Inside of 407Sports LLC’s walls, the sounds of basketballs bouncing on the freshly polished hardwood, echoes of volleyballs bouncing on state-of-the-art courts and the hum of strength training equipment fill the facility on any afternoon.
As the youth sports organization prepares for its first full year of operation in 2026, founders Ryan Trimbee and Nik Winkleman are focused not only on opening doors but also redefining what athlete development can look like in Central Florida.
The 71,000-square-foot facility already feels alive. The energy the facility creates represents the completion of a big picture that’s been years in the making.
After nearly two decades in education and eight years in a corporate leadership role, Trimbee walked away from stability to chase a vision that began in 2018 as Windermere Basketball Academy. What started as a part-time training program a few days per week has evolved into 407Basketball, a full-scale athlete development hub designed to serve basketball, volleyball and beyond.
“It was hard, but it feels like I’m fulfilling a purpose in my life,” he said.
Looking back, it’s been incredible for him to see the evolution of their small basketball academy over the years and now, eight years later, start the new year with partnership with a volleyball club. Both are centered around the same goals.
“Conditioning, strength training are all focused around (athletes’) goals,” Trimbee said. “The kids need to have something to strive for, something to do, something to work for and so the purpose is to challenge them, help them become the best version of themselves.”
That programming will begin with a holistic approach to development. Young athletes will train on the court, in the weight room and learn how to recover.
In the center of the facility, separating the volleyball and basketball courts, cold plunges, saunas and Hyperice recovery equipment are integrated into daily routines. It reflects the philosophy that athletes must recover as hard as they train.
“When we train as hard as we do, we have to recover the same way,” Trimbee said. “That’s how athletes can do it again and again and again.”
The result is a system designed to build what Trimbee calls the “total athlete.” They will be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared to compete at the highest level. Trimbee said the facility expects to host athletes for strength training from all sports, rather than only volleyball and basketball.
“Athletes that want to train and compete at a high level,” he said. “We’re looking for 407Sports to become that hub.”
Strength training is applicable to any sport. It’s a key element to grow athletes’ strength, which in turn translates to their on-court or on-field performance through higher verticals and faster reaction times. The application across the board is what will allow the youth sports facility to expand its arms to those sports that might not have a physical court inside of the building and even open its doors to professional athletes residing in the area.
The training field encompasses brand new, top-of-the-line equipment ranging from squat racks to indoor rowing machines, free weights, stationary bikes and a turf area. All of the machinery is in place to develop the athletes into high level competitors and it is all kicking off in the 2026 year.
NEW FORM OF STUDENT-ATHLETE
One of the initiatives 407Basketball is launching a new daytime academic and basketball training program, approved by the Florida Department of Education as a Step Up scholarship provider.
The program is designed for homeschool and Florida Virtual School students, and it will allow families to use state education funds to combine academics with structured athletic training during the day. Students grades six through 12 will arrive at 9 a.m. and remain at the facility until 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
During their school hours, they will rotate through coursework, strength training and basketball development. The program’s priority will focus on the “student” in student athlete first.
“Most of these kids are playing for the next level,” he said. “They’re playing for college opportunities, scholarships and whatnot, they will be in school,” he said. “So academics have to be there. Training is there but we’ve combined them both.”
An on-site education administrator will help the student-athletes with their studies. A trainer also will take students through their strength training programs and basketball practices.
The academy’s model reflects the changing landscape of education in Florida, where school choice and virtual learning are becoming increasingly common, Trimbee said. Rather than waiting for evening practices that typically stretch late into the night after a long school day, student-athletes can complete their training during traditional school hours and leave the evening free for family time and recovery.
“Not only will they get a scholarship, but then they can enroll their child into homeschool, and then they can find a place for them to train,” Trimbee said.
The 71,000-square-foot facility opened this week with the goal of developing the area’s next generation of top athletes.
Photo by Megan Bruinsma
The facility already has created an entire curriculum built around the program. Students will come in and conduct their morning stretches, warm ups and a small lift. Then they will head to the desks and start their school work before closing the laptops and doing work on the court.
To foster the ideal study area for the youth, 407Basketball has built an area with tables and chairs to lay the groundwork for academic success.
It’s expected to become a highly successful program for 407Sports, Trimbee said.
Parents already have expressed their strong interest, and a waitlist has formed prior to the program’s Tuesday, Jan. 13, launch. Starting the program is a large growth area for the facility and they hope to have a successful first-year running it, which will foster the ability to sustain it for years to come and offer it throughout the West Orange community.
With the Florida Virtual School platform, high school students already have begun to graduate at a higher rate than public schools, Trimbee said. The program will emphasize continuing the accelerated rates and prepare the athletes for the college level when they will have to balance constant training with the higher level of academics.
It will be 407Basketball’s biggest program the facility will offer to the community, but the “sports” aspect of their title won’t be forgotten. Following the morning programs, the facility will transition into its evening training groups.
BASKETBALL EXPANSION
The evening will consist of group and individual training sessions for children at the middle school to high school levels, Trimbee said. Basketball remains at the core of 407Basketball’s identity for its future endeavors, and the programming planned for 2026 is extensive.
The organization will offer training camps and college scouting camps in its first year of operation.
Courtesy photo
Evening training sessions will serve more than 100 athletes across age groups and there are options for group skills training, private instruction and team-based development. The facility also will host holiday camps, a three-week summer camp for young children and adult men’s and women’s leagues.
Outside of hosting training sessions, 407Basketball will focus on developing AAU basketball leagues. On the boys’ side, it will have teams from 10U through varsity age groups, and for the girls, the facility will start from the ground and build up, creating a 12U and 13U team.
“As a girl dad, I feel this deeply,” Trimbee said. “There’s a gap in opportunities for female athletes and I want to help fill it.”
It’s important to him to close the gap and become a place that fosters the growth of all youth athletes. The AAU leagues will begin in March and practice in the afternoons once the other programs clear the facility.
BRINGING THE NEXT LEVEL
The ultimate goal is not only to compete but also prepare young athletes by granting them the training space and exposure they need to make middle school, high school and, down the road, college rosters.
From a parent’s perspective, Trimbee understands the challenges with paving the way for their children to make it to the collegiate level. His daughter is a high level softball player at Windermere High and already has begun the recruitment process for the next level. It’s caused the family to travel across the country for exposure and showcases.
The time, travel and cost that has gone into recruitment has been immense, but now he realizes even deeper how a college showcase facility can impact locals to Central Florida. For families, it means they will have to book fewer flights, fewer hotels and, overall, have easier access.
Parents’ experiences with recruitment has shaped one of 407Basketball’s most important goals in its inaugural year: becoming a regional hub for college exposure camps. Trimbee said the camps will range in exposure to Division I, Division II, Division III and junior colleges, and any coaches are welcome.
Trimbee envisions the showcases as full-day events that will bring college coaches and scouts directly to Central Florida. Athletes would be evaluated using measurable metrics — their vertical jump, speed, strength and shooting efficiency — while also participating in on-court drills and live play.
“We have the space,” Trimbee said. “We have the equipment. We can give coaches a real look at these athletes.”
NEW SENSE OF PURPOSE
The facility was built with the intention of shaping young athletes, meaning it will not serve as a large-scale host for national tournaments. Down the road, Trimbee said the organization might decide to host smaller tournaments, but it won’t be decided upon in the near future.
The focus is to test the waters in their first year and develop the school program, AAU leagues and camps to a level with which they are happy. If those internal programs do well, then possibly they will open the facility to rental opportunities or tournaments, but for now, they are sticking with the plan of developing athletes.
It’s a mission that has given Trimbee a new sense of life.
“If I could help one kid at least feel good about it and just have that (college) chance, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with it,” Trimbee said. “You have to train, you have to perform. You have all these things that you have to do but if that’s the dream, let’s get the dream accomplished.”
After a long three years in the making, the facility now is up and running. The process to get to the point where they are at now has been a psychological battle, requiring them to channel their deepest needs. But it’s an exciting step.
“The perseverance me and Nik have gone through, it’s unmatched and we want everybody to experience what we’ve been able to experience,” he said.
The Whitefish Winter Carnival has crowned its first round of royalty, the Prime Minister and the Duchess of Lark.
Zak Anderson was named Prime Minister and Katie Akey was crowned Duchess of Lark during the Merry Maker on Saturday.
Zak Anderson is a longtime Whitefish community member with a career rooted in volunteer leadership and civic service. With over two decades of experience in hospitality, marketing, youth sports, and event production, Anderson consistently applies his skills to strengthen local organizations and community initiatives.
Anderson serves as board president of the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center, supporting public safety, education, and forecasting for backcountry users across northwest Montana. He is also a board member of Housing Whitefish, a nonprofit focused on workforce housing solutions, and previously served on the Whitefish Planning Board. In his role as executive director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau, Zak serves on the city of Whitefish’s Sustainable Tourism Management Plan Committee, contributing to efforts that balance tourism, livability, and environmental stewardship.
Across civic planning, tourism, and public safety, Anderson brings a collaborative, hands-on approach. He leverages his experience in operations, fundraising, and communications to strengthen organizations that serve the greater Flathead Valley.
A lifelong local with deep roots in our realm, Katie Akey is a Whitefish native who embodies the town’s spirit of service and community.
Though she left for a brief period, her return was marked by a seamless transition back into the local fabric, picking up exactly where she left off: championing the traditions and people that make Whitefish home and serving those who are lucky enough to visit.
As a manager of the Great Northern Bar & Grill, Akey oversees one of the last remaining original local establishments. Under her and her family’s dedication to the realm “The Northern” has remained a vital community hub, raising over $65,000 for the Whitefish Winter Carnival through its legendary Disco Party. She has never been one to be part of anything in name only. This is reflected in her extensive volunteer work as a Winter Carnival board member for over 10 years and treasure for the past four. Setting up logistics for travel, participating in parades and stepping in as a character when needed.
Akey’s dedication lies not only in Carnival but also in the town’s heritage, growth and future. Through the FIT program benefiting children for the past 10 years, she’s helped sort prizes weeks in advance all the way through coming home covered in pink and blue dye from the Color Run fundraisers. Also, a member of the Big Mountain Commercial Association board, Akey has a passion for keeping the SNOW buses running and free to all the public by donating space at The Northern and helping serve at the fundraising events. Whether she is behind the scenes at the Great Northern, Winter Carnival, or advocating for students and local mountain transit, Akey remains a driving force in preserving the unique character and future of the community of Whitefish.
The Whitefish Winter Carnival continues through Feb. 8. Up next is the coronation of King Ullr LX VII and Queen of the Snows at the O’Shaughnessy Center at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17, followed by the Disco Party the same evening. For a full list of events, visit whitefishwintercarnival.com.
Whitefish Winter Carnival Prime Zak Anderson. (Photo courtesy of Picture Montana)
Apparently, this is becoming the standard at Hershey Bears games.
Published•Updated
We may have just seen the hockey fight of the year — and it didn’t even happen at an NHL game.
During an AHL match between the Hershey Bears and Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, youth players hit the ice at intermission for a quick mites game. But the crowd at the Giant Center got more than they bargained for.
At one point during the game, a fight broke out between two of the kiddos. The boys threw multiple haymakers as if they were auditioning for a role in a Slap Shot remake. After the player in blue wrestled the player in red to the ground, teammates got involved — attempting to push the blue player off their fallen comrade. That is until another blue player came in and body slammed the pile.
That’s when all hell broke loose. Suddenly, it was an all-out brawl of miniature hockey players punching and tackling each other onto the ice. At one point, a blue player got lost in the moment and started swinging on his own teammate.
Even a goalie got involved!
WATCH:
Not a referee in sight.
Here’s another angle, in case you can’t get enough:
I see promising hockey careers and a lot of missing teeth in their future.
Apparently, though, these sorts of brawls have become commonplace at Hershey Bears mites games. Check out this fight from Dec. 20.
In case you cared about the actual AHL game Saturday, the Bears got the win, 3-2, breaking a tie in the third period while short-handed.
But that’s not what any of the fans were buzzing about when they left the arena.
Youth artists who live in households or receive housing-related services managed by the Cullman Housing Authority are invited to take part in the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) “What Home Means to Me” poster contest. (Cullman Housing Authority)
CULLMAN, Ala. – Youth artists who live in households or receive housing-related services managed by the Cullman Housing Authority are invited to take part in the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) “What Home Means to Me” poster contest.
The contest is open to youth ages 5–18 and is part of a national program sponsored by NAHRO.
Since 2008, the competition has highlighted the artwork of children living in affordable housing, encouraging young artists to express what home means to them through original poster designs.
The contest is conducted in multiple rounds, beginning at the regional level. A total of 24 regional winners advance to the national competition, where 12 national winners are selected.
National winners have their artwork featured in NAHRO’s “What Home Means to Me” calendar the following year. Select winners also receive cash prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C.
Cullman Housing Authority officials encourage eligible youth and families interested in participating to visit the Cullman Housing Authority office at 408 Cleveland Ave. SW, Cullman, or call 256-734-6171 for complete contest guidelines and submission deadlines.
LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Student artists across Southern Maryland will soon have the chance to see their creativity displayed on gallery walls as the St. Mary’s County Arts Council prepares for Youth Art Month 2026, a celebration of young talent and arts education.
Youth Art Month, held each March, highlights the importance of visual arts in schools and gives children and teens an opportunity to showcase their work in a professional gallery setting. The annual exhibition is open to artists 18 and under who live in St. Mary’s, Calvert or Charles counties.
Organizers say Youth Art Month is designed to do more than display artwork; it aims to boost confidence, encourage self-expression and highlight the role of arts education in student development. The exhibit allows young artists to share their unique perspectives while engaging with the local arts community.
Submitted artwork must meet exhibition guidelines, including size limitations and family-friendly content. Students will be notified when artwork is ready for pickup following the close of the exhibition in early April.
The St. Mary’s County Arts Council, which hosts the event annually, works with educators, volunteers and community partners to support arts programming throughout the region and to ensure young artists have opportunities to learn, grow and be seen.
More information about submission requirements and scheduling appointments is available on the St. Mary’s County Arts Council Calls for Art website.
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Sophia Blackwell is a Lexington Park–based journalist who has called Southern Maryland home since 2011. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, she discovered her passion for journalism…
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One of the wildest fights of the hockey season may have occurred during the intermission of an American Hockey League game between the Hershey Bears and the Cleveland Monsters.
The Bears’ “Mites on Ice” segment features youth hockey players competing against each other during intermission. However, competitive play turned into an all-out brawl involving players from the Central Penn Panthers Youth Ice Hockey Club.
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A closeup of an American Hockey League logo during the game between the Hershey Bears and the Rockford IceHogs at the Giant Center on Jan. 4, 2026 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The club said Sunday it was investigating the events that occurred leading up to the brawl.
“We have been made aware of an incident that occurred last night during the ‘Mites on Ice’ event between periods of the Hershey Bears game,” the organization said. “The safety, well-being, and positive experience of all participants—especially our young players—are of the utmost importance.
NHL’S SEATTLE KRAKEN RECEIVE MIXED REACTIONS TO PRIDE-THEMED LOGO AND JERSEYS
The Hershey Bears celebrate a goal by Louie Belpedio #7 which triggered the tossing of stuffed animals at the Giant Center on Jan. 4, 2026 in Hershey, Pennsylvania(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
“We are currently conducting an internal review to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident. This review will include gathering information from all relevant parties and assessing the situation thoroughly and responsibly.”
The club said it didn’t want to draw conclusions until the investigation was complete.
“At this time, we believe it is important to allow this process to take place before drawing conclusions. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our families, partners, and community as we work through this matter.”
It’s not the first time this season the Bears have had a “Mites on Ice” fight.
The Hersey Bears hoist the Calder Cup on June 24, 2024.(Travis Boyd/Special to the Daily News/USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Another brawl took place on Dec. 20 between youth hockey players. It didn’t appear anyone was injured.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
