Sports used to run on instinct, experience, and feel.

Coaches trusted their eyes, players stuck to routine, and fans argued from the heart. But in the past two decades, analytics has reshaped the way games are played, coached, and managed.

Today, athletes are tracked with wearables, GPS, and cameras that collect massive amounts of data. Teams use this to manage workload, prevent injuries, and improve performance. The focus has shifted from what happens to why it happens.

On the field, strategy is more data-driven than ever. Coaches make decisions—when to go for it, who to match up, how to space the floor—based on hard numbers, not hunches. In scouting, stats and predictive models guide draft picks and trades across every major sport.

Fans are part of the shift too. Advanced stats are now common in broadcasts, fantasy sports, and sports betting. From expected goals to efficiency ratings, numbers are changing how we watch and talk about the game.

Still, data isn’t everything. Intangibles like leadership, pressure, and team chemistry don’t show up in charts. The best teams strike a balance—using analytics to enhance, not replace, human insight.

In the end, analytics isn’t killing the soul of sport. It’s sharpening it.

Backed by NBA and WNBA stars and fueled by the youth sports boom, Shoot 360 is targeting 600 locations by 2030

As youth sports participation and interest in performance tech accelerates, basketball franchise Shoot 360 is expanding aggressively, with plans to grow from over 50 to 600 locations by 2030. Current franchisees and investors include NBA and WNBA names such as Trae Young, Sue Bird, Rodney Stuckey, Thad Young, Zaza Pachulia and Peyton Siva.

To lead its growth, Shoot 360, already active in 28 NBA training facilities, has named two franchise industry veterans to its executive team: Jason Carter as chief operating officer and Jamie Eslinger as chief marketing officer. The hires come as the company develops more than 50 additional locations, building on its presence across North America, Europe and Asia.

Carter most recently served as president and COO of Bandon Fitness, the largest Anytime Fitness franchise group worldwide. He has also held leadership roles at Honors Holdings, UFC Gym and 24 Hour Fitness. Eslinger previously served as CMO of JEM Wellness Brands, overseeing marketing for Crunch Fitness, Massage Envy and European Wax Center.

“Bringing Jason and Jamie onto the team is a game-changer for our brand,” said Shoot 360 founder and president Craig Moody. “Their experience in franchise growth and operations aligns perfectly with our mission to grow the love of the game by providing positive experiences to each athlete who comes through our door.”

The Shoot 360 experience combines AI-powered analytics with gamified training to give athletes real-time feedback on shooting, passing and ball-handling. Personalized performance data is delivered directly to each user’s app, offering a consistent and measurable approach to skill development.

See Also

The concept has gained traction by addressing a growing gap in year-round youth athletic training. It also serves a wide age range, from children as young as five to adults looking to sharpen their game or stay active.

Shoot 360 is actively seeking franchise partners in all 50 U.S. states, with near-term growth focused on Florida, Illinois, Texas and the Northeast. The total investment to open a Shoot 360 location ranges from $600,000 to $1.8 million.

Image courtesy Canva

With county fair season upon us, a common 4-H project youth participate in is shooting sports. Kansas 4-H state shooting sports specialist Chandra Plate explains the different opportunities within the project.

“We have 10 4-H projects in Kansas for 4-H shooting sports, and on a nationwide basis, we also have 10 4-H projects. So the 10 4-H projects that we have are archery. In Kansas, we do both compound archery and recurve archery,” said Plate. “And then we have air pistol, air rifle, BB gun, hunting skills, muzzle loader, pistol, rifle, shotgun, western heritage. And those are our 10 4-H projects. For pistol and rifle, those are both small bore pistol and small bore rifle.”

Volunteers in 4-H shooting sports receive extensive training over a full weekend, typically starting Saturday morning and running through Sunday afternoon, with some sessions beginning Friday evening depending on the discipline. Each volunteer trains in only one discipline, such as archery, hunting skills, or muzzleloader. The training includes both discipline-specific instruction and youth development education. Safety is the top priority, followed closely by preparing volunteers to support positive youth development.

Plate says not every county in Kansas has 4-H shooting sports, so if you’re interested you’ll need to contact your local extension office and find out if they have 4-H shooting sports. If they don’t, she says you can contact the counties around you to see if they do.

For more information on 4-H shooting sports, visit kansas4-h.org.

The Miller family and Miller Sports + Entertainment announced the addition of a group of Utah investors to Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals and Real Monarchs on Tuesday.

The addition of new investors “emphasizes a commitment to elevating soccer in Utah, while deepening investments in youth sports and local community initiatives,” according to the press release.

“Our family believes in the power of sports to unite, uplift and inspire,” Steve Miller, chairman and governor for RSL and the Utah Royals FC, said. “Bringing in local partners who share our love for Utah will help ensure our clubs continue to thrive both on and off the field.”

The Miller family purchased controlling ownership of the teams from David Blitzer in April, as the Deseret News previously reported.

Blitzer remains part of ownership as the second-largest owner, according to the Miller family.

Who are the new RSL and Utah Royals investors?

The new investors “will focus on fostering excellence on the pitch, while investing in facilities, programs and community outreach,” per the statement.

The new RSL Football Holdings investors are:

• Matt Hawkins.
• Nick Greer.
• Jeremy Andrus and Kristin Andrus.
• Don Berman, Matt Berman and Erica Berman.

The new ownership group members “have a proven track record of leading world-class organizations and are committed to building championship teams,” Steve Starks, the CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company, said.

Hawkins is the CEO of cloud-based software company Waystar.

“I’m thrilled to join this incredible group of leaders,” he said in a statement. “I believe in building organizations that create positive, lasting impact, and RSL is exactly that — a platform to support athletes, young players, fans and Utah families.”

Greer is the founder and CEO of BUILT Brands, known for its protein bars.

“This is about more than sports,” he said. “RSL, the Utah Royals FC and our affiliated teams showcase the possibility for young athletes to dream big, work hard and become resilient. It is the ethos of our great state, and I couldn’t be more proud to join the Club.”

Jeremy Andrus is the CEO of Traeger Grills, which has its headquarters in Salt Lake City.

“Sports are a catalyst for connection and confidence,” he said. “We’re honored to be part of an organization that brings energy and passion to fans and families across Utah.”

Don Berman is the chairman and founder of Merrick Bank, which is based in Utah.

His daughter, Erica Berman, is an executive at CardWorks, which Merrick Bank is a subsidiary of, and led the Berman family’s bid to bring the WNBA back to Charlotte, according to Davidson College.

His son, Matt Berman, is also an executive at CardWorks, and is an assistant general manager for Davidson’s basketball program, alongside NBA star Steph Curry.

“Being part of the Club is more than an investment — it’s a commitment to our future,” Matt Berman said in a statement. “This is about building something generational for Utah, where soccer is not just a game, but a shared source of inspiration and joy.”

Class of 2026 guard Prince-Alexander Moody became IU’s first commitment in the rising senior class last month.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard plays at Bishop McNamara High School in Maryland and for Team Takeover on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) circuit.

Moody is regarded as a three-star prospect and the No. 180 player nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Watch extensive highlights of Moody from the final EYBL session in Augusta as well as the Peach Jam below:

See More: Video, Prince-Alexander Moody

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has become the latest governing body in the sports world to enact a policy change around transgender athlete competition. Here’s a glance at the most prolific of those that have clarified or altered such rules this year:

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee

Effectively barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced on Monday that it has an “obligation to comply” with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The decree has threatened to rescind funding from organizations that don’t obey.

The USOPC oversees about 50 national governing bodies, most of which have some influence over youth sports all the way up to the elite levels, raising the possibility rules might need to be changed by local clubs to retain memberships.

International Cycling Union

The global governing body for cycling announced earlier this month that transgender women who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women’s races. The decision followed American rider Austin Killips becoming in May the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event.

University of Pennsylvania

Penn modified three school records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in a decision earlier this month to settle a federal civil rights investigation, including an apology to female athletes “disadvantaged” by her participation on the women’s swimming team.

Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title when she last competed for the Ivy League school in 2022. The Trump administration’s broader attempt to block transgender athletes from female sports included the Penn case. The Philadelphia university agreed to restore all individual records to female athletes who lost to Thomas.

World Aquatics

The global governing body for swimming, formerly known as FINA, announced in June a new “ gender inclusion policy ” that only permits transgender athletes who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. There are not currently any transgender women competing in elite levels of swimming.

World Aquatics also proposed a new “open competition” category, designating a committee to explore over the rest of the year the most effective guidelines for such events.

World Boxing Organization

The global governing body for boxing declared in May that all athletes would be subjected to mandatory sex testing in order to compete in sanctioned events. World Boxing’s announcement specifically mentioned Olympic champion Imane Khelif, the Algerian who won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year amid international scrutiny.

The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, another Paris gold medal winner, from its 2023 world championships after claiming they failed an unspecified eligibility test. Association officials have declined to answer basic questions about the test.

Khelif has said she was born a female.

British sports

Following a U.K. Supreme Court ruling in April, the British governing body for soccer issued a ban that took effect in June on transgender women playing on women’s teams in England and Scotland. Previously, the British Football Association allowed such participation if the athletes had reduced testosterone levels. The England and Wales Cricket Board also instituted a ban.

World Athletics Council

The governing body for track and field banned transgender women from international competition in March, while adopting new regulations that could keep South African star Caster Semenya and other athletes with differences in sex development from competing.

The World Athletics Council issued its edict in March, barring athletes who have transitioned from male to female and have gone through male puberty. No such athletes currently compete at the highest elite levels of track.

Another set of updates for athletes with differences in sex development raised the potential to impact up to 13 current high-level runners including Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion at 800 meters, who has been barred from that event since 2019. Her discrimination case is still moving through the court system.

Semenya and others had been able to compete without restrictions in events outside the range of 400 meters through 1 mile but now must undergo hormone-suppressing treatment for six months before becoming eligible.

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA, which oversees the vast majority of U.S. college athletics, announced in February — the day after Trump’s order — that competition in women’s sports would immediately be limited to athletes assigned female at birth. The NCAA has about 1,100 member schools with more than 500,000 athletes.

High school sports

Nebraska in June became the latest state to ban transgender students from girls’ sports, following similar bans by the high school associations for at least 24 other states. The Trump administration has clashed with multiple states over the allowance of such participation.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.