The 20-page report, covering activities through the Iranian year 1402 (March 2023 – February 2024), was published on Thursday, June 6, 2025, and includes detailed updates on religious life, community services, property management, youth education, and relations with the government. The report opens with praise for the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, and pledges of loyalty to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Iranian constitution.

MANAMA (Bahrain) – On the occasion of the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony in Bahrain, a Basketball For Good Clinic was hosted with local children and the inductees.

Organized at the Khalifa Bin Salman Sports City Arena by the FIBA Foundation with the support of the Bahrain Basketball Association, this event brought together 70 boys and girls aged 8 to 12 years old for a unique experience combining basketball fundamentals with health and well-being education.

The clinic, led by local coaches alongside FIBA Foundation Youth Leaders Bayan Moamen and Aya Salman, comprised different stations focusing on basketball skills enriched with an educational component to promote the importance of health and well-being.

In addition, the participants were also offered the chance to meet the FIBA Hall of Famers who joined the coaches and Youth Leaders to run the clinic. Alphonse Bilé, Andrew Bogut, Leonor Borrell, Pau Gasol, Ticha Penicheiro and Dawn Staley led the stations, played 3×3 basketball games, and interacted with the children in a fun and stimulating atmosphere.

Pau Gasol expressed on how basketball can impact lives, “Basketball contributes to children’s lives in a big way, it is such a great educator. It instills a lot of values in any kid or any person that plays the sport.”

Towards the end of the clinic, the Hall of Famers took the time to motivate the next generation of healthy and active basketball citizens by sharing inspiring stories, responding to questions, taking photos, and signing autographs.

The event wrapped up with a group photo, capturing a moment that will remain unforgettable for the kids as they continue their journey in Bahrain’s youth basketball programs.

The clinic marks another step forward for the Basketball For Good programs as the FIBA Foundation seeks to bring more Hall of Famers into its activities to inspire the new generations, setting the stage for future events engaging legends with local communities around the world.

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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate, and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.

BIRMINGHAM – On Friday Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced the formation of the Birmingham Youth Sports League (BYSL), a new initiative designed to enrich the lives of young people through athletic training, mentorship, and academic support.

“This is a chance for Birmingham to support and enhance the youth sports experience across our city,” said Mayor Woodfin. “We’re not just building athletes, we’re building character, community, and opportunity.”

The league will launch this summer with football and cheerleading, with plans to expand to basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer in future phases. Official launch dates for these additional sports will be announced at a later date.

The program will be funded through $500,0000 of seed money from the Birmingham City Council. That money is apart of the city’s yearly budget and is expected to be approved by early July. The money will go towards team uniforms, equipment, coaches pay, and registration fees to help take the financial load off of parents.

“In many youth programs there’s not adequate training because resources are a challenge if we take away that burden provide the training support those coaches who are quality mentors in our community then that’s the best of both worlds for all of our kids and the folks in the community who patronize these programs,” said Cedric Sparks with the City of Birmingham.

City leaders say the mission of BYSL is rooted in the CEETA standard: character, excellence, equity, teamwork, and accountability. Beyond athletic training, the league will focus on providing life skills, conflict resolution strategies, and academic mentorship to participating youth.

This pilot project builds on recent efforts to revive city-run youth engagement programs like the Police Athletic Teams (P.A.T.) by the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board and Birmingham Police Department.

The independent Birmingham Crime Commission emphasized the importance of such programs in its January 6, 2025 report, recommending “reinvest in mentorship, education, and diversion programs to reduce juvenile crime and foster positive relationships. Re-implement the Police Athletic Teams (P.A.T.) and other proven youth engagement and mentorship partnerships.”

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department has announced that the National Alliance for Youth Sports has awarded the Certified Youth Sports Administrator credential to Athletics Specialist Erica Shingleton. Shingleton earned the certification by successfully completing the Academy for Youth Sports Administrators.

As a CYSA, Shingleton joins an elite group of professionals that have earned certification in the field of youth sports and demonstrated that professional development is essential to the delivery of quality sports programs.

Prior to earning the industry recognized certification, candidates must review all materials that are available within the Academy sections and satisfactorily complete all nine section exams. Once the CYSA credential is earned, these youth sports leaders join more than 7,000 other certified professionals who, together, want to offer the highest quality sports experiences in their local communities.

A town of Wake Forest employee since 2024, Shingleton joins Athletics & Aquatics Manager Edward Austin and Athletics Specialist Mikkel Patterson as the PRCR Department’s third CYSA staff member.