ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals will celebrate Youth Hockey Weekend from Jan. 2-4, highlighted by Youth Hockey Night presented by GEICO on Saturday, Jan. 3, when the Capitals host the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. The weekend’s festivities celebrate and spotlight the Capitals’ array of on- and off-ice programming designed to engage youth from across the Washington, D.C., region with hockey. The Capitals offer more than 30 ways to play hockey through on- and off-ice programming for participants age four and above, and more than 27,000 individuals have participated in a Caps Youth Hockey event since 2018.

Highlights of the Capitals’ celebration of youth hockey include:

Friday, Jan. 2 – Youth Hockey Clinics | MedStar Capitals Iceplex

The Capitals will host an ALL CAPS ALL HER (ACAH) clinic and a co-ed youth hockey clinic at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Friday, Jan. 2. Led by Caps Youth Hockey Development program instructors and ambassadors, the clinics will focus on development and competitive games. They will also feature appearances by Capitals alumni Craig Laughlin and Paul Mulvey.

The ACAH platform aims to provide access to hockey and elevate the game for women and girls in the Washington, D.C., area, while recognizing players, coaches, parents, advocates and leaders in the community. Since the platform’s launch in 2021, ACAH programs and events have engaged over 5,000 women and girls with the sport of hockey. Click here for more information on the platform.

Saturday, Jan. 3 – Open Practice | MedStar Capitals Iceplex

Youth hockey players are encouraged to attend Capitals practice on Sunday, Jan. 3 while wearing their youth hockey jerseys. Any attendee who arrives wearing their youth hockey or program jersey will receive a giveaway item.

Saturday, Jan. 3 – Youth Hockey Night presented by GEICO | Capital One Arena

The Capitals will celebrate Youth Hockey Night presented by GEICO on Saturday, Jan. 3, when the team hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena at 7 p.m. All fans who purchase tickets for that night’s game here will receive a roll of Capitals stick tape.

Pre-Game Arrivals: Select youth hockey players from throughout the region will walk with Capitals players during pre-game arrivals. Each Capitals player will be paired with a local youth player, with both wearing the youth player’s team jersey.

The youth players will represent the American Special Hockey Association, Capitals Inline Hockey League (a co-ed league established to provide a unified travel league for existing inline hockey players looking to expand their opportunities to play), high schools and youth hockey clubs. These teams include: Active Play, Ashburn Xtreme, Fauquier Dragons, Fort Dupont Cannons, Frederick Gargoyles, Fredericksburg Phantoms, Landon School Bears, Madison Wildfire, Montgomery Cheetahs, Montgomery Ice Devils, Navy Youth Hockey, NOVA Fury, Piedmont Predators, Potomac Lady Patriots, Reston Raiders, Richmond Renegades, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, The St. James, Tucker Road Ducks Washington Pride and Winchester Revolution.

Warmups: Six youth hockey players from ACAH, Future Caps Learn to Play presented by World Wide Technology and the Capitals Rising Stars Academy will watch warmups on the Capitals bench.

Starting Lineups: Six players from Future Caps Learn to Play presented by World Wide Technology will take to the ice with the Capitals starting lineup in honor of Youth Hockey Day. A participant from Future Caps Learn to Play will read the team’s starting lineup with PA announcer Wes Johnson.

In-Game Elements: In-arena entertainment and social content throughout the evening will highlight Capitals Youth Hockey programming. This includes the jumbotron showing Capitals players during their youth hockey days. Additionally, two local youth referees will meet that night’s NHL referees before joining them on the ice for the national anthem. The first intermission Mites on Ice presented by BMW will be comprised of players from the Piedmont Predators 8U team, and the second intermission will feature a relay race presented by GEICOwith players from the Piedmont Predators and Montgomery Youth Hockey Association Ice Devils 14U teams.

Sunday, Jan. 4 – Youth Hockey Events | The Wharf

To conclude the weekend’s festivities, the Capitals will host a Future Caps Learn to Play class and a Capitals Rising Stars Academy family skate at The Wharf on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Future Caps Learn to Play presented by World Wide Technology: The initiative is developed in collaboration with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA). The NHL and NHLPA have identified the need for a unified growth strategy as a priority for the sport of hockey. The Future Caps Learn to Play program aims to be the gold standard for youth hockey programs with the goal of inspiring more families to join the hockey community. Learn to Play changes the way youth hockey is offered by providing first-time participants free head-to-toe equipment, eight classes of age appropriate on-ice instruction and certified coaching in a fun and safe atmosphere. Click here for more information or to register for the program.

Rising Stars Academy (RSA): The Capitals Rising Stars Academy advances diversity, equity and inclusion in hockey by offering elite skill development and mentorship for local hockey players of color and their families. Through onice training, office conditioning and guided discussions about hockey culture, the RSA builds both physical and mental strength. Click here for more information or to register for the RSA.

Youth Hockey Development in the Washington, D.C., Region

The Capitals offer more than 30 ways to play hockey through on- and off-ice programming for participants age four and above, and more than 27,000 individuals have participated in a Caps Youth Hockey event since 2018. To date, the Capitals have refurbished or built 14 outdoor street/inline hockey rinks across Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia to further encourage participation in hockey. According to USA Hockey, overall, there’s been significant growth in participation in the D.C. area since Alex Ovechkin was drafted. The total number of USA Hockey-registered players (youth and adult) in the Washington D.C. area climbed more than 186 percent from 2005-06 through 2024-25, and 70% across the region as a whole during the same time frame.

For additional information on Caps Youth Hockey programming, visit CapsYouthHockey.com.

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Redding named to Youth LEAD Georgia

Published 9:27 am Monday, December 29, 2025

ATHENS — A Colquitt County student is among 30 high school students who’ve been selected for the Youth LEAD Georgia 2026 cohort. 

Elizabeth Redding will join her peers for a transformative year-long leadership initiative facilitated by the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development in partnership with Chick-fil-A, according to a press release from Youth LEAD Georgia.

The program equips youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle challenges that impact Georgia’s vitality as future leaders of the state, the press release said. A $1.5 million pledge from Chick-fil-A to the UGA Fanning Institute provides financial support for Youth LEAD Georgia. Thanks to this support, the program is available at no cost to participants. 

These 10th- and 11th-grade students, representing 27 different counties, were reviewed by an external selection committee from a record pool of nominations, reflecting growing interest and competitiveness in the program. 

Participants will take part in four weekend retreats held throughout the year in different regions of the state, a week-long summer bus tour visiting areas not covered in the retreats and a two-day statewide youth summit in Athens. Experiential learning is accompanied by dialogue on current topics facing the state, and interaction with business and community leaders. 

Alongside hands-on learning, participants can apply for Bullard Community Champions grants, using their newly acquired skills to lead impactful community service projects in their local areas. These grants are made possible through funding from Regions Bank and Rodney Bullard, CEO of The Same House.  

Programming will begin in January.

Margaritas has closed its doors in Liberty Hill.

Time Out Sports Bar has announced it will also cease operations at its current location, with its final day of business set for Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Notices posted at the bar invite the community to attend a “last day of business” event that day, with all bartenders scheduled to be on site from 3 p.m. until close. 

According to the notice, customers who have funds remaining on the bar’s sweepstakes machines will be given a two-week window to cash out. Management stated that specific times for cash-out availability will be posted. 

Time Out Sports Bar also indicated plans to relocate and said information about its new location will be shared on the business’s Facebook page. 

The building housing both Margaritas and Time Out Sports Bar has been sold to a new owner. As of publication, the identity of the buyer and any future plans for the property have not been publicly disclosed.

However, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, a new Denny’s restaurant will occupy one of two lease spaces attached to a new convenience store development called Q-Mart, which is set to be located at 10280 W. Hwy. 29–is the same address as Margaritas.

Plans for the Q-Mart include an 11,766-square-foot main building, two fuel canopies, and a second lease space that remains open for a future tenant. The privately funded project carries an estimated construction cost of $3 million. Work is expected to begin in March 2026, with completion anticipated by February 2027.

A commercial demolition permit for Margaritas’ playground, covered wood deck and canopies was approved in December 2025 to occur Jan. 5.

Follow The Independent for more information on this developing story.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Akron Garfield and Euclid stole the show Sunday during the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic at Garfield Heights High School with their double-overtime thriller.

It took two buzzer-beaters by the Rams’ Rayshawn Hamilton and Monty Thompson Jr. in both overtimes to lift Garfield to a 73-71 win against Euclid. Afterward, they were greeted in the locker room by the hosts from Garfield Heights ahead of the Bulldogs’ game with Glenville.

Both share the name, Garfield, and both are in Division III for OHSAA postseason play.

They could meet in March, but both put on shows Sunday during the five-game showcase. Here are the standout performances to go with the highlights in this post:

After arriving in Fayetteville, it doesn’t take long to realize that sports are woven into the city’s DNA. From Razorback game days to the cyclists on our trails to families filling fields and courts across the region, this is a community that moves.

And that movement represents far more than recreation. It is one of the strongest economic opportunities ahead of us.

Sports tourism has grown into one of the most powerful, reliable economic engines in the country. According to the Sports Events & Tourism Association, spectator sports tourism generated $47.1 billion in direct spending last year, supporting more than 665,000 jobs nationwide. Youth and amateur sports, everything from tournaments to camps to regional competitions, contributed even more, with $52.2 billion in travel-related spending. These visitors stay in hotels, eat in local restaurants, shop in stores, and explore outdoor assets, leaving a meaningful mark on local economies.

In Arkansas, that story is magnified. Outdoor recreation alone contributed $7.3 billion to the statewide economy in 2023, supporting more than 68,000 jobs. And tourism reached $17.4 billion in economic impact in 2024, with Northwest Arkansas playing a major role in that growth.

At a time when leisure and business travel have softened nationally, sports-related travel has continued to rise, providing a level of stability and resilience that communities increasingly depend on. When communities like Fayetteville lean into their strengths — outdoor recreation, hospitality, accessibility and local culture — the returns are significant.

Fayetteville is uniquely positioned to lead the state and region in this space. We’re home to a thriving SEC city, incredible year-round weather, world-class outdoor recreation, a variety of indoor sporting facilities, and a welcoming culture that makes competitors and travelers feel instantly at home.

Our community has also invested intentionally in the infrastructure that makes sports tourism possible. Centennial Park is a perfect example. Purpose-built to host world-class cycling events, it has already welcomed the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championships and will host the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships this December, and again next year. These events don’t just bring athletes. They bring national attention, media coverage, and significant economic impact for our hotels and hospitality businesses.

And that momentum extends well beyond cycling. In the past year, organizations such as the Women’s Football League, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, and the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation have approached us about hosting events in Fayetteville. Their interest reinforces what the sports community already knows: Our city is emerging as a national-caliber sports destination.

But the value of sports tourism extends beyond visitor spending. It strengthens identity and builds civic pride. It brings families together. It activates public spaces and showcases the best of who we are. In my previous role in Cody, Wyo., I saw firsthand how powerful it can be when a community rallies around its strengths and invites the world to experience them. In Fayetteville, that same opportunity is in front of us, and we are already leaning in.

The path is clear: We need to continue investing strategically. That means purpose-built sports facilities and deeper partnerships across the region. If we continue investing with intention, collaborating across sectors, and telling our story with clarity and authenticity, Fayetteville can set the standard for what a modern, movement-driven destination looks like.

The momentum is already here. Our job now is to harness it and to make sure the world knows exactly why Fayetteville is a place worth traveling to, competing in, and coming back to again and again.

Editor’s note: Ryan Hauck is CEO of Experience Fayetteville, the city’s tourism marketing agency. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

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