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As a parent and coach, I was blown away by the lessons I learned from a college QB

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Editor’s note: This story is part of Peak, The Athletic’s desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels arrived in Texas this July with a unique distinction: It was his fourth time representing his school at Big 12 media day. It’s not exactly Archie Griffin’s two Heismans, but the Kansas star figures in the NIL and transfer portal era, no one will duplicate his feat.

“I tried to tell Commish (Brett Yormark), ‘You might as well go ahead and put a banner: JD up here four years in a row, baby!’” Daniels said, laughing.

It was the type of levity and self-awareness that comes from a player who has experienced just about everything a quarterback can have thrown at him.

Two years ago, Daniels wore a silver suit with a red tie and an Apple Watch pendant around his neck that displayed his 2022 highlights on a loop. As remarkable as some of the footage was, or as glitzy as the jewelry looked, the most impressive thing was his words. He told a story back then that wasn’t just about how he’d arrived at this moment. He also gave one of the best lessons in parenting I’ve ever heard.

I’ve been a sportswriter twice as long as I’ve been a parent. I’ve coached my son in football for the last five years. Youth sports can be amazing. It can also be mind-numbing, frustrating and baffling, especially if your kid loves it even more than you do.

It’s human nature for kids to compare themselves to others their age. Their parents often are guilty of doing it too (I am guilty of this). Every practice can feel like a defining moment (guilty of this, too). Only it isn’t.

But the more I learned about Daniels, the more insightful and applicable his story became to me — and hopefully will be for other parents and young athletes as well.

Daniels’ career is a testament to playing the long game, something that gets increasingly harder to do in this era of instant gratification and online rankings. Here are my four favorite lessons I learned from his story.

Lean on your support system early

Daniels was part of one of the most stacked quarterback recruiting classes to come out of one area in recent memory.

He graduated in 2020 from Lawndale High in Southern California, not far from where the country’s top two overall recruits, Bryce Young and D.J. Uiagalelei, also played. Fellow five-star QB C.J. Stroud was from the area. Daniels was ranked behind 22 other quarterbacks in the state of California alone and didn’t even have a recruiting profile, much less any stars, until just before his senior season.

How exactly did a young Jalon stay grounded and not get discouraged?

“Honestly, I did have that perspective even back then,” he said. “My freshman year humbled me for real. Going into freshman year, I did think I was the best. That humbled me so much because then I saw D.J., balling (as a) freshman. I’m barely playing as a freshman. He got offers; I don’t. Bryce Young’s ballin’ on varsity as a freshman. He got offers; I don’t. What am I doing wrong? I’m not in the same situation.”

Daniels credits his mom, Star, for instilling in him a drive and determination to stay on the path.

“I can’t even imagine how it is for a parent seeing your child doing as much as they can, as much as they are willing to do to try and get to where they’re going, and things aren’t happening,” he said. “I just have to give props to my mom and stepdad for being able to keep me grounded. Now that I’m looking back on it, it’s so easy to get hard on yourself about stuff like that.”

Find the positive in your situation

The low point for Jalon and Star came during his sophomore year of high school. His coach told him, depending on how this practice goes, that he’d either get to move up to the junior varsity team or stay on the freshman squad for another year.

A few hours later, Daniels got back into his mom’s car and slunk into the seat.

“He is making me do freshman (football) again,” he told his mom.

Star’s heart broke for her son. “You could tell that he wanted to cry,” she said.

She wasn’t about to start the 20-minute drive home until his perspective changed.

“When Jalon is in his head about something, we stop and we deal with it right then and there,” she said. “When he’s having those moments, I need Jalon to see my face. I need him to see where I am because if I am passionate about what it is that you want, I need you not to lose that passion.”

She made sure he understood the situation as she saw it. He was still small and hadn’t yet hit his growth spurt. Those kids on JV were big. Maybe the coaches didn’t think he was physically ready to move up. Also, she told him, perhaps the coaches thought he would be able to motivate the new kids who might be scared coming onto the freshman team, since Jalon was a good leader.

“You know what it’s like to play in these Thursday games,” she said. “Use that to your advantage!”

After 15 minutes, Star felt Jalon had received the message, and she was ready to pull out of that parking lot.

“By then, all that negativity and doubt was gone,” she said. “By the time we got home, he was putting his plan into action, thinking about what he can do.”

At the end of that season, Daniels not only moved up to JV but was one of a handful of sophomores who joined the varsity team at Narbonne High when it played for the state title. He even got into the game for a snap.

Star told him, “Do you see what patience and perseverance can get you?”


Jalon Daniels and his mom, Star. Photo courtesy of the Daniels family

Comparison is the thief of joy

As a sophomore, Daniels was the third-string quarterback behind two talented athletes: Jaylen Henderson, who is now at West Virginia, and Kyle Williams, who now plays for the New England Patriots.

It wasn’t just his parents’ support that helped drive him. Daniels’ teammates also saw how well he played when he got the chance to start on the junior varsity team. Just keep doing what you’re doing, they encouraged. You’re gonna be OK, they kept telling him.

“I’m like, ‘All right, bet! Keep playing,’” Daniels said. “I made a whole lot of highlights with some guys … and then Jake Garcia transferred in.”

Garcia, now at Michigan after going from Miami (Fla.) to Missouri to East Carolina, was another Southern California five-star QB at the time. Daniels decided to bet on himself and transferred to Lawndale for his junior year.

“If you’re good enough to play at that next level, somebody’s going to find you and you’ll be able to put your talents at that next level,” Daniel said. “So it was no longer just about trying to compare myself to Bryce, D.J. or C.J. because at the end of the day, comparison is a thief of joy.”

The internet is also a thief of joy, as Daniel was reminded of before his junior season.

“I type in J-A-L-O-N Daniels in Google,” Daniels remembered, “and Jayden Daniels (another blue-chip QB from Southern California who was a year ahead) came up, and I thought, ‘Well, I will be able to fill up this page one day.’”

‘You never lose. You either win or you learn’

Daniels received only a few offers from mid-major programs and committed to Middle Tennessee the week before his senior season. It wasn’t until the very end of that season that he finally received that one elusive Power 4 offer. Daniels bet on himself again and flipped to the Kansas Jayhawks.

Daniels started six games as a 17-year-old freshman in 2020 under coach Les Miles. The following offseason, Miles was fired and replaced by Lance Leipold, who took over a dreadful program that hadn’t won more than three games in a season in a dozen years.

The Jayhawks started 1-8 in 2021, but then Daniels led them to a stunning 57-56 upset of Texas, snapping the program’s 56-game road losing streak. He threw four touchdowns and no picks.

In 2022, Daniels sparked Kansas to its first bowl game in 14 years and was a second-team Academic All-American. The 2023 season, though, brought more mental challenges. He played in only three games because of a back injury. In 2024, Daniels was healthy, but he and the offense struggled. Daniels threw 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The team lost five of its six games decided by six points or less.

It led to some honest conversations with Leipold.

“He was right,” Daniels said. “Early on, I was pressing. I was trying to make up for lost time. I was trying to do as much as I can to be able to get the guys around me to the NFL instead of focusing on winning the game right now.”

Leipold said Daniels is the same person he was four years ago when Leipold first arrived in Lawrence.

“He’s as positive a teammate as you could ask for,” Leipold said. “He’s just one hell of a kid. He’s humble. He’s hardworking. He doesn’t make excuses. He walks around with the same smile on his face. And he’s never once made an excuse or deflected anything that hasn’t gone his way.”

Again, Daniels credits his mom for that mentality.

“Most of life is a mental game,” he said. “When you lose, it hurts you mentally more than anything else, but one thing my mom told me is, ‘Son, you never lose. You either win or learn.’ ”

When I asked what advice he’d give his younger self or any other kid, Daniels started to answer before I finished the question.

“I’m telling my 13-year-old self to stay the course,” he said. “Stay patient. Everything’s going to happen the way it’s supposed to. Make sure you believe in God because there’s going to be tests.

“There’s going to be trials and tribulations that try to knock you off your pivot and try to make you feel less confident than you already are. Stay confident because you’re in that situation for a reason.”

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; James Black/Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)



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Trump health agency proposes rules to limit gender-affirming care for youth

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THE INDIANA CONTEXT: Attorney General Todd Rokita was one of two state attorneys general attending the announcement in the nation’s capital. “We must protect our kids and put an end to these irreversible and harmful experimental procedures that often lead to lifelong regret,” he said. “We are blessed to have an administration in the White House fully committed to the same kind of commonsense values that prevail among everyday Hoosiers in Indiana.”

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) – President Donald Trump’s administration took major steps Thursday in a campaign to block minors’ access to gender-affirming care nationwide.

Under two proposed new rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, hospitals would be barred from providing gender transition treatment for children as a condition of participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs, and Medicaid funding would be prohibited from being used to fund such care for minors.

As most hospitals receive Medicare and Medicaid funding, the rules would essentially have the effect of a nationwide ban if they are finalized.

The announcement came a day after the U.S. House passed a bill that would impose federal criminal penalties for gender-affirming care for minors and hours before it advanced a separate measure that would prohibit Medicaid funding for gender transition treatment for minors.

The proposed regulations, which will next undergo a period of public comments, are certain to draw legal challenges.

The efforts build on Trump’s executive order in January that restricted access to gender-affirming care for kids.

More than half of states already have laws or policies aimed at limiting youth access to gender-affirming care, according to the nonpartisan health research organization KFF.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced the proposals alongside several other health officials at a press conference at HHS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The room featured a handful of GOP members of Congress. At least two Republican state attorneys general — Ken Paxton of Texas and Todd Rokita of Indiana — were also in attendance.

At the press conference, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said the FDA is also sending “warning letters” to 12 breast binder manufacturers and sellers for “illegal marketing of breast binders for children for the purposes of treating gender dysphoria.”

Breast binders are used to flatten tissue in the chest.

Kennedy said his agency’s Office for Civil Rights is moving to “reverse the Biden administration’s attempt to include gender dysphoria within the definition of disability.”

House passes anti-transgender bills

The proposed rules are part of the Trump administration’s broader anti-trans agenda.

Trump has signed executive orders that make it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” aimed to bar openly transgender service members from the U.S. military, and sought to prohibit trans athletes from competing on women’s sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

Meanwhile, efforts at the congressional level to restrict youth access to gender-affirming care face a dismal path in the Senate, where any legislation would likely need the backing of at least 60 senators to advance past the filibuster.

The House passed a measure Wednesday night, 216-211, that would subject medical professionals to up to 10 years in prison for providing gender-affirming care for minors.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who sponsored the legislation, called its passage a “win for children all over America,” in a social media post Wednesday.

It’s likely the last legislative achievement for the Georgia Republican, who is resigning from Congress in early January.

Four Republicans voted against the measure: Reps. Gabe Evans of Colorado, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mike Kennedy of Utah and Mike Lawler of New York.

Three Democrats voted with the GOP to back the bill: Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas and Don Davis of North Carolina.

The House also passed a measure Thursday, 215-201, from Texas GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Greene that aims to prohibit “Medicaid funding for gender transition procedures for minors.”

Cuellar, Gonzalez and Davis also backed the GOP-led bill, along with fellow Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state.

‘Cruel and unconstitutional attacks’

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, blasted the administration’s proposals, saying they “would put Donald Trump and RFK Jr. in those doctor’s offices, ripping health care decisions from the hands of families and putting it in the grips of the anti-LGBTQ+ fringe.”

Robinson also emphasized that the rules are “proposals, not binding law,” and called on community members, health care providers, administrators and allies to “be vocal in pushing back by sharing the ways these proposals would be devastating to their families and the healthcare community at large.”

The American Civil Liberties Union also condemned the administration’s proposals and vowed to challenge the efforts in court.

Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project, dubbed the proposals “cruel and unconstitutional attacks on the rights of transgender youth and their families.”

Strangio said the proposals would “force doctors to choose between their ethical obligations to their patients and the threat of losing federal funding” and “uproot families who have already fled state-level bans, leaving them with nowhere to turn for the care they need to survive and thrive.”

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Accordion is part of Tom Izzo’s fabric, from home to hoops to holidays

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Dec. 19, 2025, 12:52 p.m. ET

East Lansing — There Tom Izzo sat Wednesday night, with a white accordion in his hands, his players wearing Christmas hats and singing carols. It’s a tradition at his last radio show before the holiday, complete with a freshman song, a meet-and-greet with fans and, of course, a few stray chords from Mr. March turned Mr. Music. Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Up on the Housetop, even Silent Night.



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Daniel J. McGaffick | News, Sports, Jobs

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Daniel J. McGaffick

With sadness in our hearts but with the sure hope of life eternal, we announce the passing of Daniel J. McGaffick of Lakewood, NY (formerly of Industry, PA) on Dec. 15, 2025.

Daniel (Dan) was born in July of 1978 to Keith and Marian Shakley McGaffick of Industry, where he was raised with an older sister and younger brother, enjoying neighborhood and church friends and family. He graduated from Western Beaver High School, where he was active in sports and music, and continued his education at Houghton College, earning a degree in Outdoor Recreation and Camp Administration. Dan then settled in Western New York.

Dan was encouraging and caring – he enjoyed people and always shared a positive outlook. His Christian faith set the tone for the way he lived his life. He consistently joined Sunday services on-line at both his church in NY, where his son also helps lead worship, and at his hometown church in Ohioville, PA. Dan also drew inspiration from the worship services of former youth group friends and college classmates who are now pastors and worship leaders.

Since youth, Dan loved the outdoors and enjoyed hiking, biking, rock climbing, camping, rafting, and skiing among other things. He ran the Pittsburgh Marathon; hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail; rappelled from the cliffs at Annapolis Rocks; skied New York’s best powder; and climbed up Colorado’s Buffalo Mountain at sunrise, just to be greeted by a grizzly old mountain goat at the top. A favorite childhood memory was an epic snowball fight on Andrew’s Glacier in the Rocky Mountains in the middle of July. Dan was affectionately known by his nickname Spidez, based on his penchant for scaling difficult climbing routes. He enjoyed exploring the nearby Allegheny National Forest trails and often was accompanied by his son Reese, with whom he shared many treasured times. Daniel also cherished outdoor adventures with his brother Steve and conversations with his sister Carrie and other family members over holidays and special events.

Dan and Reese also shared a love of movies, art, and cars, and Dan was creatively talented with drawing and sketching. (When Reese was still young, Dan taught him how to recognize and draw the front end (emblems) of cars, fostering a gift that grew into innovative and complex designs as Reese grew older). Dan enjoyed watching Reese’s sports competitions, academic endeavors, and musical talents and could not have been more proud a father.

Dan had a bent toward the theatrical, as well, and when in college, had fun with his friends putting together elaborate skits for talent show nights that became well-known across campus. He enjoyed his college friendships immensely and was blessed by their close connections over the years.

Dan’s early work experience included church youth pastoring, selling cars, serving as activities director at a nursing home, and working as camp staff. For the last 20 years, he worked at Chautauqua Machine Specialties as a machinist and quality manager. There, he was trained in the trade by owners Denny and Cindy, who took Dan under their wing and treated him as a son. We as a family are so grateful for the love and support the Furlows have shown Daniel over the years.

Dan was preceded in death by his mother, Marian Shakely McGaffick of Industry, PA, in 2019; maternal grandparents, Bruce and Martha Shakely of Brighton Township, PA; and paternal grandparents, Willard and Nita Jane McGaffick of Industry, PA. Dan is survived by his son, Reese, and Reese’s mother, Casey McGaffick of Ashville, NY, as well as father, Keith McGaffick of Industry, PA; sister, Carrie McGaffick of Ashburn, VA; brother, Stephen McGaffick, of Edwards, CO; and many cherished aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

One could not be more blessed than we were to have Daniel as a son, father, and brother. He was deeply beloved. In Dan’s memory, we encourage friends to visit a National, State, or local park or plan a great outdoor adventure.

The funeral will be held at 6 pm Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Panama Methodist Church, where friends will be received from 3-6 pm Tuesday. The funeral will be livestreamed at panamamethodist.org.

A second funeral service will be held at 2 pm Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Four Mile Church, Beaver, PA where friends will be received from noon to 2 pm Saturday. This service will be livestreamed at Fourmile.org.

Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Industry, PA.

In recognition of Dan’s love for Christian youth ministry, memorial contributions can be made in Dan’s memory to: Bemus Point Global Methodist Church (youth group); Panama Global Methodist Church; Four Mile Church; or The Center (Midland, PA).

You may leave words of condolence at lindfuneralhome.com.



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‘Lights, Camera, Action, a Hollywood Christmas’ draws thousands to Chino | Community News

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Lively bands, the Grinch, Star Wars characters, and many youth organizations marched in downtown Chino last Saturday morning for the annual Chino Youth Christmas Parade.

This year’s theme was “Lights, Camera, Action, a Hollywood Christmas.” 

Spectators lined Riverside Drive and Central Avenue for the nearly two-hour parade, which concluded with carnival rides and a holiday fair at the Chino Civic Center.

Courtney Garcia, a longtime Chino American Little League volunteer and this year’s Chino Youth Sports Legends Volunteer Award recipient, served as grand marshal. 



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US Treasuries Post First Weekly Advance Since Late November

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Photographer: Adam Gray/Bloomberg
Photographer: Adam Gray/Bloomberg

US Treasuries wrapped up the first weekly gain since the end of November after unexpectedly cool inflation numbers and a jump in the jobless rate cemented expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates at least twice next year.

While yields edged up on Friday, the 10-year Treasury rate declined four basis points in the week, while the policy-sensitive two-year yield fell by a similar amount as markets priced in a more dovish 2026 path.

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Although markets had already been optimistic about further rate moves after last week’s Fed cut, the rally deepened after data showed the US unemployment rate hit a four-year high and core inflation came in at the slowest annual pace since early 2021.

“The direction of the surprises made sense,” Kelsey Berro, a fixed-income portfolio manager at JPMorgan Asset Management, told Bloomberg Television Friday. “Along the Treasury curve, we’ve been hanging out in the belly of the curve, the five- to 10-year point.”

Money markets now imply two full quarter-point cuts next year, with a 40% chance of a third. The move to price in more easing widened the gap between two-year yields and their 10-year peers to 67 basis points earlier this week, the most since January 2022 on a closing basis.

Still, comments Friday from Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams, who said he sees no urgency to further adjust interest rates, weighed on Treasuries early in New York trading.

With the next major data releases not scheduled until January, investors are now taking a cautious approach heading into the new year. The ICE BofA MOVE Index, a gauge of expected bond-market volatility, is the lowest since 2021.

“The lack of clarity on the data will keep investors on their toes, but we see downside risks to rates as labor market worries persist,” US interest-rate strategists at TD Securities led by Gennadiy Goldberg wrote Friday. “Investors are likely to remain uncertain heading into year-end.”

–With assistance from Carter Johnson.

(Updates with latest prices, TD Securities commentary.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.



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Ruben Amorim speaks of youth ‘entitlement’ after Manchester United teens post photo responses to criticism

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The greybeards — yes, including Roy Keane — will be nodding after Ruben Amorim explained what he called a problem of entitlement amongst players following a social scene caused by academy players Harry Amass and Chido Obi.

MORE — Villa vs Man Utd preview

Amorim made comments last week about the struggles of Amass and Obi of late and the players responded on social media by posting images showing good times away from United’s first team. — Amass posted a Player of the Month award won while on loan to Sheffield Wednesday while Obi used a shot of him scoring for United’s U21s.

MORE — Premier League festive fixtures list, storylines

Amorim was asked about the images on Friday and defended his initial comments, saying that players often don’t realize how special the club is until they aren’t involved in it and doubling down on the ‘E’ word.

“I think it is the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club,” he said. “Sometimes strong words is not bad words, sometimes difficult moments is not the bad things for the kids.”

Ruben Amorim on ‘entitlement’ of youth players

To be fair, Amorim was more critical of the players’ responses than their feelings.

The Manchester United boss says the players are welcome to speak with him after hearing his words last week, and implies the problem is with Internet bravery over personal conviction and confidence.

“I think it’s something in our club, and we talk about the players sometimes forget about what it means to play for Manchester United. We as a club sometimes forget who we are and that’s that’s the feeling that I have. I understand everything is the environment, is the moment of the players, the kids they feel entitled.

These are all fair thoughts. Sure they will stick in the craws of Amass and Obi as well as some teammates but they will also send a message to all of the expectations of better attitudes.

Given that Amorim spent most of last season lamenting mentality problems around United and then used the summer to flip his squad, it feels like an okay fight for him.

Amass, 18, has made seven first team appearances for United at his tender age and has gone 90 minutes for struggling Wednesday in all but two Championship matches since arriving on loan in early September.

Obi, who turned 18 last month, has five goals and two assists in 15 matches across all competitions for United’s reserves. The Danish forward made seven appearances for Amorim in the second half of last season but has yet to be selected for a Premier League 18 this season.





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