KDKA report: Progress on reducing youth soccer concussions
Photo above courtesy of Kristine Sorensen. We often think of football when we think of concussions, but girls who play high school soccer are at nearly the same risk for traumatic brain injuries as high school football players. Boys playing high school football suffered the most concussions of any youth sport studied — an average […]
We often think of football when we think of concussions, but girls who play high school soccer are at nearly the same risk for traumatic brain injuries as high school football players. Boys playing high school football suffered the most concussions of any youth sport studied — an average of 10.2 for every 10,000 practices and games.
Girls playing soccer suffered the second-most at 8.4 per 10,000 times playing.
But a recent study shows that rule changes in youth soccer that started in 2016 to reduce concussions are helping. Almost 10 years ago, the U. S. Soccer Federation banned headers for players younger than 10, and players ages 11 to 13 can practice headers for no more than 30 minutes a week.
The new report found that since the rule change, there’s been a nearly 26% reduction in soccer-related concussions, going from 8.2% of all soccer injuries to 6.1%.
Nine-year old Presley Markich, who plays for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Soccer Club at AHN Montour Sports Complex, knows what a concussion feels like. She was just 8 when she got a concussion playing soccer after colliding with another player.
“I started to feel sick in the car and threw up when I got home. I took a nap because my vision was blurry, and I threw up again and ended up in the ER for four hours,” she says.
The ER visit was important to Presley’s mom, Liz Whiting: “As a parent, I really did not want any long-term effects from this, especially at such a young age.”
AHN physical therapist Kim Kelly suffered three concussions playing soccer in high school and college — each one in the midst of going for a header.
“In high school, another player and I were jumping at the same time, and I hit the ball, and she hit the back of my head,” Kelley says.
PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENTS
The U.S. Soccer Federation also now requires that any time there’s a potential concussion, coaches must include the player in an assessment, and if it could be a concussion, they must call in a medical professional.
“I think it’s really important to stop and make sure that they’re evaluated so it doesn’t get any worse, because there are horrible long-term effects if it continues to happen,” Whiting says.
Evaluations and precautions can save lives.
“If they get hit in the midst of a current concussion or a fresh acute concussion, that’s potentially fatal,” says Kelley, who works with kids who have concussions. “We see that those kids have a prolonged recovery, higher risk of prolonged headaches, prolonged symptoms, some higher risks — we’re talking about depression, anxiety, things like that.”
One of the most important things for players to do is to be honest about their symptoms. It’s also vital for parents and coaches to look for subtle signs that players may not be talking about.
“You have to be honest with yourself, with everybody else,” Kelley tells young players. “It’s very hard with these athletes. They’re extremely competitive. No one wants to miss any playing time, but we are talking about your career and well-being.”
Whether it’s practice or a game, these young soccer players give it their all — every sprint, every block, every shot. They are passionate about the sport.
Eight-year-old Ivy Armel says she loves the “footwork, goalie, scoring.” Teammate Adley Valkavitch says, “I like when I have to defend,” and Markich says she likes “the games, practicing and all my teammates.”
The key is keeping safety in mind. Mia Duckstein is 15 and says the coaches teach them how to properly head the ball.
“If you do it the right way, it doesn’t hurt, but if you do it the wrong way, it kind of hurts a little bit,” she says.
These young players want to win on the field, but their parents often have a longer-term perspective wanting to ensure they win at life.
“It’s hard not to wonder if and how those headers, even when they do it the right way, are affecting the brain,” says Mia’s mom, Mikaela Halaja. “Even if it’s little bumps and bruises along the way, it is definitely a concern.”
One interesting note from the study was that girls had fewer concussions overall, but a higher percentage of their injuries were from concussions — 10% compared to 6% for boys. This could be because of female anatomy because boys have thicker skulls and stronger neck muscles, but there’s no scientific consensus.
Click here for more resources on concussion treatment and click here to learn more about concussion symptoms.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At the start of the academic year, Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier encouraged students to remember they are part of a community “doing remarkable things.” With a common purpose and relying on long-held values, he reminded them, today’s students have the opportunity to set new standards of individual and collaborative excellence. Vanderbilt student-athletes […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At the start of the academic year, Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier encouraged students to remember they are part of a community “doing remarkable things.” With a common purpose and relying on long-held values, he reminded them, today’s students have the opportunity to set new standards of individual and collaborative excellence.
Vanderbilt student-athletes spent the ensuing months showing the campus, conference and country just how remarkable Commodores can be.
Compete against the best? Lead the way? Live up to a legacy?
No matter the circumstances, each victory and accolade spoke to the same theme, the statement growing louder as team after team and athlete after athlete met the moment.
This is who we are. This is what we do. This is Vanderbilt.
“This memorable year is further proof of what is possible for Vanderbilt Athletics,” said Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director. “Across each of our sports, Vanderbilt student-athletes, coaches and staff competed with a tireless commitment to reaching the full heights of their potential. Commodores challenged each other to grow, and what they achieved, together, challenges all of us to be relentless in pursuit of even better days.”
From every corner of the Frist Athletics Village to the fairways of Vanderbilt Legends Club and beyond, from the Birmingham Bowl to an SEC title in Hoover to NCAA Tournaments aplenty, Vanderbilt student-athletes and teams transformed 2024–25 into a year that will live long in the memory and a blueprint for even bolder ambitions ahead.
“I commend our student-athletes, coaches and staff on their hard work and remarkable achievements,” Diermeier said. “Working together to make each other better as a paradigm of radical collaboration, Vanderbilt student-athletes set new standards of excellence and brought us together as sports uniquely can. They remind us of what it means to dare to grow. As we embrace new models that support excellence in education, research and athletics alike, underscored by our recent launch of Vanderbilt Enterprises, we remain proud but not satisfied.”
Championship Collaboration
Nearly 75 percent of Vanderbilt programs either competed in NCAA Championships or bowl games or saw student-athletes advance to NCAA Championships.
In some cases, success meant going where no Vanderbilt team had gone before. When E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Football Clark Lea’s team memorably defeated No. 1 Alabama on Oct. 5, the 40-35 victory marked the first time in program history that the Commodores took down the nation’s top-ranked team.
Soon thereafter, head coach Darren Ambrose’s women’s soccer team secured the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance by eliminatingNo. 1 seed Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
And for the first time ever, Vanderbilt’s football and men’s and women’s basketball teams were all ranked nationally during the same academic year.
Success also required reclaiming ground. Proving itself far more than a one-week wonder, football reached its first bowl game since 2018 and claimed its first bowl title since 2013 by outlasting both Georgia Tech and inclement weather in the Birmingham Bowl.
In head coach Mark Byington’s first season, men’s basketball defeated four top-15 opponents for the first time since the 1980s. And when head coach Shea Ralph’s women’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row, it meant that men’s and women’s basketball shared March Madness for the first time since 2012.
Success also requires maintaining established excellence, something that is harder than ever as competition grows more fierce. Head coach Tim Corbin’s VandyBoys won the SEC Tournament for the fifth time overall, the fourth time under Coach Corbin and the third time in the past six tournaments—en route to a national-best 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
Remarkably, the VandyBoys don’t even have sole possession of the longest postseason streak on campus: Head coach John Williamson led women’s bowling to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th consecutive season.
Thomas F. Roush, M.D., and Family Men’s Golf head coach Scott Limbaugh led his team to the NCAA Championships for the 11th consecutive year, while the women’s golf team turned a stirring regional comeback into a fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships.
Individual Inspiration
What was the most Vanderbilt moment of the year? The celebration that spilled into the Cumberland River? Back-to-back basketball wins against Tennessee in the span of scarcely 24 hours? There are many worthy candidates. But it’s hard to do better than Mikayla Blakes setting an NCAA Division I women’s basketball record for most points in a game by a true freshman—and then breaking it two weeks later with 55 points against Auburn, to set the women’s record for all freshmen and any SEC player.
Maybe it was women’s tennis’ Célia-Belle Mohr becoming the first student-athlete in that championship-winning program’s history to be honored as a five-time All-American. The Frenchwoman swept to singles and doubles honors alongside freshman Sophia Webster.
Mark H. Carter and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Byington was named 2025 Skip Prosser Man of the Year in recognition of his success on the court and his exemplary moral integrity.
Mark H. Carter and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Byington was named 2025 Skip Prosser Man of the Year in recognition of his success on the court and his exemplary moral integrity.
Commodore Nation was front and center throughout the year. Fans filled FirstBank Stadium to capacity for five of football’s seven home games. Memorial Magic took on new life—and new decibels—throughout basketball season. Around Nashville and across the country, text message chains blew up and old friends reconnected as the Dores thrived.
That’s the power of sport, its ability to bring people together. But as the past year proved, that’s a two-way street. The power of a community brought Vanderbilt to new heights.
Former Vanderbilt All-American and NFL standout Casey Hayward committed the largest- ever philanthropic gift by a football alumnus who played professionally.
Vanderbilt supporters didn’t just come along for the ride in 2024–25. They fueled the rocket.
Now, a new year awaits. And with it, following final approval of the House settlement, a new era of collegiate athletics. Even as Commodores reached new competitive heights this past year, preparations continued to lead the way and create the conditions for success in the new model. In May, Vanderbilt appointed global hospitality leader Markus Schreyer as CEO of the new Vanderbilt Enterprises, which has an initial focus on enhancing Vanderbilt Athletics resources, support for student-athletes and the fan experience.
Libby native Ryggs Johnston hosts youth golf camp ahead of appearance in British Open | Montana High School Sports
One of the Treasure State’s top young golfers, set to participate in the British Open in July, is sharing his experience in hopes of building the next generation of great golfing pros from Montana. DJ Bauer SWX Local Sports Reporter
ANACONDA, Mont. — It’s not every day that a Montanan drive, chips, […]
One of the Treasure State’s top young golfers, set to participate in the British Open in July, is sharing his experience in hopes of building the next generation of great golfing pros from Montana.
DJ Bauer
SWX Local Sports Reporter
ANACONDA, Mont. — It’s not every day that a Montanan drive, chips, and putts his way into one of golf’s four majors. But maybe, with a little help, it can become a more regular occurrence.
At least, that’s the hope for Ryggs Johnston, hoping to impart some of his own championship-winning knowledge on the Treasure State’s next generation of golfers.
From his four consecutive high school state titles at Libby, to a Pac-12 team championship with Arizona State, to last December’s victory in the Australian Open, it’s become evident what Johnston can do with a golf club in his hands.
But on Wednesday at Anaconda’s Old Works, Johnston instead put the club in the hands of aspiring junior golfers and said, “show me what you got.”
“It’s something I feel like I didn’t have much of growing up, a kind of role model or someone to help me through junior golf,” Johnston said. “It kind of felt like I was on my own. So, I want to be able to be someone these kids can look up to, ask questions, and learn from… and hopefully follow and do better things than I’m doing.”
With the help of Montana State standouts Cora and Hannah Rosanova, Johnston’s Future Phenoms camp aims to provide teens with the skills, strategies, and confidence needed to go from good to great.
It’s all the same stuff that’s allowed Johnston to parlay his start in little Libby, Montana, into a chance to show the world what he’s got at the British Open next month.
“I think it just shows in itself that anything’s possible, as long as you work hard, believe in yourself, and surround yourself with people that believe in you,” Johnston said. “Who would have thought that I would be playing in The Open? And it’s possible for any of [these junior golfers] too.”
As Johnston prepares for the biggest tournament of his life, maintaining the mentality he teaches is more meaningful than ever.
“It’s just the normal stuff,” Johnston said. “I’m going to be playing in three tournaments before The Open–I actually leave Saturday for Italy.”
“I’ll just try to get better every day, and hopefully, the game comes around at the right time,” Johnston continued.
We’ll see if Johnston can do Montana proud when The Open tees off from Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on July 17.
Supreme Court ruling on transgender youth medical care leaves broader legal questions unresolved
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruling that upheld a Tennessee law banning certain care for transgender youths left various legal questions open, even as other laws aimed at people based on gender identity, including those involving sports and military service bans, head toward the justices. That means that even though transgender rights activists face a […]
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruling that upheld a Tennessee law banning certain care for transgender youths left various legal questions open, even as other laws aimed at people based on gender identity, including those involving sports and military service bans, head toward the justices.
That means that even though transgender rights activists face a setback, the ruling does not control how other cases will ultimately turn out.
“This decision casts little if any light on how a majority of justices will analyze or rule on other issues,” said Shannon Minter, a lawyer at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights.
Most notably, the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, did not address the key issue of whether courts should automatically review such laws with a more skeptical eye, an approach known as “heightened scrutiny.” Practically, that would mean laws about transgender people would have to clear a higher legal bar to be upheld.
The justices skipped answering that question because the court found that Tennessee’s law banning gender transition care for minors did not discriminate against transgender people at all.
But other cases are likely to raise the issue more directly, meaning close attention will be paid to what the justices said in the various written opinions, as well as what they did not say.
Some cases might not even turn on transgender status. For example, the court could determine that certain laws — such as those banning transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports or restrictions on people using restrooms that correspond with their gender identities — are a form of sex discrimination.
There are cases all over the country on a variety of trans-related issues that could reach the Supreme Court at some point.
“There are myriad examples of discrimination against transgender people by the government making their way through the lower courts,” said Chase Strangio, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union.
President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military, which the court already allowed to go into effect, is one of those potential cases.
Several appeals involving challenges to state sports bans are also pending at the Supreme Court. One of them cases involves West Virginia’s ban on transgender girls’ participating in girls’ sports in middle school, high school and college. The court in 2023 prevented the law from being enforced against a then-12-year-old girl.
Just this week, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot prevent transgender and nonbinary Americans from marking “X” as their gender identification on passports.
Reading the signals for future cases
As soon as the 6-3 ruling was released, experts were reading the tea leaves in Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion, as well as the three concurring opinions and two dissenting opinions.
The bottom line is that only three of the six conservative justices in the majority explicitly said they do not think transgender people are a “suspect class,” which would trigger heightened scrutiny of laws targeting them.
They are Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett.
In a concurring opinion, Barrett indicated the court should not play a major role in reviewing whether lawmakers can pass laws that affect transgender people. She gave restroom access and sports bans as examples.
Legislatures, she said, “have many valid reasons to make policies in these areas,” and laws should be upheld “so long as a statute is a rational means of pursuing a legitimate end.”
Alito, in his own opinion, said the court should have decided whether transgender-related laws merit heightened scrutiny.
“That important question has divided the courts of appeals, and if we do not confront it now, we will almost certainly be required to do so very soon,” he wrote.
In his view, transgender people are not a suspect class, in part because they “have not been subjected to a history of discrimination” similar to other groups that the court has previously recognized merit special protections, including Black people and women.
Carrie Severino, a conservative legal activist, said Alito was right to say the court has to decide the issue. That three of the majority tipped their hands was “an encouraging sign that the court understands the risks of throwing the door open to novel protected classes,” she said.
But neither Roberts and fellow conservatives Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh said anything about their views. Gorsuch’s reticence is especially notable, as he authored the court’s surprising 2020 ruling that extended discrimination protections to gay and transgender people under the federal Title VII employment law.
The court, to the disappointment of some conservatives, did not say the 2020 ruling is limited to the context of employment, although it ruled Wednesday that it did not apply to the specific medical care issue raised in the Tennessee case.
With the three liberal justices all saying they believe heightened scrutiny should apply, civil rights lawyers representing transgender plaintiffs still in theory see a path to victory in future cases.
“The court left open the possibility that heightened scrutiny could apply,” Strangio said.
LEWISTON, ID – Monday is the start of the new LCSC men’s youth skill and development camp. Later that day, it will be the women’s fundamental skills camp. Starting with the men’s and women’s youth camps, the kids receive expert coaching staff, including LC coaches, players, and high school coaches. The goals of the camps […]
LEWISTON, ID – Monday is the start of the new LCSC men’s youth skill and development camp. Later that day, it will be the women’s fundamental skills camp.
Starting with the men’s and women’s youth camps, the kids receive expert coaching staff, including LC coaches, players, and high school coaches.
The goals of the camps are to focus on and work on the fundamentals and the skill development of the sport.
There are also individual and team competitions that are based on age and ability.
For the men’s youth camp group, it is graded first through sixth, and then for the women’s upcoming camps, it is graded sixth through 12th grade.
This week for the women’s camp has been the junior youth camp, which is grades first through fifth.
One of the coaches, Kendall Wallace, knows that next week’s coaching for the older grades will be different.
“Each summer, when you coach, you see them grow and get bigger. Then our next week’s camp, where we coach and teach the more advanced groups,” Wallace said.
Camp prices are $159 for the men’s youth camp and $150 for the women’s youth camp.
The registration ends on June 26th, which is next Thursday.
Make sure you bring your water bottle, and are encouraged to bring your basketball.
For the men’s youth camps, they run from June 23rd through the 26th at 9-11:30 am.
The women’s camps run from June 23rd through the 26th at 1-4 pm.
If you are interested in registering for the camp, click here.
Bush Tennis Center sells 16 acers & building to expand youth sports opportunities
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) – The Bush Tennis Center announces the sale of 16 acres of land and an unfinished building to Athlete Quest. The release says, the decision allows the nonprofit organization to focus on resources and expanding core programs while supporting the growth of sports. “Athlete Quest looks forward to working with area sports […]
ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) – The Bush Tennis Center announces the sale of 16 acres of land and an unfinished building to Athlete Quest.
The release says, the decision allows the nonprofit organization to focus on resources and expanding core programs while supporting the growth of sports.
“Athlete Quest looks forward to working with area sports teams, organizations, and parents to provide a great environment and facility for athletic training and tournaments,” said Jeff Beard, representative for Athlete Quest.
The Bush Tennis Center will continue operating on the remaining portion of its campus, delivering year round tennis, pickleball, and padel programs, clinics, camps, tournaments, and its signature ACE Outreach initiative, which has served over 40,000 children throughout the Permian Basin.
Bush Tennis Center continues to promote its mission to provide everyone the opportunity to experience the game of tennis, regardless of physical, financial, or geographical barriers.
Community groups to call on Dodgers, other Los Angeles sports teams for support amid ICE raids
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A group of community leaders are calling on the Dodgers and other prominent Los Angeles sports teams to back their efforts to support communities impacted by recent ICE raids across the region. Leaders from Little Latin America USA, California Rising, El Salvador Corridor Association, CD1 Coalition and the L.A. Youth & […]
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A group of community leaders are calling on the Dodgers and other prominent Los Angeles sports teams to back their efforts to support communities impacted by recent ICE raids across the region.
Leaders from Little Latin America USA, California Rising, El Salvador Corridor Association, CD1 Coalition and the L.A. Youth & Family Foundation held a morning press conference to discuss the critical resources available for families affected by recent immigration raids.
“This is a vital opportunity for the Dodgers to join us in championing these much needed cultural events and mutual aid efforts that uplift the most vulnerable, many of whom are BIG TIME Dodger fans,” the group said in a press release.
The groups were also expected to unveil a calendar of cultural events for the summer designed to uplift the region’s Latino community.
“The largest economic engine in this area is silent! Wake up! Do better! We know you can!” Raul Claros of California Rising said at the news conference, pointing to Dodger Stadium behind him. “The same organization of Jackie Robinson, the same organization of Fernandomania.
“The same organization that took away this land,” Claros said in an apparent reference to the eviction of Chavez Ravine residents, most of whom were Hispanic, before Dodger Stadium was built in the 1950s. “And that’s why we’re here.”
This comes after singer Nezza performed the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium over the weekend. The Colombian-Dominican performer made the decision to do so even though the team asked her not to.
Nezza spoke to Eyewitness News after a video of her singing the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium went viral and sparked calls for the team to speak out about ICE raids.
She spoke to Eyewitness News after a video of her performance went viral.
Her performance came as many look to the public figures and sports teams they support to say something about the tactics and impact of increased immigration arrests in Southern California, including the Dodgers.
The online conversation comes after singer Nezza says she was told not to perform the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium over the weekend.
“I think that they should like at least acknowledge some of what’s happening, because it affects everybody, not just the Hispanic community, but all of their fans,” said L.A. resident Daisy Perez.
“Everyone came together. It’s really putting into perspective who’s not speaking up, who’s not saying anything. It’s not who’s saying something. At this point, it’s who’s not and why aren’t you saying anything?” said Cali 93.9 radio personality Melissa Rios.
In a post on Instagram, Dodgers player Kike Hernandez said, in part, “I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused, and ripped apart. All people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and human rights.”
The Los Angeles Football Club and Angel City Football Club, joined by artist Becky G, are among those who have issued statements of support.
In a post on social media, Becky G told the Dodgers, “Don’t you dare turn your backs on us now. We as a city have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium.”
Many fans have condemned the Dodgers organization and called on the team to release a statement regarding the immigration arrests and raids unfolding in Southern California.
Eyewitness News reached out to ask if they had a statement and followed up, but has not received a statement on the subject yet.
‘WE’RE HUNGRY FOR MORE’ – Breanna Stewart | SC with SVP
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