LOS ANGELES — To celebrate the 75-day countdown to NBA All-Star 2026 at Intuit Dome, the NBA and LA Clippers today announced All-Star Homecourt Hoops, a first-of-its-kind community initiative that will give Los Angeles families the opportunity to receive a free, NBA All-Star–branded outdoor basketball hoop.
Beginning December 3, Angelenos can submit their personal stories at Clippers.com/Hoops for a chance to receive one of the hoops distributed each day. Coaches, parents, and players are invited to share:
Why do they want a hoop?
What inspires them to play?
How has basketball impacted their life, family, or neighborhood?
How could the game change their future?
All-Star Homecourt Hoops builds on the NBA and Clippers’ long-standing investment in growing the game and creating places for kids to play. The Clippers have refurbished more than 500 basketball courts across Southern California, while the NBA—through Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Cares, and global youth programs—has helped millions of young players access the sport. This new initiative extends that commitment by placing high-quality outdoor hoops directly into the hands of families and neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
In Southern California, the average child stops playing sports by age 11, and fewer than 35% of young kids play sports regularly—a nearly 10% decline over the past decade. Across LA, many communities have experienced reduced access to gyms, recreation centers, and neighborhood play areas. Nearly 40% of families report not having a safe, walkable place for their child to play, and statewide childhood obesity rates have risen over the last five years. Girls face additional barriers—dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys without consistent, accessible programs.
All-Star Homecourt Hoops aims to inspire kids to play, increase access to the game, and provide more opportunities for young Angelenos to stay active—right in their own driveways, schools, parks, and neighborhood spaces.
All-Star Homecourt Hoops is a signature community initiative leading into NBA All-Star 2026, the first-ever NBA All-Star hosted at the Clippers’ new home, Intuit Dome. The league’s annual midseason showcase features an all-new U.S. vs. the World format, taking place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on NBC.
Tickets are on sale for NBA All-Star 2026 fan events taking place Thursday, Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 15—NBA Crossover, the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Castrol Rising Stars and the NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T—at NBAEvents.com.
NEW YORK — Two rookies made their first career starts for the Nets and Cam Thomas provided a scoring lift off the bench with an efficient 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the absence of key starters in a 120-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night at Barclays Center.
Brooklyn opened 2026 with a second straight loss and fell to 10-21, undone by a sluggish start, uneven offense and a Rockets team that continued to pour it on as the night wore on.
That tone was set early.
With three starters out, the Nets leaned further into their youth experiment, starting rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf and asking Wolf to set the table. Brooklyn’s start was anything but steady with Kevin Durant back in the building. The Rockets raced out to a 12-2 lead by the 9:14 mark as the Nets’ offense stalled and defensive breakdowns piled up, prompting an early timeout from head coach Jordi Fernández after Houston opened 6-for-6 from the field on a parade of layups.
Brooklyn steadied itself for a bit, ripping off a 16-8 run and flipping the momentum when Alperen Sengun went to the bench. But the response didn’t last long. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka quickly put Sengun back in, and he continued to be a problem. By the end of the first quarter, the Nets trailed 26-20, with Ziaire Williams scoring six points and grabbing two steals and Sengun leading all scorers with 10.
The second quarter is where it started to slip. Brooklyn hung around early, with Day’Ron Sharpe’s interior work briefly cutting the deficit to four, but the Rockets answered every push. Durant settled the game with shot-making, Reed Sheppard buried back-to-back 3s and the Nets’ offense stalled into turnovers and empty trips. Houston closed the half in control, taking a 53-42 lead into the break.
The third quarter is where Houston turned control into separation. It got ugly quickly. While Brooklyn committed just two turnovers in the period, the lack of offensive firepower showed as the Rockets shot 63.6% and saw Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Amen Thompson all reach double figures in the quarter. Thomas and Nic Claxton tried to keep the Nets within reach, but it wasn’t enough, as Brooklyn fell behind by as many as 26 and went into the fourth trailing 90-67.
It was never closer than 16 points down the stretch.
Rookies Powell, Wolf and Nolan Traore played 25, 29 and 26 minutes, respectively, shooting a combined 8-for-27 from the field. Thompson led six Rockets in double figures with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
Sharpe finished with a career-high seven assists with eight points, eight rebounds and two steals.
The Nets return to action Friday night on the second night of a back-to-back against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corp. has launched a revamped Outdoor Adventure Grant Program, awarding six grants to local school and youth teams as part of a new, more structured approach to community giving.
The grants support outdoor recreation and youth development programs in communities where Yamaha team members live and work. Company officials said the updated model replaces a traditional open-request system with a focused grant cycle aligned with Yamaha’s corporate social responsibility goals.
Under the new structure, Yamaha concentrates funding on fewer projects to make larger, more intentional investments that emphasize teamwork, youth engagement and access to outdoor experiences.
The six grant recipients are:
Central Lions Fishing Team
East Coweta High School Bass Fishing Team
Heard County High School Bass Fishing Team
SouthWest Atlanta Youth Mountain Bike Team
Swing Chic Foundation Girls Golf Team
Whitewater High School Bass Fishing Team
“These grants allow our students to experience opportunities that simply wouldn’t be possible without community support,” said Jeremiah Yates, coach of the Central Lions Fishing Team. “Yamaha’s investment goes far beyond funding. It shows our athletes that a global company believes in their potential, their growth and their passion for the outdoors.”
Yamaha leaders said the shift to a structured grant cycle is intended to strengthen partnerships and increase long-term impact.
“At Yamaha, we believe outdoor adventure builds confidence, resilience and connection, values that mirror our own,” said Bob Brown, president of Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corp. “By focusing our grants through a structured cycle, we’re able to create stronger partnerships and deliver a greater impact for the schools and organizations that share our mission.”
The company also announced that applications for its Spring Outdoor Adventure Grant cycle will open Jan. 15. Eligible applicants include local high schools and qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations seeking funding for outdoor recreation, athletics and adventure-based programs.
More information about eligibility and the application process is available on Yamaha’s Georgia website.
Christopher Blevins’ year headlines local athletes’ accomplishments
Durango’s Christopher Blevins celebrates on the top step of the podium after one of his two wins in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, in May. (Photo by Michael Cerveny)
It’s not 2026 yet, but it’s still a good time to look back at the top sports moments of 2025 before the new year.
There have been many memorable moments in 2025, with upset wins, game-winning shots, goals and hits. Durango athletes performed at their best in front of friends and family in La Plata County and thousands of miles away around the world.
Plenty of athletes had top moments in 2025, but Christopher Blevins stood above the rest of Durango’s athletes and moments. He became the first American male to secure the men’s mountain bike World Cup overall since 1991 and holds the 2025 UCI World Cup title for both cross-country short track (XCC) and cross-country Olympic (XCO) men’s elite divisions. He won nine World Cup races in 2025, making it a season to remember.
Blevins had plenty of headlines. However, there are still other teams, athletes and moments in Durango that deserve to be celebrated.
Let’s take a look back at each month of 2025 to see what the top stories and moments of the year were:
January: Durango High School girls basketball wins 12 consecutive games
Mariah Maestas of Durango High School puts up a shot while playing Montezuma-Cortez High School on Jan.7 at DHS. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)
Jerry McBride
The Durango High School girls basketball team had a fantastic 2024-2025, and a big reason why was its success in December and January.
It wasn’t the best start for the Demons, with two losses by a combined eight points in their first three games of the season. Then, Durango went on a run.
The Demons won 12 consecutive games, with the last six of those games coming in January. The run established Durango as a top team on the Western Slope and a top-10 team in 5A. It was a dominant run, with not a single win coming by less than four points, and 10 of those wins were by double digits.
It was an important run for the four seniors (Lilly Fitzpatrick, Ellie White, Mariah Maestas, Tyler Trujillo), who hadn’t been the main players on a winning team in their careers. The run eventually led to a 5A Great 8 state tournament appearance as a fantastic way to cap their careers.
February: Dugan, deKay finish second at state wrestling championships
Ignacio’s Lincoln deKay tries putting Norwood’s Coulter Shumway down for the count during 165-pound semifinal action at the IHS-hosted 2025 Class 2A Boys Wrestling Region II Championships. (Herald file)
No athletes or teams from Bayfield High School, Durango High School and Ignacio High School won state championships in 2025, but Durango’s Ryan Dugan and Ignacio’s Lincoln deKay were the closest.
Both wrestlers finished second at the Colorado High School Activities Association’s wrestling state championships in February.
It was a disappointing end to Dugan’s high school wrestling career as he had the state title in his sights over his final two seasons.
Dugan, a senior wrestling at 126 pounds in 4A, was the top seed in that bracket in February. He faced a familiar opponent in Julian Espinoza from Pueblo East. Dugan pinned Espinosa in the final of the 4A Region 1 Regional. Espinoza got the best of Dugan in the state final and won 1-0. Dugan finished his senior season 38-5 and came just short of being Durango’s first state champion in wrestling since 2000.
deKay wrestled at 165 pounds in 2A as a junior in February. In the final, deKay lost to Tripp DuVall from Holly 11-2, and Ignacio’s top wrestler finished his season 44-6.
Despite the loss, it was a fantastic career for Dugan. deKay’s high school career isn’t over as he chases the state title this season as a senior.
March: Durango girls basketball makes it to 5A Great 8
Durango High School celebrates its win over Montrose High School on March 5 at DHS during the Sweet 16 of the 5A state playoffs. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Jerry McBride
After winning 12 consecutive games in December and January, the Demons set themselves up for a great playoff run with the No. 8 seed in the 5A state championships. But a familiar foe stood in their way in Montrose.
The Red Hawks had beaten the Demons twice in the regular season by a combined eight points. Durango led going into the fourth quarter in both games. The Demons faced the Red Hawks in the 5A Sweet 16, and the third time was the charm, with Durango using its strong defense in a 32-23 win.
That win put Durango in the 5A Great 8 in the Denver Coliseum. Despite losing by 30 to top-seeded Air Academy, it was a successful season to get that far with a balanced team, not just a dominant player.
April: Blevins wins three of first four World Cup men’s elite mountain bike races
Durango’s Christopher Blevins crosses the finish line victorious at the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil in April. (Photo by Piper Albrecht)
Durango’s Christopher Blevins had a magical 2025, and it all started with the beginning of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season in Brazil in April.
Blevins showed in 2024 that he was good in Brazil with victories to start that season. In 2025, he showed the previous year wasn’t a fluke and that he was ready to content for the World Cup overall.
In Round 1 in Araxá, Brazil, Blevins won the men’s elite cross-country short track (XCC) and finished second in the men’s elite cross-country Olympic (XCO). In Round 2 in Araxá, Blevins won both races. This strong start gave Blevins a lead in the overall he wouldn’t relinquish.
May: Cobe Freeburn wins second consecutive Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
Cobe Freeburn, left, and Kai Lokey descend Coal Bank Pass during the 2025 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race on May 24 on their way to the finish line in Silverton. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Jerry McBride
The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic has been a proving ground for the top young riders around Durango for decades, and the 2025 race was no different.
Durango’s Cobe Freeburn won his second consecutive Iron Horse Bicycle Classic men’s pro race, biding his time before pulling away as the leaders descended into Silverton. It was a fantastic 2025 for Freeburn. The question is, will he race again to make it three consecutive wins in 2026?
June: Blevins has historic start to World Cup men’s elite short track mountain bike races
Durango’s Christopher Blevins competes in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, in May. Blevins won both the men’s elite races and leads the men’s elite standings. (Photo by Michael Cerveny)
After an excellent start in Brazil, Blevins looked unbeatable in the XCC races as the season went into the summer.
Blevins won the first five XCC races, with the last coming in Val di Sole, Italy, in late June. These wins helped Blevins maintain control of the overall title, even when he failed to finish on the podium of the XCO races.
At this point in the season, it seemed like Blevins wouldn’t be beaten in short track. He always seemed to know how to position himself in the early laps, when to kick and how much to have in the tank.
July: Quinn Simmons finishes second in Tour de France stage
Quinn Simmons competed in the 2025 Tour de France starting on July 5. It was Simmons’ third Tour de France. (Courtesy Lidl-Trek)
July was a month focused on cycling, with the Tour de France, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup happening and local high school and college sports on hiatus for the summer.
Durango’s Quinn Simmons grabbed plenty of the local headlines with his performances at the Tour de France. Simmons was an accomplished junior rider, winning the 2018 U.S. road race and time trial national championships and the 2019 junior road race world championship. But after crashes and injuries in his first few Tour de Frances, Simmons showed his talent in 2025.
Simmons got in the breakaway during Stage 6 of the Tour de France and crossed the line in second out of 179 riders after 201.5 kilometers of riding, which started in Bayeux, France, and finished in Vire Normandie, France, on July 10. It was Simmons’ top Tour de France stage finish of his career, and it showed that the American fan favorite can be one of the best climbers in the peloton.
The 2025 Tour de France was a success for Simmons as he finished with two top 10s, a career-best 59th in the General Classification and was voted the best teammate in the Tour. Simmons also finished 10th in the points classification and 14th in the youth classification.
Simmons also ended cycling’s most famous race on a high note by proposing to his girlfriend at the time (now wife) at the finish.
August: Nolan Pace goes low at Fruita Monument tournament to start season
Nolan Pace with the Durango High School golf team tees off on Aug. 18 at Hillcrest Golf Club. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)
Jerry McBride
The local sports schedule really gets busy once August rolls around, with local high school and college sports starting up. The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is still going on with plenty of local athletes competing, and Durango’s top gravel riders are still competing in the Life Time Grand Prix.
Even with all this going on, Durango High School boys golfer Nolan Pace stood out with his incredible play to begin the season.
The Demons began their season on Aug. 11 in Fruita at Adobe Creek National Golf Course. Pace won the Fruita Monument Wildcats Invitational by shooting a 5-under-par 67 and led the Demons to a second-place finish in the team standings.
Pace opened his 18 holes at Adobe Creek with a birdie on Hole 1 followed by a bogey on Hole 2. He started cooking with hot oil toward the end of his first nine, with birdies on six, seven and an eagle on the par 5 eighth. Pace finished his round with two birdies, six pars and a bogey on the back nine to finish 5-under-par.
Shooting 5-under-par is impressive at any level of golf, but especially at the high school level at the opening tournament of the season. It showed a very high ceiling Pace could reach and all the work he put into the offseason to prepare for his senior year.
September: Durango named as host city for 2030 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
It was relief as much as elation when Durango’s Ned Overend crossed the finish line in first at the 1990 mountain bike world championships in Durango. For a year, the pressure had been mounting for the hometown hero to win. (Herald file)
It was rumored for months that Durango would host the 2030 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, but it was still massive news for the community when it was confirmed on Sept. 25.
The 2030 world championships will mark the 40th anniversary of Durango hosting the first UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 1990.
Eight hundred mountain bikers from 55 countries will come to Durango to compete at Purgatory Resort in cross-country Olympic team relays, cross-country Olympic junior races, cross-country Olympic U23 races, cross-country Olympic elite races, downhill junior and elite races, and E mountain bike races.
Hosting in 2030 also comes with Durango hosting World Cup events in 2028 and 2029. Durango should have a lot of mountain bikers competing at a world-class level during that time.
Christopher Blevins will be in his early 30s and should still be competing at a high level in cross-country mountain bike. Asa Vermette will be in his early 20s and should be one of the top men’s elite downhill riders. Riley Amos and Savilia Blunk should be in the prime of their careers in the elite cross-country categories. Riders like Bailey Cioppa, Ivan Sippy and others should also have the chance to represent Durango on the world stage.
The 2030 world championships will also bring in millions of dollars to the local economy, with fans coming from around the world. It’s a ginormous deal for the town and its riders to have this event coming back; it’s one of the biggest stories of 2025
October: Blevins wins World Cup men’s elite mountain bike overall title
Durango’s Christopher Blevins crosses the finish line victorious at the ninth round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Lake Placid, New York, on Oct. 3. (Photo by Piper Albrecht)
Piper Albrecht
Durango hosting the 2030 world championships was a massive story in 2025, but Blevins winning the World Cup men’s elite mountain bike overall title might be even bigger.
Blevins wrapped up the overall in Lake Placid, New York, on Oct. 5. It was the perfect way to win the title for Blevins, by winning on home soil and by winning both the men’s elite cross-country short track race and men’s elite cross-country Olympic races.
It’s Blevins’ first overall World Cup title win and the first for an American male since John Tomac in 1991. Blevins won six of the nine men’s elite XCC races in 2025 and three of the nine men’s elite XCO races. He’s won both races in the same weekend three times this season.
Blevins could win another World Cup overall, but it’ll be hard to top how special his first one was.
November: Ignacio, Bayfield volleyball teams win regionals
Bayfield High School celebrates a point while playing against St. Mary’s Academy on Nov. 8 during the first round of regional playoffs at BHS. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Jerry McBride
The Durango High School volleyball team struggled in 2025, but the Bayfield High School and Ignacio High School volleyball teams picked up the slack by winning their regionals in November to move on to the state championships.
It was special for both schools since they hosted the regionals and had the home crowd behind them.
Ignacio defeated Hoehne, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-11) and then defeated Rye, 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-19. 25-14) on Nov. 7. The Bobcats improved to 21-4 overall which tied the 2023 team for the most wins the program has had in the last 15 years.
Bayfield swept St. Mary’s Academy and Peak to Peak to win the 3A Region 6 regional on Nov. 8 and move on to state for the second consecutive year.
Ignacio and Bayfield had different storylines with their runs to the state championships. Ignacio was a team led by juniors and sophomores. Therefore, it won’t be their last run at the state championships. Bayfield was a senior-led squad that finished their careers inside Bayfield High School with a win.
December: FLC women’s basketball wins two games in Texas for best start in six years
Alemaualii Fonoti of Fort Lewis College is fouled while going up for a shot while playing Adams State University on Dec. 13 at FLC. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)
Jerry McBride
There were no playoff wins in December for any local schools, but the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team got off to its best start in six years.
The Skyhawks beat Maryville University in Texas on Dec. 17 and UT Tyler in Texas on Dec. 18 to improve to 9-3 overall. FLC has improved drastically from head coach Lauren Zuniga’s first season, when the Skyhawks went 6-22 overall in 2024-2025.
Zuniga has done a much better job getting high-quality freshman and transfers who play the game Zuniga wants. FLC also has a lot of continuity from last season, which is rare in today’s college basketball.
The question is: Can FLC keep it up as the team dives into Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play?
The Trump administration has terminated the federal government’s lease with National Links Trust, throwing the future of municipal golf in the District into question
WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior issued the termination letter Tuesday, severing ties with the nonprofit that has operated Langston Golf Course, Rock Creek Park Golf and East Potomac Golf Links — all on federal land — since 2020.
The move marks the latest effort by President Donald Trump to reshape the District, following mass federal layoffs, a law enforcement surge in the city and the recent Kennedy Center board vote to rename the cultural institution.
In the termination letter, Interior officials said the decision was based on National Links Trust’s alleged failure to complete required capital improvements and to provide a satisfactory plan to address defaults under the lease. The department also accused the nonprofit of owing millions in unpaid rent.
National Links Trust officials say they are “fundamentally in disagreement with the administration’s characterization” and “devastated” by the decision.
“We have always had a productive and cooperative working relationship with the National Park Service and have worked hand in hand on all aspects of our golf course operations and development projects,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday.
National Links Trust Executive Director Damian Cosby called the termination “heartbreaking.”
“NLT has spent a massive amount of dollars and time and effort into this DC golfing community and the broader community as a whole, because we truly believe, at the municipal level, these facilities are community assets and community centers,” Cosby said in an interview with WUSA9. “It’s heartbreaking to see that a lot of those efforts could potentially be halted.”
Dispute over lease compliance
National Links Trust maintains it has consistently complied with all lease obligations and disputes the Interior Department’s allegations.
The nonprofit says it has invested more than $8.5 million in capital improvements at the three courses, including critical short-term upgrades that have more than doubled rounds and revenues while keeping green fees well below the market average for area public courses.
National Links Trust also says the lease allows rent payments to be offset by course improvements and that those offsets were approved by the National Park Service. The organization says “the first we heard about any rent issue was in the last few weeks” and that it has “asked for more information about the issue and have received little detail.”
Cosby said the October notice of default from the Park Service was vague — just two sentences with few specifics about what National Links Trust allegedly did wrong.
“We feel like we’ve been good partners. We feel like we’ve been great stewards of these facilities, and would continue to be great stewards of the facilities if we were allowed,” Cosby said.
The Interior Department did not respond to questions about National Links Trust’s claim that rent offsets were approved by the Park Service.
Rich history on federal land
Public golf in DC has deep historical roots. Langston Golf Course in Northeast, established in 1939, was the first public course built for Black golfers in the segregated District. Rock Creek Park Golf Course is one of the country’s oldest public courses and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. East Potomac Golf Links offers sweeping views of the Washington Monument and the Potomac River.
All three courses sit on federal land managed by the National Park Service.
National Links Trust, founded by Washington natives and golf course designers Michael McCartin and Will Smith, signed a 50-year lease agreement with the Park Service in October 2020 with a mission to refurbish the city’s three public courses while preserving affordable access for everyday golfers.
Major projects halted
Since taking over the lease in 2020, NLT has focused on making major renovations to the District’s three municipal golf courses.
The lease termination has forced National Links Trust to halt its most ambitious renovation project. Last month, the nonprofit closed Rock Creek Park Golf Course to begin a major overhaul that included a new maintenance facility, modern clubhouse, driving range, putting course and a Gil Hanse-designed nine-hole golf course.
“At our in-progress Rock Creek Park rehabilitation project, construction has been stopped and our general contractor is in the process of demobilizing,” National Links Trust said in its statement. “After five years spent navigating the complex federal permitting processes, this development is extremely disappointing for all who have supported the project.”
RELATED: Here’s a first look at the renderings for the $25-$35 million renovation of Rock Creek Golf Course in DC
RELATED: DC’s National Mall golf course changes name to East Potomac Golf Links amid upgrades for District’s public courses
Also on hold: a reversible golf course designed by Tom Doak at East Potomac’s Blue Course.
“It’s not just the renovation projects, but everything we’ve done in the community,” Cosby said. “All of that stops.”
Jobs and youth programs at risk
Cosby said more than 100 employees are now in limbo — a number that swells to nearly 300 workers during the summer season.
“We’ve got 100+ employees that we are concerned about, their financial well-being and whether they’re gonna have jobs or not,” Cosby said.
The termination also threatens youth programming, including the Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program at Langston, which has provided summer employment to nearly 200 DC high school students, teaching the business of golf and providing essential job and life skills.
The program offers pathways to college scholarships. National Links Trust also runs a junior caddie program that provides opportunities for Evans Scholarships, along with Free Lesson Fridays that introduce the sport to the community.
“We’re concerned about our junior caddies and their potential to receive Evans scholarships in the summer,” Cosby said. “All of our community engagement that we’ve done in the community, whether it’s volunteerism, I mentioned the Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program, I mentioned our free lesson Fridays, all of that stops.”
Concerns about Trump’s plans
The termination has intensified concerns among golfers and local residents about what Trump — who operates 16 high-end golf properties — has planned for D.C.’s public courses.
Trump has expressed particular interest in East Potomac Golf Links, which hugs the Potomac River just south of the Tidal Basin. His golf properties typically cater to a high-end clientele with premium pricing and amenities more commonly associated with private country clubs than municipal facilities.
Those concerns grew throughout 2025 when dirt from the White House East Wing demolition was dumped in the middle of East Potomac Golf Course, which the president regularly flies over. Large piles now sit alongside the ninth hole of the White Course.
When asked if he was worried Trump might implement plans that make golf less accessible to the public, Cosby said he would be concerned about any organization that would price out the community.
“I would be worried about anyone that would do that. My passion, NLT’s passion is around municipal golf, which means affordable and accessible,” Cosby said. “Municipal golf is the on-ramp for that. We are the stewards of growing the game. You’re not gonna grow the game, unfortunately, at high-end private golf courses. It’s just not gonna happen. Municipal golf is where that happens.”
Uncertain future
National Links Trust has agreed to continue operating the courses in the short term, though Cosby said he doesn’t know how long that will last.
“We are still there, we’re still operating, we’re still welcoming the community to the facilities, and we’ll continue to do so as long as we’re allowed,” Cosby said.
The organization says it hopes to find a way forward and will continue seeking dialogue with the Trump administration.
“While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation’s capital for generations to come,” National Links Trust said in its statement.
Looking back on five years of work now in jeopardy, Cosby reflected on what the nonprofit accomplished.
“We set forward some ambitious goals, and we’ve met all of them. We said we wanted it to be affordable and accessible. We are absolutely affordable and accessible. We said we wanted to be stewards of the environment. We’ve worked really diligently on that,” Cosby said. “We’ve engaged the broader community through education efforts, through workforce development. We’ve done everything we’ve set out to do. Unfortunately, that all could come to a halt. It is very unfortunate.”
The White House and National Park Service did not respond to requests for comment about the administration’s plans for D.C.’s public golf courses.
The next sports season is right around the corner. Little League signups will come to a close on January 9, and baseball players and softball players will soon be swarming over the diamonds scattered throughout Patterson. For a number of years, it has been a struggle for Patterson baseball and softball players to find a good place for batting practice with families driving to Turlock, Modesto, and Tracy to find batting cages. Many players and parents are not aware of a hidden gem in the community that opened up its doors in 2025. Chris Lasaca opened the School of Hard’nocks early in the year with an eye towards strengthening the skills of young ball players right in Patterson. Lasaca has thirty years of experience as a player and a coach. He played college baseball for Mission Junior College in Santa Clara and for San Jose State University in San Jose. Immediately after college, he went on the coaching staff at Mission Junior College. He went on to coach baseball at five colleges, including a 3-year stint at San Jose State University that featured a berth in the College World Series in 1991. Lasaca’s life has been baseball and he is eager to share that knowledge with the young people of Patterson. He has a philosophy that says, “Make them happy to play!” He feels that sometimes parents and coaches put a lot of pressure on players and take the fun out of the game. Lasaca said, “Get the kids in here and get them some information and confidence.” He told the Irrigator, “I’m for the underdog.”
Not only does he have the baseball skills and knowledge to help local young people, but he has also established an impressive smalltown facility located right off of Highway 33. Players will find an entire array of indoor batting cages, pitching machines, and equipment that is designed to improve performance. Additional apparatus sits outside for other drills and exercises. Coach Lasaca has the knowledge to help each player put everything to use in a way that will benefit the player specifically. Lasaca offers a balanced approach of pushing the players to excel, but with an uplifting and encouraging spirit.
The School of Hard’nocks is billed as a “baseball and softball indoor training facility” and it offers a variety of ways for coaches and players to interact with the facility. Lasaca offers one-on-one coaching for individual players. Parents can purchase one session or a whole package of sessions. Coaches can also bring in the whole team for a batting practice session.
The location of the School of Hard’nocks is easy to find, but also easy to drive right past. It is located at 205 S. “D” Street right off of Highway 33. You will need to walk or drive down the alley to find the entrance gate. The front units on “D” Street house Mechanics Express and Imports along with Hydroponics. You will find the indoor training facility down the alley right behind these two businesses.
With baseball and softball season approaching rapidly, this would be a perfect time to take your Little League player or high school player down to the School of Hard’nocks and let Coach Lasaca take them to the next level of performance. You can reach Coach Lasaca at (805)588-1144 or at hardnocksbb@msn.com for more information.
To reach Timothy Benefield at the Irrigator call (209)892-6187 or email timothy@pattersonirrigator.com.
