Rec Sports

From Spring to Fall: Howard Palmetto Covers All the Bases

Published

1 month ago

May 24, 2025

The Howard Palmetto Baseball & Softball Association (HPBSA) is riding high after a dynamic Spring 2025 season, where over 800 kids showcased their talents in league play. As the spring season wraps up, the spotlight turns to All-Star Weekend on May 30th, a thrilling celebration featuring T-Ball skills competitions, home run derby parties, four-team All-Star tournaments for the Atom American-Atom National and Bantam divisions, and the unveiling of new ball fields at Chapman Park. With this excitement setting the stage, HPBSA, the largest recreational baseball league in Florida since 1962, is eager to launch its Fall 2025 season, inviting young athletes aged 4–14 to sharpen their baseball skills in vibrant South Florida.

HP T-Ball Stars: Building the Basics
The T-Ball Stars Program is back, designed to prepare 5-year-olds for the Atom American Coach Pitch division while welcoming spring 2025 veteran-4-year-olds back to the diamond. No tryouts are required, and preselected teams prioritize volunteers’ children and 5-year-olds. Practices begin in August on weekdays, with Saturday morning games running from September to December at parks in Pinecrest & Palmetto Bay. Gameplay emphasizes fundamentals, tracking outs alongside runs, and wraps up with an exciting end-of-season tournament. For more details, contact Sean at tball@howardpalmetto.com.

HP Fall Ball: Competitive Local Fun for Ages 6–11
HP Fall Ball offers Coach Pitch and Kid Pitch divisions, each forming 4–6 drafted teams. Games are played on weekends at Chapman Fields Park in southern Coral Gables and/or Suniland 1 park in Pinecrest from September through December, complemented by monthly single-elimination tournaments. Player evaluations are ongoing, with final makeups next week, team selections by early June, drafting by mid-June, and practices starting in August. Priority is given to returning HPBSA Spring 2025 players, while those in external fall leagues are ineligible. For more details, contact Josh at info@howardpalmetto.com

HP Sandlot: Flexible Play for Multi-Sport Athletes
For players aged 6–11 not drafted to HP Fall Ball or looking to prepare for Spring 2026, HP Sandlot offers a flexible, low-commitment option. Featuring Coach Pitch and Kid Pitch games, Sandlot operates on a weekly RSVP basis with rotating players and guest coaches. It’s perfect for multi-sport athletes or those with busy schedules. Teams play pickup-style games (complete with uniforms and umpires) against each other and the Marlins Academy from early September to mid-December at Chapman Fields Park and Suniland 1, with the added perk of joining HP Fall Ball’s monthly tournaments. A set weekly practice keeps skills sharp. For more details, contact Carolina at info@howardpalmetto.com

HP Aces: Elite Travel for 7U–14U
The revamped HP Aces program targets competitive players aged 7U–14U, with tryouts scheduled over the next 10 days. Aces teams will compete in MYBA or PBSA leagues, with top-tier HP Fall Ball players (7U–10U) eligible to join tournament-only Aces teams for events in Dade County, the Keys, or other regional locations. Aces players in external leagues like MYBA or PBSA are ineligible for HP Fall Ball but can participate in HP Sandlot for additional playtime. As with HP Fall Ball, the non-refundable HPBSA Spring 2026 league registration is included in the fall HP Aces fee. For more details, contact Phil at aces@howardpalmetto.com

Join the Fun!

Our success is driven by you—the dedicated community of volunteers and families who make HPBSA a cornerstone of youth sports. Offering programs for every skill level—T-Ball Stars, HP Fall Ball, HP Sandlot, and the upgraded HP Aces—HPBSA ensures every player, from beginners to competitive stars, has a chance to step up to the plate. Registration for all programs opens June 1st on howardpalmetto.com. Let’s make this fall season a home run!

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Rec Sports

Former MLB player with PNW roots takes on unhealthy youth sports culture

A few years ago, when KUOW’s Kim Malcolm was a Little League baseball mom, she remembers seeing signs bolted to the wire fence in front of the bleachers. They said: “These are kids. This is a game. Umpires are human. Your child is not being scouted by a major league team today.” The signs were […]

Published

8 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A few years ago, when KUOW’s Kim Malcolm was a Little League baseball mom, she remembers seeing signs bolted to the wire fence in front of the bleachers.

They said: “These are kids. This is a game. Umpires are human. Your child is not being scouted by a major league team today.”

The signs were clearly meant to influence Kim’s behavior, and the people sitting around her who could get a little too wrapped up in the game, ratchet up the anxiety, and lower the fun factor for everyone.

Travis Snider knows about this from many angles. He was a standout for Mill Creek’s Little League baseball team in the late 90s who went on to play in the major leagues for eight years. Now, he’s a dad and a coach who runs 3A Athletics, an organization that aims to transform the culture of youth sports. He told Kim about his plans.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Kim Malcolm: A line on your company’s website struck me. It says, “It’s no longer a matter of if we should embrace a healthier culture, it’s a matter of when.” That strikes me as a major task. Tell me about how you’re trying to achieve that.

Travis Snider: One bite at a time. I think we understand that this is going to be an uphill battle, and not every parent is in the space of wanting to hear better ways to approach parenting your kids through sports. But we feel like sports is a great vehicle for us to dive into some of these deeper, nuanced topics, and help parents understand. A lot of the time, our intent is coming from the right place, but what we’re actually displaying, as far as behavior and how we handle these situations, is actually counterproductive. I think our ultimate goal as parents is to raise healthy and happy human beings who can go out and thrive in the world no matter what comes their way.

Let’s go back to when you were a Little League baseball player. Was there a moment when you realized that playing baseball wasn’t just about having fun?

I experienced a panic attack at 11 years old in the Western Regional tournament for Little League. We had won the state championship. Playing in front of 6,000 fans, and failing for the first time on a stage like that, was really difficult for me to process. At the time, we thought it was sports-induced asthma. What we came to understand was this was really an anxiety attack.

I was able to suppress it and continue on with my career and never really have to go back and address it. But as I started to transition out of playing professional baseball and making the decision to retire, I had to unpack that identity of who I was outside of the baseball player. It brought me back to that moment when I was 11 years old, and just the feeling of being on the mound and not being able to throw a strike, and understanding how much pressure I felt in that moment where it didn’t seem like it was as fun.

How did your parents handle your success, and also the days when it wasn’t as successful?

They were not parents who pushed me to work and get better at sports. They supported me and did a great job of building a community of parents around me who supported me and our family through the ups and downs. But at the end of the day, there was no information out there at the time. The internet didn’t even really exist. They were doing the best they could with what they had. I think that’s where we’re really trying to change the game for parents in youth sports now, to provide them with a lot of resources to help navigate the successes and the failures that you’re going to experience in youth sports.

For family members and kids who may be in the car right now listening to you, what’s your best advice if they’re on the way home from a game?

The car ride is probably the most overlooked opportunity for us as parents to build a connection. Instead, what we do from a place of instinct is correct mistakes. What our kids need in that moment is a safe space where they feel this connection and unconditional love. I think for parents, it’s really hard for us, whether it’s the anxiety, or the fear of missing out, or our kids falling behind, that we feel like we have to be the coach in that moment. Really, all they need is mom and dad just to create that warm energy to say, “It’s okay no matter what happens, whether it’s good or if it’s bad, you’re loved no matter what.”

Many is the time I’ve been in that car, and I was casting about for the right words and just feeling so inadequate, not sure what to say.

When you get done with work, the last thing you want is somebody to come tell you all the things that you did wrong. But that’s just our instinct as parents, and that’s something we’re really trying to help guide them through. What are these nuanced situations in which we really can build a stronger connection and trust, to open the door for communication? Instead, what we oftentimes do is correct those mistakes, and have our kids go through this experience of questioning, what really makes me valuable, and is the car ride a safe space for me to enter without feeling like mom or dad’s going to come down on me?

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.

Kim’s Full Conversation With Travis Snider

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Rec Sports

Families and businesses are concerned about the effect of tariffs on youth sports | National Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball. The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely […]

Published

30 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball.

The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, Michael, 46, are watching closely for the ramifications of tariffs on their rising youth sports budget.

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Rec Sports

Lincoln Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest Set For Saturday | KLIN

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is teaming up with Lincoln Community Learning Centers for a Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest on Saturday at Peter Pan Park at 32nd and “W” streets. This free event will run from noon to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to reduce barriers to physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by connecting […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Attendees will enjoy live music, free food, sports games, a dunk tank and additional activities. “When kids participate in sports, their physical fitness increases, mental well-being improves, and social connections strengthen,” says Rachel Redepenning, LLCHD Public Health Educator. “This leads to lower risk of chronic diseases, avoidance of substance use and building of long-term social and emotional skills.”

Families who attend will be able to connect with sports programs for youth ages 3 through 16 and all skill levels that offer affordable options, financial aid, or scholarship opportunities for youth sports, learn about registration deadlines, cost, and expectations for various sports leagues and recreation programs.

For more information about the Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest event click here.

(Photo: Lincoln Parks and Recreation)

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Rec Sports

Why youth sports insurance is facing a critical reckoning

Mental health has become another area of focus. Sports organizations are investing in coach education, launching awareness campaigns, and adopting digital monitoring tools to stay ahead of potential issues. “We partner with MaxU, which offers daily three- to five-question assessments. It helps administrators, coaches, and parents spot early warning signs,” Burks said. Link 0

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

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Rec Sports

UVA Orthopedic chair warns of rising overuse injuries in youth sports

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) Dr. Bobby Chhabra, Chair of UVA Orthopedics, raised concerns over the increasing number of Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA and tied the trend to long-term overuse starting in youth sports. “Thirty years in the NBA I mean, just looking at the data, they averaged about one Achilles tendon rupture a year and now we have 3 in like 3 weeks during the playoffs,” he said, citing the cases of Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, and Damian Lillard. Chhabra pointed to the year-round nature of sports, saying even kids are playing through fatigue and skeletal development.

During an interview on WINA, Chhabra responded to commentary from UVA alum and former NBA player Olden Polynice, who suggested overtraining is draining players’ longevity. “Your body ain’t got but that many jumps in it,” Polynice said during a national radio appearance. Chhabra echoed the sentiment, urging parents to reconsider the current sports culture. “They should be playing three sports a year. They should have plenty of time to rest, particularly during adolescence when they’re skeletally mature and they’re still developing. But that’s not the culture in this country,” he noted.

As youth athletes face increasing pressure from scholarships and NIL deals, Chhabra warned that both physical and mental health risks are growing. “There’s too much pressure on these kids now,” he said. He advised that early specialization can lead to devastating injuries and long recovery periods, which are becoming more common at younger ages.

Listen to the full conversation here:

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Rec Sports

Steelers Player Had Classy Move After George Pickens Bailed on Youth Football Camp

George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him. Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him.

Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign with the Steelers. The 24-year-old wideout now gets a fresh start in the NFC East, where he’ll be catching balls from quarterback Dak Prescott as well as trying to win Cowboys fans over.

A recent account about Pickens’s inconsiderate behavior won’t help with the latter: the ex-Steelers star apparently bailed on his summer football camp at Highmark Stadium at the last minute, according to TruEdge Sports, a company that specializes in youth sports camps.

It’s important to note that the company checked with Pickens after the Cowboys trade to see if he was still committed and would still show up to the event, scheduled for June 28. Pickens said he would, but allegedly backed out last week.

“Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified by George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp,” the company wrote.

Thankfully, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth volunteered his services and offered to help run the camp in Pickens’s absence. A few other Steelers players may be joining as well.

George Pickens backed out of his Pittsburgh football camp last minute. Pat Freiermuth stepping in as one guest. Possibly other Steelers players as well. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/zTnaDzNhuW

— Steelers Depot (@Steelersdepot) June 25, 2025

Nothing but class from the Steelers’ young star.

The Steelers will no doubt be happy to put the drama-filled days of the George Pickens era behind them and are now jumping into a boat with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the upcoming season. What could possibly go wrong?