Cedar Rapids gym owner fosters hope and community through sports mentorship
Beyond sports, Larkin emphasizes the importance of personal development.CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A love for sports and a childhood spent paving his own way led John Larkin to follow his passion and work with youth in his community, helping them become the best version of themselves.”It’s always been talked about that the community needs something […]
Beyond sports, Larkin emphasizes the importance of personal development.CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A love for sports and a childhood spent paving his own way led John Larkin to follow his passion and work with youth in his community, helping them become the best version of themselves.”It’s always been talked about that the community needs something like this,” he said. “I felt like it was something I could do for them, so they had a place they could call home.”Working with young athletes has also taught Larkin about himself.Larkin takes pride in giving back to the place he calls home.”It’s part of my purpose to help them get to the next level—to be a guide, a mentor, someone I didn’t have growing up,” Larkin said. “That’s who I’m trying to be for the kids in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.””Our passion is football—I love football,” he said. “I do a lot of football skills training, but with my background in strength and conditioning, I’m also certified in speed training, agility, vertical jump, and mobility.””I’m really excited to see more female athletes coming in,” he said. “We’re getting a lot of track and volleyball athletes. We just started a partnership with NFL Females and Flags for female flag football in Cedar Rapids—they’ll be practicing and holding camps here.””We train about 30 athletes a week and have worked with over 100 athletes in the Cedar Rapids–Iowa City area,” Larkin said. “I started in Iowa City when I was 21, but we’ve since moved up here and have been working with kids ever since.”While Larkin enjoys coaching in many areas, he has a favorite.Larkin fulfills that mission at his gym, New Wave Performance, located at 5549 Sixth St. SW in Cedar Rapids.”I’ve learned I have a responsibility to be a light for others and help people stay on the right track,” he said. “Growing up without a brother, I see myself as a mentor for these kids, offering advice and guidance when they need it.Although Larkin primarily focuses on young, high school athletes, he’s noticed a significant shift in participation.”Having someone believe in you and say, ‘I know you’re trying to achieve this—here’s a plan, and I’m here to support you,’ gives kids faith. Sometimes, that’s all they need,” he said.
Philipsburg-Osceola’s Damarcus Law has been named The Progress’ male Athlete of the Week for the week ending May 17. Law finished second in the 200-meter dash at the District 6 Track and Field Championships in Altoona with a time of 23.48. He was also third in the 100-meter in 11.30. He qualified in both events […]
Philipsburg-Osceola’s Damarcus Law has been named The Progress’ male Athlete of the Week for the week ending May 17.
Law finished second in the 200-meter dash at the District 6 Track and Field Championships in Altoona with a time of 23.48. He was also third in the 100-meter in 11.30. He qualified in both events for the PIAA Class AA Track and Field Championships, which begin on Friday at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg.
“Damarcus qualified for PIAA State Championships in two separate events,” said P-O track coach Tracy Vipond. “His time in the 200M dash of 23.01 broke the POHS all-time record.
“Damarcus is an excellent athlete, but he is equally excellent as kid.”
Sports Facilities Companies Adds New Rinks as Youth Sports Biz Booms
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), a manager of municipal and collegiate sports venues across the U.S., announced that it will manage 13 new ice rinks as it builds its growing ice division. The firm added rinks located across 11 states, including the Breslow Ice Hockey Center at the University of Nebraska, home to the Huskers’ […]
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), a manager of municipal and collegiate sports venues across the U.S., announced that it will manage 13 new ice rinks as it builds its growing ice division.
The firm added rinks located across 11 states, including the Breslow Ice Hockey Center at the University of Nebraska, home to the Huskers’ men’s and women’s club hockey programs; and Indianapolis’ Elevance Health Rink at Bicentennial Plaza, which is next door to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home arena for the NBA’s Pacers and WNBA’s Fever.
In addition to an athletic center in Romulus, Mich., and a community center in Waconia, Minn., the new venues represent approximately $20 million in annual revenue.
Formerly operated by Rink Management Services, the new barns represent SFC’s deeper investment into ice hockey after the firm purchased Firland Management, a longtime operator of hockey and skating rinks, in September.
Youth hockey participation across North America is trending up again after a few years of decline. Jason Clement, the founding partner and CEO of SFC, said that while the NHL, USA Hockey and others have done a great job in turning the tide against the participation slide, rinks in the U.S. and Canada aren’t meeting the moment just yet.
“When you looked at the landscape of facilities across North America, ice facilities in general are going down,” he said in a video interview. “The numbers are going down. They’re aging. There are a lot built in the 60s, 70s and 80s, and they now need a refresh. And these communities are relying on their ice facilities, so we recognize that we had a role to play.”
SFC operates more than 90 venues for various municipalities, universities and private companies. A company representative said that the venues collectively generate more than $1 billion in economic impact in the communities served. Twenty of these assets are hockey rinks, but the rest represent a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports.
The SFC portfolio is quite large compared to that of Unrivaled Sports, the Josh Harris and David Blitzer-owned outfit that launched in 2024. The billionaire-backed player largely operates in sports played outdoors like baseball, football, soccer, snowboarding and other action sports. According to its website, it operates 15 venues and properties that are used by more than 635,000 youth athletes and have over 1.7 million visitors a year.
In early May, Unrivaled Sports picked up a $150 million investment led by Dick’s Sporting Goods, with participation from Miller Sports + Entertainment, Dynasty Equity, LionTree and The Chernin Group. The company is currently valued at around $650 million.
The youth sports industry also includes companies like Soccer Shots, which is backed by Susquehanna Growth Equity and is pulling in revenue upwards of $100 million a year. Soccer Shots, the largest company of its kind in the world, brings soccer to childcare centers, churches and parks for kids aged 2 to 8 years old.
Clement noted that the opportunities for these youth sports businesses stem from families willing to do all they can to keep their kids in sports, even in times of economic uncertainty.
“We like to say that we’ve been through a couple of cycles economically here,” he said, “and it’s been recession-resistant because families will cut a lot of things before they cut their kids’ activities and opportunities to grow.
“We didn’t just drop a bunch of capital in because we saw a financial opportunity to go monetize an industry. Instead, what we did is we said, ‘hey, we think this matters.’ We think it matters in communities. We believe in the impact that it makes, and we’re going to invest in it and we have over time.”
Capital isn’t just being invested in the fields of play but the cameras and microphones that capture the action of youth sports. On Wednesday, LiveBarn, a youth sports streaming service with investments from Susquehanna Growth Equity and Ares Capital, announced that it brought on Raymond James as an adviser for a potential sale. In April, PlayOn purchased MaxPreps from Paramount/CBS Sports for an undisclosed sum.
SFC isn’t a media company, but in the increasingly lucrative youth sports landscape, Clement said that its objectives remain clear: to help communities achieve whatever goals they’re aiming for, whether it’s sports tourism, hitting financial targets or increasing community usage of the properties it manages.
“We’ve created a custom approach to serve these communities well. And the reality is by our marketing teams’ effort, 70% of municipalities still don’t even know our services exist. So every town—from New York City to Marshalltown, Iowa, where I’m from—is trying to figure out how to serve their kids and their families better and leverage the assets and the resources that they have to do it.”
Despite the professed anonymity of SFC, millions of people are engaged with its properties. The company said that it has nearly 30 million annual guest visits across its venues. The new ice properties will account for 2-3 million combined guest visits per year.
SFC’s highest-profile project just opened in April in New York, where it already operates several venues. The $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer in Central Park opened to the public as the centerpiece of the city’s decades-long effort to revitalize the northern reaches of the park. Replacing Lasker Rink and Pool, the new facility includes the Harlem Oval, which features a riser system that can transform the space from an ice rink to greenspace to a pool than can hold up to 1,000 people.
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In AAU season, I see my kids struggle with race in sports
We want our children to grow through sports — to learn discipline, resilience, teamwork. But how can they do that when they’re busy navigating unspoken racial double standards? Rubie Mizell | Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel At Roosevelt Middle School, mentors make a difference for at-risk boys Roosevelt Middle School parent coordinator Rubie Mizell gets […]
We want our children to grow through sports — to learn discipline, resilience, teamwork. But how can they do that when they’re busy navigating unspoken racial double standards?
Rubie Mizell | Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
At Roosevelt Middle School, mentors make a difference for at-risk boys
Roosevelt Middle School parent coordinator Rubie Mizell gets emotional when she talks about some of the traumas black boys at her school face.
A Black mother observes her daughter’s hesitation to play aggressively against smaller, white girls in basketball.
The daughter expresses fear of being perceived as “aggressive,” not “assertive,” due to racial bias in sports.
The author recounts similar experiences with her son facing unfair accusations and double standards in soccer.
The article highlights the burden Black children carry in youth sports, forced to navigate racial stereotypes while trying to enjoy the game.
The author calls for change and a more equitable sports culture where Black children can play freely without fear of judgment or misinterpretation.
It’s AAU season. Gym lights glow late into the night, sneakers squeak against polished floors, and young athletes chase dreams with every dribble. For many families, including mine, it’s a season of excitement and growth. But for my 11-year-old daughter, it’s also a season shadowed by something she should never have to carry at her age: fear.
She’s tall. Athletic. Strong. A presence on the court. But I started to notice a hesitation in her game — especially on defense. When matched up against smaller, White girls, it was like a switch flipped. She wouldn’t play them tight, wouldn’t reach for the ball. It was as if she was afraid to fully show up.
When I asked her why, her answer broke my heart.
She told me she was afraid of fouling them. Afraid that if she reached in or blocked too hard, she’d get in trouble, or worse, she’d be seen as aggressive. Not assertive. Not a competitor. But aggressive.
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And just like that, the weight of race, perception, and painful memories came crashing in.
Black children walk a tightrope, even in sports
I remembered a game from her school season earlier this year, where she was elbowed multiple times by an opponent — yet when she raised her own arm to guard her space, she was the one reprimanded.
I remembered my son’s soccer match, where his brilliant footwork on a co-ed team full of blonde girls led to him being accused of “kicking”— even though no contact occurred. I remembered the same girls being told by adults to push him down and kick him. And I remembered him not retaliating, because he knew the stakes of what that would look like.
This is the tightrope Black children walk, even in sports — the space that’s supposed to be joyful, fair, and free.
Our kids are taught to “play hard,” “play smart,” and “leave it all on the court.” But what happens when they’re also carrying the fear of being misunderstood, mislabeled, or punished for simply playing the game the way it’s meant to be played?
We want our children to grow through sports — to learn discipline, resilience, teamwork. But how can they do that when they’re busy navigating unspoken racial double standards? When they’re coached at home not just in ball handling, but in how to avoid being perceived as a threat?
Kids are forced to carry a burden. Let them play.
This article isn’t just about my daughter. It’s about every Black child who has second-guessed their strength or silenced their confidence to stay safe. It’s about the sideline conversations we whisper to our kids: “Don’t respond. Keep your cool. Let the ref handle it” — even when we know the referee might not.
It’s 2025, and these experiences still happen, right here on our local courts and fields. It’s not always overt. Sometimes it’s subtle. But our kids feel it.
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I’m proud of my daughter. Proud of her awareness. Proud of her heart. But I wish she didn’t have to carry this burden. I wish she could just be a kid who plays basketball. Who defends with boldness. Who doesn’t have to question how her height, her skin, or her strength will be perceived.
I’m writing this because silence doesn’t protect us. Stories do. And if this resonates with even one parent, one coach, one official—then maybe we can start creating the kind of sports culture our kids truly deserve.
Let them play. Let them grow. Let them be free.
Rubie Mizell is parent coordinator at Roosevelt Creative Arts Middle School, president of Our Youth Network and CEO of Tyla’Grace Publishing.
City of Brawley and BPD Launch of Inaugural MLS GO Youth Soccer League | News
BRAWLEY — The City of Brawley, in partnership with the Brawley Police Department, proudly hosted the opening ceremony for the inaugural season of MLS GO, Major League Soccer’s youth soccer program, at Ed Soto Field. This landmark event marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for youth sports in the community. MLS GO is designed to provide […]
BRAWLEY — The City of Brawley, in partnership with the Brawley Police
Department, proudly hosted the opening ceremony for the inaugural season of MLS GO, Major League Soccer’s youth soccer program, at Ed Soto Field. This landmark event marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for youth sports in the community.
MLS GO is designed to provide an inclusive and elevated recreational soccer experience for boys and girls ages 4 to 13. The program aims to foster community engagement, promote physical activity, and instill values of teamwork and sportsmanship among young athletes.
The opening ceremony featured enthusiastic participation from local families, community leaders, and law enforcement officers. Brawley Police Department officers, serving as coaches and mentors, emphasized the department’s commitment to building positive relationships with the youth through sports.
“This initiative is more than just about soccer; it’s about community, mentorship, and providing our youth with opportunities to grow and succeed,” said Chief Jimmy Duran. “We’re excited to see the positive impact this program will have on our city’s young residents.”
The City of Brawley and the Brawley Police Department invite all community members to support and participate in the MLS GO program. For more information on registration and upcoming events, please visit the Brawley Police Department’s official Instagram or Facebook Page.
Central Valley set to host 2nd annual California Youth Soccer Cup
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — It’s called the beautiful game — and come this Memorial Day weekend, the Central Valley will welcome in nearly 80 youth soccer programs for the 2nd annual California Youth Cup. The video above is from an earlier story and will be updated. The tournament will take place from May 23-26 at […]
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — It’s called the beautiful game — and come this Memorial Day weekend, the Central Valley will welcome in nearly 80 youth soccer programs for the 2nd annual California Youth Cup.
The video above is from an earlier story and will be updated.
The tournament will take place from May 23-26 at three separate locations that include the Fresno State soccer stadium, Fresno City’s Ratcliffe Stadium, and the Immanuel Sports Complex in Reedley.
Tournament Director Carlos Velasco says the second edition of the tournament promises to elevate youth soccer while fostering cross-cultural connections and community pride.
Velasco tells Action News that he’s worked to bring in a world-class lineup of international you clubs, including:
FC Porto (Portugal)
Sporting Clube de Portugal (Portugal)
Juventus FC (Italy)
Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain)
Fluminese FC (Brazil)
Club Blooming Santa Cruz (Bolivia)
Club Pachuca (Mexico)
Club Atlas (Mexico)
Velasco tells Action News that age groups include 9 to 16-year-olds, with two female groups in the mix.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer shared his enthusiasm for the tournament.
“Fresno is proud to welcome these talented young athletes from across the globe,” Dyer said. “We look forward to the passion they’ll bring and the connections they’ll create within the community.”
For sports updates, follow Alec Nolan on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
(via @joshua_iyalla/IG)
