A fight over whether transgender girls should be allowed to participate on girls sports teams boiled over in the Oregon House Thursday, despite the fact that a bill to limit transgender students’ participation in Oregon sports was dead on arrival at the Legislature.

Republicans attempted to force a vote on a bill that would have required Oregon schools to segregate sports, bathrooms and locker rooms according to students’ sex assigned at birth.

House Bill 2037, sponsored by 15 House and Senate Republicans, was assigned to the House Education Committee. But the committee’s Democratic chair never put it on an agenda, killing it. Similar bills proposed in past Legislative sessions have also met a dead end.

In Oregon, the conversation about allowing transgender girls to compete in girls sports, a political lightning rod nationwide, has primarily focused on high school track and field. Last year, a transgender teen captured national attention when she won the state championship in the 200 meter race. As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported, that teen has since decided to move to Canada, where her family believes she will be safer.

Several Republicans brought female athletes to the House chamber Thursday. During the daily opportunity for House members to introduce guests, they heralded the girls’ accomplishments while making a point that they shouldn’t have to compete against athletes assigned male at birth. A few House Republicans applauded young women who boycotted events or medal ceremonies that included transgender athletes.

But House Republicans’ attempt to enact legislation on the matter fell flat on a resounding party-line vote: 32 Democrats voted against the effort to even consider the bill while 22 Republicans voted yes.

Republicans immediately sent out press releases criticizing Democrats for that move.

But the conversation didn’t end there. For the final 35 minutes of Thursday’s nearly three hour floor session, lawmakers from both parties vented their frustration about the morning’s antics.

Rep. Rob Nosse, a Portland Democrat, said he felt Republicans had abused a part of the daily schedule reserved for introducing guests and highlighting notable developments to instead argue a policy position. He and other Democrats argued that transgender athletes should of course be allowed to compete in youth sports and warned about the dangers of alienating young trans girls who under the bill would be denied the opportunity to use bathrooms that align with their gender identities.

“There are probably more thoughtful ways and meaningful ways that we could talk about this challenge and this topic. But what I heard this morning was not the way that I think that should be done,” Nosse said. “Mostly what I heard … I thought it was just mean.”

Republicans fired back that they haven’t been allowed to have the policy discussion in the typical channels.

“Those girls, those women, they want fairness and they want justice and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Rep. Ed Diehl, a Scio Republican.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan said she was trying to advocate for girls, including an intern who sat with her on the House floor, who she said are afraid to share their locker rooms with transgender peers.

“I do not appreciate the language as if the perspective of the women that came into this building today was a political stunt. They are not being heard in this building. They matter,” Drazan said.

“… How do we make this fit? How do we balance these interests? We must struggle with the both/and of our work inside of this building. And refusing to have a hearing on this relegates this conversation to this.”

Rep. Jules Walters, a West Linn Democrat, urged her colleagues to “legislate with compassion.”

Walters pointed out that many transgender staff members work at the Capitol: “When politicians speak callously on matters relating to identity, they’re speaking to their colleagues, their colleagues’ staff and their colleagues’ families,” Walters said. “This chamber is not a vacuum.”

Several Democrats pointed to the high risk of bullying, mental health concerns and youth suicide reported by transgender students.

“This rhetoric attacking trans youth has devastating real-life consequences. At best it alienates Oregon’s children. And at worst it leads to children taking their own lives,” Walters said.

Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430.

Nike is launching Toma El Juego, a youth-led street soccer platform designed to unleash the joy, freedom and creative expression of the game through neighborhood tournament play and local experiences — bringing athletes and fans closer to the sport and their communities while creating a new generation of local legends.

Built by Nike but born from the community, Toma El Juego (Take The Game) adds a new dimension to the game by tapping into the energy of street soccer, fostering a connection with athletes that extends beyond the pitch and working together to define the game for the next generation, reflecting Nike’s longstanding commitment to soccer culture.

The first chapter of the Toma El Juego journey will begin this month in Los Angeles, where Nike will bring together young athletes from eight area neighborhoods for a knockout-style street soccer tournament that embodies the essence of the game and the culture that surrounds it.

Toma LA kicks off June 11 in downtown Los Angeles, ushering in a new era of Nike Soccer and highlighting local soccer culture by merging the worlds of sport, style, food, art and music. Each of the eight participating neighborhoods will bring their best young men’s and women’s athletes for crew showdowns and individual all-star competitions. Toma LA neighborhood crews will include: Culture FC (Orange County), Football For Her (South Los Angeles), House of 626 (San Gabriel Valley), Insainz (San Fernando Valley), La Comunidad (East Los Angeles), Tiki Taka Futbol (Central Los Angeles), Toque (Southeast Los Angeles) and Venice Beach Football Club (Westside). 

Coinciding with the showcase is Nike’s first Toma Night Market. Powered by SNKRS, the experience is designed to foster culture and community with emerging brands, creators and game-changers who are pushing the boundaries of soccer and fandom. The launch event will also bring together soccer and sneaker culture with neighborhood partner experiences, surprise product drops and a .SWOOSH experience.

Experience collaborators include Georgina Treviño, Kids of Immigrants, Hood Baby LA, ISM, UNDEFEATED, Utopia, Jacob Rochester and Miles Canares. Nike Re-Creation partner products will also be available from Defective Garments and Are You Mad.

Following the launch showcase, Nike will host the Toma LA neighborhood tournament June 21 through July 20 at unique venues throughout the city, with eight teams of men’s and women’s athletes from each neighborhood competing in their respective brackets for the chance to represent their community at the Toma LA finals. Each hyperlocal tournament will reflect the community, music, art and style of the neighborhood and the people who live and play there.

Nike will then take over a Los Angeles destination for the Toma LA finals in late July, crowning neighborhood crews and individual MVPs as champions — cementing their status as local legends and celebrating the moment with surprise appearances from Nike sport and culture icons.

Crews competing in the neighborhood showcase and finals will wear distinctive Nike kits created in partnership with streetwear and skate brands, Paisaboys and Badfriend. In partnership with U.S. Soccer, athletes participating in Toma LA will also gain an opportunity to continue chasing their dreams on the global stage.

The first chapter of Toma El Juego draws inspiration from Nike’s 2002 Secret Tournament campaign and follows recent Nike x Travis Scott street soccer experiences, Mad Maximus and Secreto Maximus.

Toma El Juego is designed to scale to additional cities on the road to 2026. Similarly, the Toma Night Market will also expand its reach to serve the soccer and sneaker communities in new markets over the coming months.

Brady Golliday collected three hits in five at bats, as Indian Lake Acme defeated Riverside Pirates Acme 14-4 on Wednesday. Brady Golliday doubled in the fourth inning, singled in the third inning, and singled in the fifth inning.

Indian Lake jumped out to the lead in the bottom of the first inning after a steal of home scored a run, Dawson Stevenson singled in another, Reed Strayer hit a 2-run single, Grant Wickline drew a walk to score, and a wild pitch scored a run.

The Lakers added a run in the second after Jaxon Snipes singled to left field. Indian Lake then added one run in the third when Brady Golliday singled to center field, making the score 8-1.

Lane Kipker started on the mound for Indian Lake. The hurler gave up one hit and three runs (one earned) over four innings, striking out five and walking two. Camden Shoe takes the loss for Riverside. He surrendered eight hits and eight runs (one earned) over three innings, striking out two and walking four. Brody Black appeared in relief for Indian Lake Acme.

Indian Lake amassed 13 hits in the game. Snipes, Golliday, and Strayer each drove in two runs for the Lakers. Aaron Rapp and Brody Black each collected multiple hits for Indian Lake.

Brody Orsborne led Riverside with one hit in three at bats.

Indian Lake welcomes the St. Henry Redskins on Thursday for their next game.

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx announced today it will celebrate Minnesota Lynx legend and four-time WNBA champion Seimone Augustus and her 2024 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and 2024 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductions with a special pregame ceremony and banner unveil on Saturday, June 14 vs. Los Angeles Sparks at 12:00 p.m. CT.

The on-court pregame program will be emceed by FanDuel Sports Network Lynx analyst Lea B. Olsen and will include remarks from fellow Naismith Hall of Famer (2018) and former Lynx player and Associate Head Coach Katie Smith. Augustus and Smith won gold together as members of the 2008 U.S. Women’s National Team in Beijing and share a connection through their legendary Lynx careers. Current Lynx players will wear an honorary Augustus warm-up shirt.

Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11:15 a.m. with the first 6,000 fans receiving a mini-replica Augustus Hall of Fame banner giveaway. The ceremony is set to start at approximately 11:30 a.m. Doors open an hour before tipoff at 11:00 a.m.

The celebratory weekend will also feature a special mentoring night with Augustus and Twin Cities Pride, including LGBTQ+ youth from QUEERSPACE collective and Transforming Families. Hosted at The Pride Cultural Arts Center, youth will have the opportunity to spend an evening in conversation with Augustus. In addition, Augustus will host a youth basketball clinic with Lynx alumni, including Smith, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Tamika Williams-Jeter and Devereaux Peters at the team’s practice facility, Mayo Clinic Square.

Augustus, a first-time nominee, became only the second Lynx player in franchise history to be elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, joining Lindsay Whalen who was selected in 2022. She is the fourth all-time Lynx to receive this prestigious honor alongside Whalen, Smith (2018) and Teresa Edwards (2011). Augustus’ WNBA career spanned 16 years, earning her four WNBA Championships with Minnesota (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), six All-WNBA selections (2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) and eight All-Star nods (2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018).

In addition to her four WNBA Championships, which also includes 2011 WNBA Finals MVP honors, Augustus cemented her legacy with three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012 and 2016) with Team USA and two FIBA World Championship medals (2006 and 2014).

Augustus currently serves on the USA Basketball 2025-2028 Quadrennium Board of Directors as an Athlete Director. She was a member of USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee who selected the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, who won gold in last year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Augustus’ coaching career includes time with the Los Angeles Sparks (2021-2022), and she currently serves as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team at her alma mater, Louisiana State University (LSU). The Baton Rouge native, who became the first former female student-athlete at LSU to receive a statue in her honor in 2023, was also inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in June 2024.

Minnesota retired Augustus’ number 33 jersey on May 29, 2022 immortalizing her place in the Target Center rafters. Her legacy also lives on at LSU, where her number 33 hangs in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and her statue stands outside the arena.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday signed into law the Stand With Women Act, which forbids biological males from competing in women’s sports in K-12 schools as well as at colleges and universities.

“Because of the physical differences between males and females, having separate athletic teams based on the sex of the athlete reduces the chance of injury to female athletes, promotes equality between the sexes, provides opportunities for female athletes to compete against their female peers rather than against male athletes, and allows female athletes to compete on a fair playing field for scholarships and other athletic accomplishments,” the law states.

At a signing ceremony, Pillen praised the development, saying the act “is really a big deal, for our young people, for our kids, standing up for women, and it’s a big deal standing up for the values of Nebraska.”

Prior to its passage, the bill was hotly contested, and attempts to ban biological men from women’s bathrooms and locker rooms did not make the final cut.

“We were only able to get the athletic portion on, but I will be back next year bringing you the bathrooms and the locker rooms…the work is not done,” said state Sen. Kathleen Kauth during the signing ceremony.

KOLN reported that not everyone is pleased, such as OutNebraska Executive Director Abbi Swatsworth, who stated: “We are disappointed by the signing of LB 89, a transgender youth sports ban, into law today. Our hearts break for the young children and families who are celebrating Pride this month while also grappling with the reality of this harmful legislation.”

But conservatives praised the development.

“Letting men intrude on women and girls’ sports teams is an invasion of privacy, a threat to their safety, and a denial of the real biological differences between the sexes,” said Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Erica O’Connell in a statement, adding Kauth and the Nebraska Family Alliance played a large role in its passage.

“Nebraska is right to ensure that female athletes of all ages have a fair and level playing field and protect the safety and dignity of women and girls.”

MORE: HS girls softball team wins championship behind arm of male pitcher

IMAGE CAPTION & CREDIT: A group of female athletes smile and hug each other / People Images (Shutterstock)

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TROY, Ala. – T-Roy’s Kids Club is back for the 2025-26 athletic season. Kids 12 and under can join the fun with ‘Early Bird Pricing’ for $30 per membership until July 30. Following July 30, membership will cost $35 per child. All T-Roy’s Kids Club members will receive a complimentary t-shirt, T-Roy activity book and access to exclusive events throughout the year.
 
Trojan fans 12 and younger who join will be part of the unique opportunity that pairs them with the Trojan Warrior Club, which allows the youth to become valued members of Troy Athletics.
 
Kids Club members will receive an email newsletter, a birthday card from T-Roy and a membership credential that they can use for exclusive access during Troy home events. In-game opportunities for members may include National Anthem Buddies, T-Roy’s Kids Club Member of the Game, game ball delivery, high five tunnels and much more.
 
Registering for T-Roy’s Kids Club is as simple as visiting TroyTrojans.com/KidsClub or calling our ticket office at (334) 670-3681.
 
If you have any questions about the T-Roy’s Kids Club, contact Macy Wiederin at mwiederin@troy.edu.