on Wednesday and Thursday against the team sitting atop the Bay Area Collegiate League (BACL) standings, the Chico Lone Wolves. The game on Wednesday night is Schat’s Bakery & Cafe Night at the ballpark at 6pm, so come hungry for some tremendously good treats from the Ukiah favorite.

Thursday’s game will be a matinee for the Packers and Lone Wolves, with first pitch at 3pm as there will be a Little League game following it. The game will honor former Packer Ed Perotti, who played for the team in the late 1950s. Stick around after the game to cheer on the rising stars of Sonoma County and enjoy a doubleheader.

Friday’s game will be on Fourth of July so come decked out in red, white and blue as the Packers play the Express at 5pm. That game will also be broadcast on ysn365.com/live, so if you can’t make it, Ryan Moffett, myself, our analyst Jacob Jannicelli and our producer Dave Cox will have coverage for you starting at 4:55pm. Stick around for fireworks after the game, set off starting at 9:30pm from nearby Healdsburg High and easily visible from Rec Park.

The weekend PEL games against the West Coast Kings will both start at 6pm. Given how great the past three matchups have been, it should be a great week in the ’Burg.

Hugo Traverso, a junior at Cardinal Newman High, is on the broadcast team for the Prune Packers this summer. Follow the games at the Youth Sports Network, ysn365.com/live.

EUGENE, Ore. – Local sports fans are in for a treat as the second annual Kidsports Celebrity Softball Game takes place on July 12 at Jane Sanders Stadium.

This event will feature current, former, and incoming Oregon athletes coming together to support youth sports. The evening will begin with a home run derby, followed by a softball game with teams led by quarterback Dante Moore and local star Bryce Boettcher. Big names like Nate Bittle and Dez Patmon are on the roster, with all athletes donating their time to help local kids stay active and involved in sports.

“Every athlete that’s participating in this event has a youth sports origin story,” said Nate Baldwin, the event’s associate executive director. “So, it’s really fun for them, I think, to be able to give back and set up the next generation for that same type of experience they had that gave them the joy and love of sports.”

Proceeds from the game will benefit the Emerald Scholarship Fund, which helps nearly 4,000 local kids play sports each year. Ticket prices range from $10 to $50 and include access to a silent auction featuring signed memorabilia and more.

For those interested in more details, information is available on the Kidsports website.

A 24-year-old Sandoval woman has pleaded guilty in Marion County Court to two counts of aggravated battery to separate Sandoval Police Officers.

The charges against Siara Stokes of South Mine Street stem from a February 3rd, 2024 incident where she is accused of kicking both of the officers knowing they were police officers performing their official duties. A third count of resisting or obstructing a police officer was dropped.

As part of the negotiated plea, Stokes will serve two years probation, abstain with random testing, drug and alcohol evaluation with treatment, counseling as directed, no contact orders with two people and their places of employment, ten hours of public service work, and 164 days in the county jail with day for day credit. Stokes was also ordered to pay a $200 public defender fee and $600 probation service fee.

RICHMOND, Va. (July 2, 2025) – The ECNL is thrilled to announce the launch of the ECNL Spotlight Games in the 2025-26 season, with top U14 players selected to participate in these matches at 11 different ECNL national events across the country. The U14 ECNL Spotlight Games are part of a collaboration between ECNL and the US Club Soccer id2 Program to provide scouting-based identification opportunities for top ECNL and ECNL Regional League male and female players for youth national teams and beyond. 

“The ECNL U14 Spotlight Program will allow many of the best U14 players in the ECNL and ECNL Regional League to showcase their talent in front of scouts from the id2 Program in an incredible competition environment,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “Every U14 player competing at these events will be scouted while playing for their club on Day 1, and the top players will be selected to play in the Spotlight Game under the lights on Day 2. The Spotlight Game will provide a ‘best vs. best’ environment to inspire these players and further highlight the top talent in the country for invitation into US Club Soccer’s id2 program.” 

US Club Soccer’s id2 Program was created in 2004 to help identify players for US Soccer Youth National Teams and through its history has included players like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Trinity Rodman, and Mallory Swanson, and more when they were Under-14s. The program has been a prominent feeder to the youngest US Soccer Youth National Teams, and will be expanding over the next several years to include additional age groups and to identify players later in their development. 

Together, beginning with the U14 Spotlight Games, ECNL and US Club Soccer will work to provide more scouting exposure for players, over more years of their career, recognizing the non-linear nature of player development and the importance of identification and scouting for youth national teams at all youth ages. 

ECNL U14 Spotlight matches will be played at the following events: 

ECNL New Jersey: August 22-24, 2025

ECNL Atlanta: September 12-14, 2025

ECNL St. Louis: September 12-14, 2025

ECNL San Diego: October 11-13, 2025

ECNL North Carolina (Girls): October 11-13, 2025

ECNL North Carolina (Boys): October 17-19, 2025

ECNL Texas: February 14-16, 2026

ECNL Phoenix (Spring): March 27-29, 2026

ECNL Texas: April 24-26, 2026

ECNL North Carolina (Spring): May 8-10, 2026

ECNL South Carolina: May 8-10, 2026

In total, there will be ECNL U14 Spotlight games at seven ECNL Boys events and eight ECNL Girls events. 

At each event, club directors of those attending will recommend their respective top-performing players to participate in each U14 Spotlight match. In addition to those recommendations provided by clubs, US Club Soccer and id2 will be on hand at each event, providing on-field scouting during the first day of each event to evaluate the talent present. Combining scouting results with club recommendations, US Club Soccer and id2 will then assemble the rosters for each U14 Spotlight game, creating an all-star game filled with the very best athletes in that age group. 

Similar to Continental Tire National Selection Games, ECNL U14 Spotlight games will have a focus not only on superior on-field play but also a large-event experience for players and fans alike, with a live-stream broadcast and stadium setup. 

More information regarding ECNL U14 Spotlight matches, including rosters and field locations, will be announced ahead of each event. To learn more about USC Club Soccer and id2’s participation and roles within these individual player development pathways, 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 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 

ECNL FB: @TheECNL  |  ECNL IG: @TheECNL  | ECNL X: @TheECNL 

By Isabella Ledonne

Click here for updates on this story

    PLEASANT HILL, Missouri (KSHB) — The small, tight-knit community of Pleasant Hill is upgrading its parks and the way it paints its sports fields.

A robot from the company, TinyMobileRobots, can paint the markings of a baseball field in minutes under the blazing July sun.

Waylon is one of Pleasant Hill’s newest employees.

Waldo is operated by Landon Vest, a Parks and Facilities maintenance worker.

“You just set it and let it go do its thing,” Vest said. “Before, you’re dedicated to doing all the work yourself.”

Human workers have to string rope to mark the lines, then carefully go over it by hand with spray paint. It takes Vest and his team nearly three hours to paint Yuille Field.

It took Waylon 11 minutes.

“I can do all of our baseball fields in less than half a day now and still go do something else the rest of the day,” Vest said. “It makes a big difference and a big help.”

TinyMobileRobots uses GPS and Bluetooth to map out the fields. It’s programmed for precision and no curveballs when it comes to straight lines.

“[The robot] is just so much straighter and faster,” TinyMobileRobots Territory Manager Brett Mathews said. “It really enhances the experience for the players as well because the fields are more accurate.”

With Pleasant Hill’s $11.5 million park expansion project well underway, Parks and Facilities Director Jeff Hull explained the robot is a home run for his five-person team.

“It’s about $100 per application, per field, that’s what it normally costs us,” Hull said. “We’re getting it done in minutes.”

Vest has noticed a drastic difference in his productivity in completing a seemingly never-ending to-do list for park maintenance.

“It’s allowed us to be way more productive and have way more time on our hands to do other things,” Vest said. “There’s never a lack of things to do.”

Waylon cost Pleasant Hill about $40,000 plus yearly fees. Hull explained there isn’t enough money in the city budget to cover all the work that needs to be done for summer sports.

“It’s fractions of the overall cost that we would put for personnel to do the same work,” Hull said. “We’re not trying to take away jobs by any means, but at the same time, it enhances the jobs of the guys that we have here on staff. With public money, we don’t have a whole lot of flexibility or additional funding to be able to use.”

Waylon has been hard at work in Pleasant Hill for about two months. With the time and money the robot is expected to save over the next few years, Pleasant Hill plans to add more youth sports programming.

“Robots aren’t taking people’s jobs, they’re enhancing the jobs,” Mathews said.

TinyMobileRobots is currently operating in Lawrence and Shawnee, Kansas, and works with the KC Current.

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