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AJ Williams Ascent To Basketball Stardom Continues

The accolades continue for the No. 2 player in the nation AJ Williams. Just a few weeks ago, Williams was named to ESPN’s 2028 top 25 rankings by basketball analyst Paul Biancardi. Since being ranked, he has picked up several notable camp invites to high-stakes camps that have some of the best basketball players from […]

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The accolades continue for the No. 2 player in the nation AJ Williams.

Just a few weeks ago, Williams was named to ESPN’s 2028 top 25 rankings by basketball analyst Paul Biancardi.

Since being ranked, he has picked up several notable camp invites to high-stakes camps that have some of the best basketball players from all over the country participating. Williams was invited to the FIBA Americas Training Camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 22nd-24th and the U16 FIBA Americup Championship on June 2nd-8th (Argentina). He was also invited to the Nike Elite 100 camp.

Williams is currently running with the flagship program, the Georgia Stars, on the AAU circuit and continues to establish himself as a noteworthy player. He already has several notable performances, including scoring 30 points in an On The Radar Hoops circuit. He was also named a standout in the Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) Session 1 tournament in Indianapolis.

When you watch his game, you see a 6’7 athletic wing that can score from anywhere on the floor. He can create space with elite ball handling and also knock down tough contested shots. Just when you least expect it, he will come into the lane and throw it down on you. His athleticism is off the charts, but he is not reliant on it and makes you pay in other ways, showcasing his versatile skillset.

So many young players fall victim to only being offensive stars, but that is not the case with Williams. He is a great on-ball defender and a pest who jarres the ball loose, leading to easy scoring opportunities on the other end. He prides his game on the defensive end to Kawhi Leonard and on the offensive end to Jayson Tatum, he said in an interview with Pro Insight.  To be so young, he already has a deep bag that is only growing every day.

This past season on the hardwood for Dutchtown, he was named Region 3-5A Co-Player of the Year. He didn’t waste any time letting people know how good he was, averaging 18.4 PPG and 12.5 rebounds early on to start his prep career. He has continued to churn out memorable performances on the court and is cementing himself as the next elite prospect.

 



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Former MLB player with PNW roots takes on unhealthy youth sports culture

A few years ago, when KUOW’s Kim Malcolm was a Little League baseball mom, she remembers seeing signs bolted to the wire fence in front of the bleachers. They said: “These are kids. This is a game. Umpires are human. Your child is not being scouted by a major league team today.” The signs were […]

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A few years ago, when KUOW’s Kim Malcolm was a Little League baseball mom, she remembers seeing signs bolted to the wire fence in front of the bleachers.

They said: “These are kids. This is a game. Umpires are human. Your child is not being scouted by a major league team today.”

The signs were clearly meant to influence Kim’s behavior, and the people sitting around her who could get a little too wrapped up in the game, ratchet up the anxiety, and lower the fun factor for everyone.

Travis Snider knows about this from many angles. He was a standout for Mill Creek’s Little League baseball team in the late 90s who went on to play in the major leagues for eight years. Now, he’s a dad and a coach who runs 3A Athletics, an organization that aims to transform the culture of youth sports. He told Kim about his plans.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Kim Malcolm: A line on your company’s website struck me. It says, “It’s no longer a matter of if we should embrace a healthier culture, it’s a matter of when.” That strikes me as a major task. Tell me about how you’re trying to achieve that.

Travis Snider: One bite at a time. I think we understand that this is going to be an uphill battle, and not every parent is in the space of wanting to hear better ways to approach parenting your kids through sports. But we feel like sports is a great vehicle for us to dive into some of these deeper, nuanced topics, and help parents understand. A lot of the time, our intent is coming from the right place, but what we’re actually displaying, as far as behavior and how we handle these situations, is actually counterproductive. I think our ultimate goal as parents is to raise healthy and happy human beings who can go out and thrive in the world no matter what comes their way.

Let’s go back to when you were a Little League baseball player. Was there a moment when you realized that playing baseball wasn’t just about having fun?

I experienced a panic attack at 11 years old in the Western Regional tournament for Little League. We had won the state championship. Playing in front of 6,000 fans, and failing for the first time on a stage like that, was really difficult for me to process. At the time, we thought it was sports-induced asthma. What we came to understand was this was really an anxiety attack.

I was able to suppress it and continue on with my career and never really have to go back and address it. But as I started to transition out of playing professional baseball and making the decision to retire, I had to unpack that identity of who I was outside of the baseball player. It brought me back to that moment when I was 11 years old, and just the feeling of being on the mound and not being able to throw a strike, and understanding how much pressure I felt in that moment where it didn’t seem like it was as fun.

How did your parents handle your success, and also the days when it wasn’t as successful?

They were not parents who pushed me to work and get better at sports. They supported me and did a great job of building a community of parents around me who supported me and our family through the ups and downs. But at the end of the day, there was no information out there at the time. The internet didn’t even really exist. They were doing the best they could with what they had. I think that’s where we’re really trying to change the game for parents in youth sports now, to provide them with a lot of resources to help navigate the successes and the failures that you’re going to experience in youth sports.

For family members and kids who may be in the car right now listening to you, what’s your best advice if they’re on the way home from a game?

The car ride is probably the most overlooked opportunity for us as parents to build a connection. Instead, what we do from a place of instinct is correct mistakes. What our kids need in that moment is a safe space where they feel this connection and unconditional love. I think for parents, it’s really hard for us, whether it’s the anxiety, or the fear of missing out, or our kids falling behind, that we feel like we have to be the coach in that moment. Really, all they need is mom and dad just to create that warm energy to say, “It’s okay no matter what happens, whether it’s good or if it’s bad, you’re loved no matter what.”

Many is the time I’ve been in that car, and I was casting about for the right words and just feeling so inadequate, not sure what to say.

When you get done with work, the last thing you want is somebody to come tell you all the things that you did wrong. But that’s just our instinct as parents, and that’s something we’re really trying to help guide them through. What are these nuanced situations in which we really can build a stronger connection and trust, to open the door for communication? Instead, what we oftentimes do is correct those mistakes, and have our kids go through this experience of questioning, what really makes me valuable, and is the car ride a safe space for me to enter without feeling like mom or dad’s going to come down on me?

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.

Kim’s Full Conversation With Travis Snider



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Families and businesses are concerned about the effect of tariffs on youth sports | National Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball. The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely […]

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CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball.

The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely for the ramifications of tariffs on their rising youth sports budget.


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Lincoln Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest Set For Saturday | KLIN

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is teaming up with Lincoln Community Learning Centers for a Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest on Saturday at Peter Pan Park at 32nd and “W” streets. This free event will run from noon to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to reduce barriers to physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by connecting […]

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The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is teaming up with Lincoln Community Learning Centers for a Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest on Saturday at Peter Pan Park at 32nd and “W” streets. This free event will run from noon to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to reduce barriers to physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by connecting families with affordable youth sports opportunities.

Attendees will enjoy live music, free food, sports games, a dunk tank and additional activities.  “When kids participate in sports, their physical fitness increases, mental well-being improves, and social connections strengthen,” says Rachel Redepenning, LLCHD Public Health Educator. “This leads to lower risk of chronic diseases, avoidance of substance use and building of long-term social and emotional skills.”

Families who attend will be able to connect with sports programs for youth ages 3 through 16 and all skill levels that offer affordable options, financial aid, or scholarship opportunities for youth sports, learn about registration deadlines, cost, and expectations for various sports leagues and recreation programs.

For more information about the Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest event click here.

(Photo: Lincoln Parks and Recreation)



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Why youth sports insurance is facing a critical reckoning

Mental health has become another area of focus. Sports organizations are investing in coach education, launching awareness campaigns, and adopting digital monitoring tools to stay ahead of potential issues. “We partner with MaxU, which offers daily three- to five-question assessments. It helps administrators, coaches, and parents spot early warning signs,” Burks said.   Link 0

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Mental health has become another area of focus. Sports organizations are investing in coach education, launching awareness campaigns, and adopting digital monitoring tools to stay ahead of potential issues. “We partner with MaxU, which offers daily three- to five-question assessments. It helps administrators, coaches, and parents spot early warning signs,” Burks said.  



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UVA Orthopedic chair warns of rising overuse injuries in youth sports

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) Dr. Bobby Chhabra, Chair of UVA Orthopedics, raised concerns over the increasing number of Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA and tied the trend to long-term overuse starting in youth sports. “Thirty years in the NBA I mean, just looking at the data, they averaged about one Achilles tendon rupture a […]

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) Dr. Bobby Chhabra, Chair of UVA Orthopedics, raised concerns over the increasing number of Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA and tied the trend to long-term overuse starting in youth sports. “Thirty years in the NBA I mean, just looking at the data, they averaged about one Achilles tendon rupture a year and now we have 3 in like 3 weeks during the playoffs,” he said, citing the cases of Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, and Damian Lillard. Chhabra pointed to the year-round nature of sports, saying even kids are playing through fatigue and skeletal development.

During an interview on WINA, Chhabra responded to commentary from UVA alum and former NBA player Olden Polynice, who suggested overtraining is draining players’ longevity. “Your body ain’t got but that many jumps in it,” Polynice said during a national radio appearance. Chhabra echoed the sentiment, urging parents to reconsider the current sports culture. “They should be playing three sports a year. They should have plenty of time to rest, particularly during adolescence when they’re skeletally mature and they’re still developing. But that’s not the culture in this country,” he noted. 

As youth athletes face increasing pressure from scholarships and NIL deals, Chhabra warned that both physical and mental health risks are growing. “There’s too much pressure on these kids now,” he said. He advised that early specialization can lead to devastating injuries and long recovery periods, which are becoming more common at younger ages. 

Listen to the full conversation here:  



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Steelers Player Had Classy Move After George Pickens Bailed on Youth Football Camp

George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him. Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign […]

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George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him.

Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign with the Steelers. The 24-year-old wideout now gets a fresh start in the NFC East, where he’ll be catching balls from quarterback Dak Prescott as well as trying to win Cowboys fans over.

A recent account about Pickens’s inconsiderate behavior won’t help with the latter: the ex-Steelers star apparently bailed on his summer football camp at Highmark Stadium at the last minute, according to TruEdge Sports, a company that specializes in youth sports camps.

It’s important to note that the company checked with Pickens after the Cowboys trade to see if he was still committed and would still show up to the event, scheduled for June 28. Pickens said he would, but allegedly backed out last week.

“Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified by George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp,” the company wrote.

Thankfully, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth volunteered his services and offered to help run the camp in Pickens’s absence. A few other Steelers players may be joining as well.

Nothing but class from the Steelers’ young star.

The Steelers will no doubt be happy to put the drama-filled days of the George Pickens era behind them and are now jumping into a boat with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the upcoming season. What could possibly go wrong?

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