Is it safe for youth athletes to take dietary supplements?
Mass equals gas. It’s a refrain you hear from today’s pitchers, even from early adolescent ages, bent on increasing their velocity with added size. It’s not just baseball. Walk around a high school athletic field, court or track and you’ll see kids who are larger and sleeker than they were just a decade or two […]
It’s a refrain you hear from today’s pitchers, even from early adolescent ages, bent on increasing their velocity with added size. It’s not just baseball.
Walk around a high school athletic field, court or track and you’ll see kids who are larger and sleeker than they were just a decade or two ago.
Young athletes are lifting weights and taking over-the-counter dietary supplements in an attempt to gain size and power. The three most common of these performance enhancing substances (PES), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Creatine, caffeine and protein supplements.
“I think sometimes what happens is that a child who’s really interested in adding strength and muscle bulk, they’ll do a lot of things at the same time,” says Rebecca Carl, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, “and so then it’s not clear if they’re taking caffeine and creatine and they’re on protein supplements and they’re lifting what’s helping them.
“There’s a big issue with contamination,” she says.
How much do supplements help? How safe are they? USA TODAY Sports spoke with Carl, a sports medicine physician and associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, about children and adolescents’ use of popular supplements and healthy weight gain.
Creatine: Benefits ‘really doubtful’ for kids
According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), creatine is produced in your liver, kidneys, and pancreas, then stored as phosphocreatine in your muscles, and our bodies use phosphocreatine to help “jumpstart” during exercise.
The USADA says creatine is also found in red meat, salmon, milk, eggs and mollusks.
Taking in the compound as a supplement, however, is highly popular but also somewhat controversial among the adolescent population.
While you might know a coach who suggests taking creatine supplements, the AAP doesn’t recommend children or adolescents take them.
“There are not studies demonstrating safety in children/adolescents,” Carl says. “More recent reviews suggest that creatine can be used safely but these are generally studies of adults.
“Your body can make creatine so it’s not needed in the diet. There is creatine found naturally occurring in things like meat and fish. But taking it as a supplement, we don’t know if there’s harm in doing that for children.
“The other thing is it has a very narrow performance benefit.”
Carl says creatine could aid athletic bursts of one to three seconds but probably not with overall sports performance.
“If I was summarizing it for a family, I’d say for most athletic activities, the benefits of creatine are really doubtful,” she says. “There may be some benefit for really explosive, short activities. The classic would example be a weightlifter who does a single maximum lift, then there’s probably a performance benefit for that … (but) probably not even repetitive activities like that.
“There’s not a benefit for certainly any sport where there’s an endurance component of it.”
So for baseball, for example, Carr says, creatine might help you with a single swing or single pitch, but not a series of swings or pitches.
“PES use does not produce significant gains over those seen with the onset of puberty and adherence to an appropriate nutrition and training program,” the AAP says in its most recent policy statement on performance-enhancing substances, which Carl says is reviewed every four years.
Coach Steve: When can teenagers start lifting weights? What about a personal coach?
Protein bars, powders and shakes: ‘Totally unnecessary’
Two in five parents say their teenager consumed protein supplements over a one-year period, according to a 2024 University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
Teens think they are taking them to build muscle, but the AAP says there’s no performance benefit to protein supplement if a diet provides adequate protein.
“Protein supplementation is for most children totally unnecessary because they get enough protein in the diet,” Carl says. “Even kids who are lifting.”
If an athlete is a vegan or has other has dietary restrictions, Carl might have them see a registered dietician to determine how much protein and nutrients their body needs.
The AAP recommends that children 4 years and older and adolescents get 10-30% of their daily calories from protein.
Generally, Carl says, adolescents should take in 0.5 grams of protein per pound pound of body weight per day. Those needs may be higher for athletes engaged in intense activity or resistance training.
“Getting adequate protein through the diet is best, especially given the issue of possible contamination,” Carl says. “One other thing that is an important issue with all of these supplements is that supplements aren’t regulated the way that drugs are, so you don’t have to pull a supplement from the market until it causes harm. (With) medications, you have to prove that it’s safe first.”
Caffeine and energy drinks: ‘The risk of taking too much’
The amount of caffeine in food (soft drinks are allowed a maximum of 71 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces) is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Caffeine in energy drinks and other dietary supplements isn’t.
“Most children take caffeine, whether or not they’re doing it as a supplement, so it’s not that we think kids shouldn’t have any caffeine,” Carl says, “but some of the energy drinks that have really high doses, there’s been emergency room visits over taking too much of it.”
AAP research connects significant toxicity with the ingestion of multiple energy drink. The AAP doesn’t recommend kids and adolescents drink them at all.
The AAP has guidelines about safe caffeine use. According to its PES statement, 1 to 3 milligrams per kilogram has been shown to have performance-enhancing effects, particularly in endurance activity, strength of knee extensors and improvements in time to exhaustion studies.
So, for example, Carl says a child weighing 40 kilograms (or 88 pounds) would take 120 milligrams.
“Caffeine does have performance benefits, and it’s safer than things like, certainly anabolic steroids and some of the more notorious agents,” Carl says. “I think in specific circumstances, there may be a benefit to taking caffeine, but there’s also the risk of taking too much of it.”
Some potential adverse effects of caffeine overdose include cardiac arrhythmias (premature ventricular contractions), increased blood pressure, headaches, irritability, sleep disruption, tremor and gastric irritation and increased core body temperature with exertion in hot environments.
The FDA issued a warning in 2018 about supplements consisting of pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid form.
“It is very difficult to tell the difference between what is a safe amount and what may be a toxic or even lethal amount of this bulk product,” the FDA said in the statement. “Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and very small amounts of pure or highly concentrated caffeine may have serious effects and could even be deadly.”
If you have read Richard Ben Cramer’s biography about Joe DiMaggio (“The Hero’s Life”), you know the baseball legend used to drink many cups of coffee before games to get a boost.
According to FDA calculations, DiMaggio would have had to go on a 28-cup binge to equal the same amount of caffeine in one teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine.
Coach Steve: What are the keys for young baseball players to realize their potential?
Guidelines for adolescent weight gain
Just like with cutting weight as a wrestler, there isn’t a shortcut to gaining weight in a healthy fashion. The practice can become unhealthy for adolescents when it adds excess body fat.
According to its statement on weight control practices in young athletes, the AAP recommends athletes who want to gain weight and add lean muscle mass do so gradually, and without supplements:
For Boys: Up to a half-pound or pound per week.
For girls: up to one-quarter to three-quarters of pound per week.
If you’re maintaining body weight while adhering to the protein guidelines above, consume an extra 300 to 500 calories above your baseline intake, an extra 14 grams of protein, strength train and get adequate sleep.
The AAP doesn’t necessarily use a maximum weight recommendation for height. Carl says Body Mass Index measurements, which have traditionally been used, are not as helpful for athletes with higher lean body mass.
“BMI classify individuals as obese even if they have low body fat (and) more muscle mass,” she says. “We tend to think in terms of recommendations of how to gain muscle mass.”
The problem with supplements and the next level
About 10 years ago, as The New York Times reported, the New York State attorney general accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements.
Eric Schneiderman said his office purchased a variety of store brand herbal supplements in different parts of the state. They found, he said, that only 21 percent of the ones they tested had DNA evidence that they contained the product listed on the label.
“Sometimes that’s an issue for things like allergies – if you’re allergic to garlic and there’s garlic power or something like that – but some things they have steroid derivatives in them that could really be harmful,” Carl says of dietary supplements.
We routinely hear from professional athletes who say they didn’t knowingly take a substance banned by their league for which they tested positive. Our children are eventually going to be held accountable, too.
“At the college and professional level, they will recommend athletes not take any kind of supplements unless they have cleared it with the athletic trainers or coaching staff because sometimes there’s things that shouldn’t be in there,” Carl says.
Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.
Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@usatoday.com
Tyler Little League teams set for district tournament |
The Little League Baseball District 10 Tournaments will begin on Monday. In the Little League Majors 12U Division, which culminates in the Little League World Series in August in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Rose Capital West will take on Lufkin in the opening game at 7 p.m. Monday at Morris Frank Park in Lufkin. The winner will […]
The Little League Baseball District 10 Tournaments will begin on Monday.
In the Little League Majors 12U Division, which culminates in the Little League World Series in August in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Rose Capital West will take on Lufkin in the opening game at 7 p.m. Monday at Morris Frank Park in Lufkin.
The winner will face Rose Capital East at 7 p.m. on June 19 at a location to be determined. There will be an elimination game on June 21. The championship game will be on June 23 and June 24, if necessary.
The winner of the district tournament advances to sectionals. The sectional winner then advances to the state tournament. The winner of the state tournament goes to the Southwest regional in Waco, where the winner will advance to the Little League World Series.
In the 11U Division, Rose Capital East and Rose Capital West will face off at 7 p.m. Monday at Faulkner Park. The winner will advance to face Lufkin at 7 p.m. on June 19 in Lufkin. There will be an elimination game on June 21. The championship game will be on June 23 and June 24, if necessary.
In the 10U Division, Rose Capital East will face Lufkin at 7 p.m. Monday at 7 p.m. at Golden Road. The winner will advance to face Rose Capital West at 7 p.m. on June 19. There will be an elimination game on June 21. The championship game will be on June 23 and June 24, if necessary.
Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County announces 2025 Little League district teams
Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County announces 2025 Little League district teams | WBIW
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Second-year coach Kevin Young is all about family – Deseret News
The sticky notes were the idea of Kevin Young’s mother-in-law, Tammy Bailey. She handed them out a few months ago, and encouraged family members to write “cool thoughts and words of encouragement” for others on them and leave them around the house. Young’s three children — 12-year-old Jude, 10-year-old Van and 7-year-old Zoey — took […]
The sticky notes were the idea of Kevin Young’s mother-in-law, Tammy Bailey.
She handed them out a few months ago, and encouraged family members to write “cool thoughts and words of encouragement” for others on them and leave them around the house.
Young’s three children — 12-year-old Jude, 10-year-old Van and 7-year-old Zoey — took their grandmother’s directive to heart.
Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”
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Young’s BYU basketball team was struggling a bit when it hit Big 12 play in January, losing badly at Houston and starting 1-3 in conference games and looking nothing like the NCAA Tournament team it would become.
The morning before one important home game, Young got in his car and noticed a sticky note attached to his steering wheel, written by one of his sons.
“Let’s get this win tonight, dad,” the note read, followed by the word “PROvo,” a reminder that Young promised in his introductory news conference last year that he would establish BYU as a pipeline to the NBA.
The Cougars lost that game, Young remembers, but the next morning he woke up to find another note on his bathroom mirror, written by a different son, saying, “Hey dad, it is OK, we will get the next one. We are good.”
Young’s voice caught a bit when he relayed the story last week to the Deseret News in response to a question about some of the greatest joys of fatherhood.
“That was pretty cool,” he said. “It was a ‘you got this’ type of thing, and honestly, I get emotional even talking about it. But those notes were pretty awesome. … They are all-in, man. Fully invested. My oldest one, Jude, is locked in to our success, and his little brother (Van) is right behind him.”
The same can be said of Kevin Young when it comes to fatherhood and family. The 20th men’s basketball coach in BYU history, for all the success he achieved on the hardwoods in his first season in Provo, is just as locked-in as a husband to Melissa and father of Jude, Van and Zoey.
The couple’s fourth child, and second daughter, is due in late September — before Young and the Cougars embark on his second season in Provo and the most difficult schedule in BYU basketball history with what is expected to be one of the best teams in school history, led by No. 1 prep recruit AJ Dybantsa and returning all-Big 12 wing Richie Saunders.
“Coaching is just what I do. It is not who I am,” Young said. “Being a dad is definitely who I am. … I love being a dad, man. It is my favorite thing about what I get to do. It really shapes who I am. Where it intersects with my career is it really has driven my career choices. It is the thing that matters most to me.”
Featuring Kevin Young before Father’s Day
Every June, the Deseret News profiles a father in the Utah sports community, a dad who has successfully balanced his professional and family life in an extraordinary manner. We’ve featured former Utah basketball coach Craig Smith, the father of BYU football coach Kalani Sitake (Tom), the father of BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill (Ferrell) and the father of BYU and NFL quarterback Zach Wilson (Mike Wilson).
Young, 43, is this year’s choice.
Kevin and Melissa Young pose for a picture with their children, Jude, Van and Zoey. | Courtesy Kevin Young family
He met Melissa Bailey — almost everyone calls her Missy — when she was a student at BYU and he was a volunteer assistant coach at Utah Valley University, and they married in the Salt Lake Temple in 2011. He became a father for the first time in 2013, four months after he was fired as the head coach of the Iowa Energy of the NBA’s D-League (now known as the G-League).
Young credits his own parents, Melissa’s parents, and “many, many” fellow coaches along his career path who instilled the importance of fatherhood into him. Men like John Bryant, who was a fellow assistant with the Chicago Bulls, and current St. Joseph’s head coach Billy Lange were there along the way.
So were Todd Wright, now director of player performance for the Los Angeles Clippers, and Todor Pandov, head strength coach of the Orlando Magic.
More recently, NBA head coaches who Young has worked for, including Brett Brown, and Monty Williams, have been big family guys who encouraged Young to stay close to his family.
“A large part of it is I was lucky about who I was around as a young coach,” Young said. “I could list four or five other guys who were instrumental. … Monty Williams is a huge family guy. Brett Brown is, too. That was probably as critical as anything. … If I worked for other coaches that didn’t have that, I don’t know if my desire to remain a coach would have been as high as it is. So that was something I feel fortunate about, for sure.”
Young said that prior to accepting the BYU job, he did a lot of research on a college coach’s lifestyle and ability to spend more time with his family, and talked to a lot of guys who had coached at both levels to make sure becoming a head coach would not have a negative effect on his family.
BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young watches his players warmup during a practice held at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
“They all felt strongly there was definitely more time at home in the college game, and (there) is. It has been cool. I have been able to be at a lot more of my kids’ games,” Young said. “Part of that, though, too, is being a head coach. Being an assistant, you are at the mercy of the schedule. When you are the head coach, you get to make the schedule out. So there is a lot that goes into that.
“But it has played out nicely, and probably even more so because we are at BYU. You have family importance here, and the welcoming of families and stuff like that,” he continued. “So that has been something we have thoroughly enjoyed.”
‘A legacy to live up to’ — Brigham Young is in his roots, literally
Kevin Young can trace his roots back to Brigham Young — he’s the fourth great-nephew of the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the man whom BYU is named after.
Brigham Young’s brother, Lorenzo Dow Young, is Kevin Young’s great-great-great-great-grandfather.
“That’s quite a legacy to live up to,” he said.
It is a legacy that he wants his children to always remember, as well.
Young’s father, Phillip Young, said that of his six children — five sons and a daughter — Kevin, the third-oldest child and second-oldest son, has “always been the one that appreciates family history the most.”
Two years ago, Kevin and Melissa rented a recreational vehicle and drove from their home in Phoenix to Melissa’s family’s farm near Omaha, Nebraska, and then back through Utah so the kids could see where there ancestors lived in Huntington, Emery County.
They checked out the Stuart Guard Station in Huntington Canyon, which was built in 1930 and where Kevin’s grandfather, Jonathan Dee Young, and great-grandfather, Lee Young, lived during the summer months.
“We were able to go through the cabin, and Kevin took it as a real teaching moment to help his boys realize where they came from,” Phil Young said. “That’s always been very important to Kevin, where our family has been, who we are, and exposing his family to that, and teaching them that they have a great history.”
Establishing family atmosphere in BYU basketball
It is not uncommon to see a lot of kids running around the Marriott Center court after games, or during other times at the BYU basketball practice facility on campus (Marriott Center Annex). There’s a reason for that.
The coaching staff Young has assembled in Provo has more than 20 kids combined — although some of those kids are also in college. Chris Burgess, John Linehan, Doug Stewart, Will Voigt, Brandon Dunson, Nate Austin and Jordan Brady all have children. Burgess and Brady lead the way with five apiece.
Chief of staff Doug Stewart and his wife, Lindsay, have three.
Young’s emphasis on family and fatherhood is “tremendous,” Stewart said.
“What he does with his family carries over to our basketball team, and that becomes family. So that’s probably the biggest testimonial you could put out there,” Stewart said. “The time, energy and effort he puts into his immediate family, he brings that forth to our basketball family as well.
“When you make a nice run like last year, you don’t do it unless there is that culture, that chemistry, that energy, things of that nature. He brings what he does as a father at home to the gym, and that’s what makes it special.”
Kevin and Melissa Young pose for a picture with their children during a football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium. | Courtesy Kevin Young family
Young said during the offseason when his kids are still in school, he likes to help with breakfast, get lunches ready, and drop them off at school before heading into the office. During the season, there are more early mornings and it is 50-50 whether he gets to help out before driving to work.
“That is one thing I am big on, even with the other coaches. I am not a big office guy,” he said. “So we come in, we try to be efficient with the work that we do, so that if there are things going on at home everybody can get to them without feeling guilty or whatever. So that is a huge thing for me.”
Yes, the Young boys are fully involved in team sports — baseball, basketball, soccer and football — and Zoey is currently taking tennis lessons.
“We are a huge sports family. Games are always on TV. A lot of my wife’s brothers played football and basketball, and all of my family played sports, too,” he said. “So our kids have taken a natural liking to it.”
Young said the Utah County youth sports scene “is pretty crazy,” and he often consults with his staffers, such as Stewart, to compare notes and find the best opportunities for his kids. He said he is “pretty hands-off” at games and athletic events, not wanting to “make things feel weird” for other coaches.
“I definitely make it a point to try to get to their games. That is something that I didn’t realize as a young father — how awesome it is to watch your young kids play sports,” he said. “Like, a few years ago, I am in the NBA watching the best players in the world, and I would much rather go watch this 5-year-old soccer game. I love going to watch my kids play.”
Guiding forces: Gospel and the ‘really good dad’
No story on Kevin Young’s fatherhood would be complete without a mention of how much his own father, Phil Young, and his wife, Melissa, have contributed to his success, he said.
He called his father the person he is closest to in his life, outside of his wife.
“He is the guy I call when I just gotta run something by him, regardless of the topic, whether it is a career decision, or something with the kids, something with my wife, financial stuff, whatever it might be. He is always the first call for me,” said Young. “Although he traveled a lot when I was a kid, he did such a good job of just being present, even though he was traveling quite a bit. I just always admired him for that.”
Kevin Young poses for a picture with his father, Phil Young, at Manti-La Sal Forest. | Courtesy Kevin Young family
Phil Young was a traveling salesman, so he knows what it is like to be away from home for long stretches, like Kevin is during the season.
“As it relates to my career, the funny thing is my dad did not grow up a sports guy, which is kinda funny.
“My brothers are all into sports, too. But he is a car guy, and that is kinda his thing. He was not super athletic, so he has obviously gotten into sports a lot later, having athletic kids and so forth,” Kevin said.
The coach said that his upbringing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his relationship with Jesus Christ has been the foundation behind it all.
“That is a testament to my dad, and all the lessons he taught me. The vehicle with which he taught me a lot of life lessons was the gospel, and I think partially why he and I are so close,” Kevin continued. “You know, I didn’t go on a mission, so I am probably not the prototypical Mormon guy, or whatever. But my relationship with my dad is what helped me stay in line with the gospel. A lot of who I am is because of my dad. He’s just a really good dad.”
Will Young grow old at BYU?
Young has proven to be a really good coach, having recently signed a “long-term” contract extension that BYU said in a news release should keep him in Provo “for the foreseeable future.”
The Cougars went 26-10 overall, and 14-6 in Big 12 play, in his inaugural season. That’s the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history.
He spoke to the Deseret News a couple of hours before that contract extension was announced, but didn’t mention it in the interview. He did speak candidly about having some interest in the Phoenix Suns’ head coaching job, which was filled the day before the extension was announced.
“Our quality of life is definitely the No. 1 thing (keeping him at BYU),” he said. “Not to get super philosophical about it, but it is not about the dollar amounts for me. It is about what money allows you to do from a quality of life standpoint, what you prioritize. So that’s sort of how I view how I have steered my career as it relates to money and how that ties into my long-term goals. That’s a whole ‘nother topic. But that’s how I navigate that space.”
New BYU basketball coach Kevin Young and family members have a FaceTime call with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. | Nate Edwards, BYU
Jon Nelson is pictured during a visit to the Jamestown YMCA. At 80 years old, Jon Nelson isn’t slowing down. A lifelong Jamestown resident, Jon has faced more than his share of physical challenges — including six joint replacements — but still shows up at the YMCA almost every morning. “This place keeps me going,” […]
Jon Nelson is pictured during a visit to the Jamestown YMCA.
At 80 years old, Jon Nelson isn’t slowing down. A lifelong Jamestown resident, Jon has faced more than his share of physical challenges — including six joint replacements — but still shows up at the YMCA almost every morning.
“This place keeps me going,” Jon says simply. “If I had to do my rehab at home, I probably wouldn’t do it. But coming here — it gives me structure, accountability, and people.”
Jon’s connection to the Jamestown Area YMCA dates back nearly seven decades to when he was just a kid tagging along with his dad.
“I started coming with my dad when I was a kid,” Jon recalls. “There was a space just for kids to hang out, and before long, I was getting involved in activities and meeting people from all over.”
One of those early connections — with a Jamestown High School student named George Banks — left a lasting impression and helped Jon feel right at home.
Over the years, the Y became a constant in Jon’s life. He played handball for years before joint issues forced him to scale back. Now, his workouts are simpler — light cardio, walking, stretching — but they’re just as essential.
More than the equipment or the routines, though, it’s the people who keep Jon coming back.
“The girls at the front desk greet you with a smile. The members talk to each other. You walk in and you feel like someone’s happy to see you,” he says. “You don’t get that everywhere.”
He treasures the sense of community at the Jamestown Y. It’s where he’s built lifelong friendships, and where he continues to set goals — including traveling to play new golf courses and giving back to hospitals that have supported him.
When Jon turned 80 earlier this year, he said he felt something simple but meaningful: a desire to say thank you. He penned a four-page letter to the Y staff to demonstrate his appreciation.
“I just wanted to thank the people here who’ve made it feel like a second home,” Jon said. “The staff, the members — they’ve been part of my life for a long time.”
According to John Barber, Interim CEO of the Jamestown Area YMCA, Jon’s story perfectly illustrates the Y’s mission — one made possible through the association’s annual Partner With Youth campaign, which raises funds to ensure that individuals and families of all ages and income levels have access to YMCA programs and support.
“Stories like Jon’s remind us that the YMCA is here for everyone — not just kids, but older adults who are working to stay healthy and connected,” said Barber. “Partner With Youth helps us celebrate and sustain those stories. It ensures we can serve people at every stage of life and truly live out our mission in the community.”
Even as he reflects on the difficulty of outliving many of his peers, Jon says it’s places like the Y that give him purpose.
“You stay active, you stay connected,” he said. “That’s what the Y does — it keeps you living.”
Mayor Woodfin Announces Formation of Birmingham Youth Sports League
During a press conference at Legion Field on Friday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced the formation of a youth sports league. He was joined by members of his administration, City Councilors, and area city officials and leaders. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times) By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times Youth sports will have a new […]
During a press conference at Legion Field on Friday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced the formation of a youth sports league. He was joined by members of his administration, City Councilors, and area city officials and leaders. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Youth sports will have a new look in Birmingham after Mayor Randall Woodfin announced on Friday the formation of a league beginning this summer with youth football and cheerleading, and basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer to come in future phases.
During a press conference at Legion Field flanked by members of his administration, City Councilors and area officials and leaders, Woodfin said the Birmingham Youth Sports League “will serve as the official organization to streamline organize and elevate youth sports across the Magic City.
“This is a chance for Birmingham to support and enhance the youth sports experience across our city,” he said. “We’re not just building athletes, we’re building character, community, and opportunity … Ages as young as five to 12 years old” will have the opportunity to join.
The league will be governed by an advisory team, a commissioner, an assistant commissioner, an operations director for each sport with support from the mayor’s office, Park and recreation, and the Department of youth Services.
Woodfin said the city plans to invest $500,000 in the program. “This is not just seed money from the city,” he said. Corporate sponsors will make it a public-private partnership, he added. “We’re grateful for the private sector (support),” Woodfin said.
Cedric Sparks, chief of staff for Mayor Woodfin, said uniforms in first year will be free.
“Uniforms, training, security, all of the things that we’ve seen, that are really challenging for youth sports programs, we’re taking those costs away,” he said. “The stress that comes with trying to raise revenues for those programs, those will be eliminated.”
The program is rooted in character, excellence, equity, teamwork, and accountability, the city said. In addition to athletic training, the league will focus on providing life skills, conflict resolution strategies, and academic mentorship to participating youth.
This pilot project also 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 highlighted the importance of such programs in its Jan. 6 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.”
For more information or to get involved, visit: www.birminghamal.gov/youthsports.
Indiana has extended an offer to one of the biggest risers of the spring, guard Kohl Rosario. The 6-foot-5 Rosario played in front of the IU staff at the NBPA Top-100 Camp this week. Rosario is in the 2026 class but is currently contemplating a reclassification to 2025. Indiana has two open spots on the […]
Indiana has extended an offer to one of the biggest risers of the spring, guard Kohl Rosario.
The 6-foot-5 Rosario played in front of the IU staff at the NBPA Top-100 Camp this week.
Rosario is in the 2026 class but is currently contemplating a reclassification to 2025. Indiana has two open spots on the roster at the moment, pending waiver decisions for Luke Goode and Anthony Leal. Rosario is currently 18.
From Miami, Fla., Rosario attended Overtime Elite this past season and now appears to be enrolled at Moravian Prep in North Carolina. He averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the OTE Dreamerz this past season.
After a strong showing this spring, Rosario was bumped up from No. 91 to No. 27 at On3. He’s a high-end 4-star prospect.
For spring and summer basketball, Rosario plays for Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL Circuit. He’s been one of the best three-point shooters there, making 44.4% from long range on 45 attempts. He’s averaging 14.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
IU will have ground to make up as Rosario has already started taking visits. He just visited Oregon and Florida State, and has visits set with Duke, Kansas, and Miami.
For a complete look at IU’s 2026 through 2028 offers and prospects, GO HERE.
For complete coverage of IU basketball recruiting, GO HERE.
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