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By Cheyenne River Youth Project

May 23, 2025

On Saturday, May 17, the Cheyenne River Youth Project’s Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) Teen Center came alive with the energy of 51 middle school basketball players and more than 50 supporters. Hosted in partnership with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Indian Child Welfare (ICWA) Program, CRYP’s Spring Youth Basketball Tournament brought together community, sport and celebration under one roof.

Two girls’ teams and three boys’ teams competed in the round robin competition; all players were in grades 6-8. Baller Nation from Mission, South Dakota, won the boys’ bracket and Sicangu Ballers, also from Mission, won the girls’ bracket.

Yet the day was about more than winning. It also was about building confidence, sharing joy and spending time with family, friends and the community. 

“We wanted to do something extra fun for the kids, so we gave prizes to anyone who could make a half-court shot,” said Jerica Widow, CRYP’s programs director. “All 51 players joined this activity, and we had nine winners! They took home gift cards from Amazon, Xbox Shop and Playstation Store as well as miniature cakes.” 

The CRYP team provided all 51 players with hot dogs, potato salad, fruit salad, cookies, chips and drinks for lunch. They also opened the youth project’s Keya Cafe as a concession stand for the event, serving pizza, hot wings, cheese curds and popcorn balls.

“Events like this tournament are about more than basketball,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s founder and chief executive officer. “They give young people opportunities to grow — and to feel the strength of the community behind them. Every time we create safe, healthy spaces for youth to gather in a positive environment, we’re investing in the next generation.” 

At press time, the CRYP staff was busy preparing for the next basketball-related event on the youth programming calendar. On May 30, the youth project officially will kick off the summer with Midnight Basketball, one of CRYP’s most beloved traditions, and a DJ Dance.

“This is a free event for youth ages 13-18,” Widow said. “It will run from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., and we will have plenty of refreshments. We’re excited to give our teens this opportunity to start the summer with a fun night of basketball, music, dancing and hanging out with friends.” 

“We won our first game against North Carolina State,” Servais said. “We had another matchup with Nebraska in a winner’s bracket game. We lost the game, but what an environment it was down there.

“So I think I’ll remember the first regional that we got into in ‘05 and that was a special team,. It was only my second year, and a lot of people never thought we could get to that level, and we proved them wrong, and we did it.”

The Bluejays’ 48 wins in 2005 is tied for the second most in school history, only behind the 1991 team that made it to the College World Series semifinals.

Servais’ teams would go on to compete in four other NCAA Tournaments, with hopes of making it five this year.

The former Wisconsin-La Crosse University baseball standout has played in, coached and watched countless baseball games. He’s the second-best hitter in Wisconsin-La Crosse history, in terms of career runs batted in, with 121.

From the start of his time in college baseball to now, Servais said the amount of television coverage is exponentially greater.

“There’s a lot more eyeballs on the program now than there once was. College baseball has evolved a lot,” Servais said. “I never thought we’d see as many games on TV as we do today. I never thought we’d see the crowds that we do today.”

Servais said the exposure has helped the sport.

Incoming college players have more experience playing against high-level competition early in their careers than they once did.

“The players, in my opinion, they’re a little bit more sophisticated than they once were,” he said. “They do a lot more traveling as young people with their travel programs.”

Sitting in a bus or plane for hours to get to a baseball game is common for high schoolers now, he said.

“[Travel] bothers me probably more than it does to players,” Servais said. “So when they get here, it’s not that big of a transition between high school and college. It’s a lot easier for them.”

Even though traveling youth sports are more prevalent, one thing remains.

“They still want to be coached, they still want to get better,” Servais said. “They have high expectations. They have high goals for themselves. That has not changed.”

The Bluejays have named a head-coach-in-waiting. Mark Kingston was awarded the job last June and will lead the program starting in 2026. He has won 490 games as a college head coach, including 217 wins at South Carolina.

Servais shared some advice for the new Bluejay skipper.

“To not forget about the tradition and the history of the program,” Servais said.

The current Creighton head coach remembers that history first hand.

“My first College World Series game was Creighton vs. Clemson in 1991,” Servais said. “I saw that game live with no idea that five years later I would be a part of Creighton baseball. So I just hope that he hangs on to the traditions and the history.”

Registration for the P.A.L. Basketball Skills Camp is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, at the Bibb County Sheriff’s Outreach Section Office at 774 Hazel St.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a free basketball camp for youth in Bibb County, according to a news release.

Registration for the P.A.L. Basketball Skills Camp is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, at the Bibb County Sheriff’s Outreach Section Office at 774 Hazel St.

Children must be between the ages of 9 and 17 to participate.

The girls camp will be held June 2–6, and the boys camp will run June 9–13. Both camps will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rosa Jackson Recreation Center, located at 1211 Maynard St.

Spots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. On-site registration will not be available.

For more information, contact the Bibb County Sheriff’s Outreach Section at 478-803-2710.

Signature Moment

Leaning into its rich winemaking history, Livermore Valley officially designated cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc as its signature varietals in February. Cresta Blanca Winery’s Charles Wetmore planted cuttings of sauvignon blanc and sémillon in 1882; seven years later, a white wine from Cresta Blanca earned the top prize at the Paris Exposition—a first for California wines. Cabernet franc also has deep roots in the area and thrives in the Livermore Valley terroir. “The cabernet franc grows really well, and people are just starting to get to know it as a varietal. Ours is fabulous,” says Joy Jackman, tasting room manager at McGrail Vineyards. Retzlaff Vineyards produces sauvignon blanc made from estate-grown certified-organic grapes. “Sauvignon blanc likes the heat,” says Retzlaff’s Salomé Garau-Taylor. “I love the clone we have; it produces a beautiful wine with tremendous character.” Whatever your wine preference, Livermore Valley vintners proudly praise the welcoming nature of the region. “Wine is a beautiful thing that brings people together,” adds McGrail assistant winemaker C.J. Malski.

Teen Trailblazer

Running a 50K marathon to the summit of Mount Diablo would scare off some of the most experienced athletes, but not 13-year-old Jacob Segrè. The eighth grader at Berkeley’s Willard Middle School took on the Diablo Trails Challenge in April, finishing 26th and running for just under seven hours. “It got mentally tough during the last 10 or so miles, but I finished strong. I loved it so much, and I was inspired by all the other runners,” says Segrè, who trained by running 40 to 50 miles a week on weekends and after school for 13 weeks before the event. He says the hardest part of training is getting moving in the first place; he also has to consume up to 4,000 calories a day to fuel his efforts. “Being out on the trails has become a comfortable place for me,” he says. “The kind of connection I get [from] being outside isn’t something I can get in a short period of time—it’s a relationship that develops over many, many miles.”

Leveling the Playing Field

Stephen Curry cemented his passion for basketball as a rec league player when he was 6 years old. Well-versed in the power of youth sports, the Golden State Warriors star and his wife, Ayesha, are part of a collaboration to elevate athletic opportunities for kids in the Oakland Unified School District. The partnership between the Currys’ Eat. Learn. Play. foundation, Under Armour, and Curry Brand has invested $3.6 million in free youth sports programming in Oakland since 2021, and a new initiative with ESPN announced at the Project Play Summit in Berkeley in March continues to support those efforts.

Claremont Rebrand

The historic Claremont hotel is marking its 110th anniversary this year with a refreshed name and a new status as an independent hotel. No longer part of the Fairmont portfolio, the Claremont Resort and Club announced its rebranding in March, along with various property enhancements.

Photo Contest

This statue at a local sports park honors athletic achievement. Do you know where it is?

Go to diablomag.com/contests and enter your guess. One correct response will receive dinner at an East Bay restaurant.

SPRINGFIELD —State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s legislation to create a commission on youth sports under the Department of Human Services has passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law and ensuring that all young people have access to equitable and robust youth sports programs. 

“Currently, the lack of equitable investments in youth sports programs statewide deprive thousands of children of the chance to develop skills and foster friendships with their peers,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “By creating a youth sports commission, we can research and address the inequalities that exist, and develop a strategic plan to make youth sports accessible to kids in every community in our state, regardless of their family’s income.” 

Representing a historically underserved community and families with children who have been overlooked by state investments, Guzmán is passionate about equitable investment, especially in the next generation and programs to help them develop into the best versions of themselves. One such area is youth sports, where young people develop lifelong skills of teamwork, critical thinking, and leadership—as well as forming long-lasting friendships and talent in their sport of choice. Without equal access to youth sports programs, however, many children are robbed of these formative experiences, and can struggle with developing these skills in adulthood. 

House Bill 2418, an initiative of Laureus Sport for Good USA, would create the Commission on Youth Sports. This commission would submit a yearly report regarding its findings, including research and recommendations for how to make youth sports in Illinois more accessible to all young people, and equitably invested in. 

“We are thrilled to see HB2418 move one step closer to becoming law by passing the Senate today,” said Ben Schornack, Director of Sport for Good Chicago for Laureus USA. “Through the passage of this legislation, Illinois continues to lead the way in their investment in a youth sports system that incentivizes access, equity, and youth development.”

“I championed the Youth Sports Commission to ensure that all children in the state of Illinois have equitable access to youth sports programming,” said State Representative Joyce Mason, the House sponsor of the legislation. “I strongly believe that participation in sports improves children’s mental and physical health and gives them tools to better problem solve, work collaboratively, and create lasting friendships and connections.”

House Bill 2418 passed the Senate on Thursday. 

•A lifeguard certification course will be offered at the Rec Center June 9-11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a blended learning course that requires 5-7 hours of online learning before the class starts, followed by a swimming pre-test of 200 yards, treading water for 2 minutes with no hands and retrieving a 10lb brick from 7 feet of water. Class will be split between classroom and water skills. Register online before June 4. Must be at least 15 years old before June 11 to complete the course. If unable to register for this class, contact Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator bend@newulmmn.gov to get on the list.

•North Park Splash Pad is open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the summer

•Hermann Monument is open for the summer starting May 24

•Wading Pools at North Park open daily 12:30-6 p.m. starting June 4

•Summer Concerts at German Park begin Thursday June 5 at 7 p.m. The Puppet Wagon Show begins at 6:15 p.m. and Rec on the Go from 6 to 7 p.m. The Concord Singers will kick off the season, followed by the Tanner Start Band June 12 sponsored by 2025 businesses of the year: Jensen Motors & Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes. The concert series is co-sponsored by KNUJ and made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council and legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

• Summer Luau – Celebrate the start of summer Friday June 6 from 1-6 p.m. with summer themed activities during open swim.

• Park & Rec is partnering with State Street Theater for three different summer camps. These camps are open to all from new to seasoned performers. Register online at newulmmn.gov

•Summer Registration is open. Register online for swim lessons, youth sports, camps, pottery and view Rec on the Go and Puppet Wagon activities. For more information, go to our website at newulmmn.gov, click on the park and rec button, click on registration. Registration for all programs must be done online or in person at the Rec Center.

• Scholarships available for activities to those meeting the financial qualifications. Call 507-359-8344 for additional information.

• Private Pickleball lessons are available at the Rec Center. Those interested, register on the pickleball waitlist at newulmmn.gov or in person at the Rec Center.

• The last tot Swim will be Wednesday May 28 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Zero depth area only and children must be accompanied by an adult in the water. Admission is $3 per child.

• Tot Gym is offered Monday and Fridays from 9:30-11 a.m.

• Father’s Day open. Dad’s swim free 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 15.

• Open Skating and hockey schedules can be found on Park and Rec website, in addition to fitness, open gym and lap/open swim: https://mn-newulm.civicplus.com/278/Schedules

• Memorial Weekend and Interim Rec Center hours:

Friday May 23 5 a.m.-9 p.m. Open swim 4-8 p.m.

Saturday May 24 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Open swim 12-4 p.m.

Sunday and Monday May 25 and 26 Rec Center is closed.

Tuesday May 27 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Wednesday May 28 5 a.m.-9 p.m. open swim 4-7 p.m.

Thursday May 29 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday May 30 5 a.m.-8 p.m. open swim 4-7 p.m.

Saturday May 31 7 a.m.-4 p.m. open swim 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sunday June 1 9 a.m.-4 p.m. open swim 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Monday June 2 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Tuesday June 3 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Wednesday June 4 5 a.m.-9 p.m. open swim 4-7 p.m.

Thursday June 5 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday June 6 5 a.m.-7 p.m. open swim 1-6 p.m.

• Regular summer hours:

Monday – Thursday 5 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday 5 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.