Key Takeaways

• Nearly 6,500 DCPS students will receive Under Armour athletic footwear through the year-long District Kicks initiative launching in 2026.
• All high school athletes across approximately 22 DCPS schools will receive sport-specific shoes distributed by season starting March 2026.
• More than 1,200 sixth graders will receive athletic sneakers during a March 3 celebration event at CareFirst Arena.
• The program builds on District Dribble’s success, which distributed 30,000 basketballs to elementary students in 2024.
• District of Play reached over 200,000 DC residents in its inaugural year as part of MSE’s community investment platform.

Building on District of Play’s First Year

Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced District Kicks on December 21, the second major initiative under its District of Play platform. The Washington Wizards are leading the effort in partnership with Under Armour and DC Public Schools.

District of Play launched in 2024 as part of the Capital One Arena reimagination. The platform focuses on expanding youth sports access and wellness across Washington, DC through infrastructure investment and programming.

In its first year, the initiative distributed nearly 30,000 basketballs to every DCPS student in pre-K through fifth grade through the District Dribble program. District of Play reached more than 200,000 residents and earned recognition from Fight for Children, along with a nomination for a 2025 ESPY Sports Humanitarian Award.

District Kicks shifts focus from basketball equipment to athletic footwear, targeting older students who participate in organized sports programs.

Multi-Phase Distribution Across DC Public Schools

The initiative will unfold throughout 2026 with separate tracks for high school athletes and sixth grade students.

Approximately 5,200 high school student-athletes across roughly 22 DCPS schools will receive sport-specific Under Armour footwear. Shoes will be delivered directly to school campuses and distributed according to athletic seasons. Spring sports athletes receive shoes in March 2026, followed by fall sports in August and winter sports in November.

Each seasonal distribution will include a pep rally at a featured high school to create visibility for student athletes.

More than 1,200 sixth graders enrolled in DCPS 6th Grade Academies across 11 campuses will receive Under Armour athletic sneakers in multiple styles and colorways. MSE will distribute the footwear during a March 3, 2026 event at CareFirst Arena. The celebration will include interactive sports experiences and career-based learning opportunities, with MSE covering transportation and logistics for all participating schools.

“When I got my first basketball as a kid in Brooklyn, that single piece of equipment unlocked everything that followed: confidence, belonging, and the belief that sports could shape my future,” said Ted Leonsis, founder, chairman, managing partner and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “District Kicks is built on that same idea: when you give young people the right tools, you give them the ability to dream bigger.”

Connecting to Under Armour’s Project Rampart

District Kicks operates within Under Armour’s Project Rampart framework, which aims to improve student-athlete experiences and academic outcomes through sports access.

Project Rampart launched in Baltimore in 2017 and has since expanded to Oakland and Washington, DC. The initiative provides student-athletes with upgraded facilities, apparel, leadership development, and specialized coach training.

DCPS Chancellor Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee noted the alignment with the district’s 6th Grade Academy model. “In our 6th Grade Academies, students are given the tools to excel inside and outside of the classroom,” Ferebee said. “DCPS is grateful to partner with Monumental Sports and Under Armour to provide resources to young people so they can thrive in programming that deepens their connection to school.”

Strategic Implications for Youth Sports Access

District Kicks represents a scaling approach to equipment access programs in large urban school districts. By targeting specific student populations (high school athletes and transitioning middle schoolers) rather than universal distribution, the initiative directs resources toward students most likely to engage in organized sports programming.

The multi-year commitment from MSE and Under Armour creates predictability for DCPS athletic departments planning seasonal equipment needs. Sport-specific footwear addresses a recurring cost barrier for families supporting student-athletes across multiple sports seasons.

The sixth grade focus aligns with research showing middle school transition years as critical for sustained sports participation. Providing footwear during this window may support retention in school-based athletics programs.

MSE’s integration of the initiative with the Capital One Arena project and District of Play platform suggests continued expansion of corporate-funded youth sports infrastructure in Washington, DC through 2026 and beyond.

via: Wizards

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William J. Castner, Sr., a legendary community leader in Toms River, where he helped lead a nationally recognized youth baseball powerhouse that produced several major and league players, died on December 19 after an illness.  He was 73.

Castner spent nearly three decades coaching baseball and served on the board of trustees of the onetime international championship Toms River East Little League.  He played an integral role in the founding of a fall baseball program and the Toms River Black Sox that extended baseball into the summer.

The senior league field at the Toms River East Little League Complex was named “Castner Field” in 2009 to honor Castner and his wife of over fifty years, Diane, a longtime volunteer.  Ten future major league players played on Castner Field.

He served on the governing board of the Atlantic Baseball Conference Collegiate League, the Youth Sports Safety Advisory Board, and the Play for James Foundation board.

“The only thing Bill would ask for Christmas each year were Wawa gift cards for gas money so he and Diane could drive tens of thousands of miles each year watching games all throughout the Garden State in their lawn chairs – often followed by a family meal at a Jersey diner or restaurant,” his family said in a statement.

In addition to coaching for over forty years, Castner was an executive for a global aluminum manufacturing and distribution company.

He is survived by his wife, three children, including Rutgers University Executive Vice President and General Counsel William J. Castner, Jr., and seven grandchildren.

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, December 27, from noon to 4 PM at the Quinn Hopping Funeral Home in Toms River.  A celebration of life service will be held from 3:15 to 4 PM.  Donations can be made to the Play for James Foundation.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – A free Christmas tree recycling program is returning to Allen County on Friday.

The Allen County Department of Environmental Management program works together with local organizations for drop-off locations throughout the county. Those locations include:

• Fort Wayne City Utilities Biosolids Handling Facility
  • 6202 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne
  • Open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Closed Jan. 1)
• North Highway Department Building
  • 2234 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• Metea County Park
  • 8401 Union Chapel Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• South Lot (near Fort Wayne International Airport)
  • 10100 Smith Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• New Haven Utility Shop
  • 2201 Summit Street, New Haven
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• Monroeville Water Works Department
  • 200 Utility Drive, Monroeville
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk

The program runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 16.

Before dropping off a tree, residents must remove all ornaments, tinsel and plastic bags. Wreaths, garlands and artificial trees are not accepted.

Trees will not be collected as part of regular trash pickup.

Photo courtesy Bay College
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness staff outside the new Center on the Escanaba campus in 2024.

ESCANABA – The Center for Youth Health and Wellness opened its doors on the Bay College Escanaba Campus in Fall 2024. The Center has quickly become a vital resource for students and local youth ages 10-21, providing accessible, high-quality medical and mental health services in a welcoming, youth-focused environment.

The Center has demonstrated strong community engagement and meaningful impact. Since opening in 2024, The Center has served 1,045 unduplicated clients. These individuals visited The Center for a wide range of health and wellness needs, including medical visits, mental health visits, and annual wellness exams.

“We are thrilled by the positive response and the number of young people who are choosing to access care right here on campus through The Center,” said Cindy Gallagher, Bay College Vice President of Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. “This partnership with Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties ensures that students and community youth have the support they need to thrive academically, personally, and socially.”

Since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025, The Center’s momentum has remained strong. In the first quarter alone, The Center has provided 99 medical visits and 147 mental health visits.

Since its opening, The Center has become a critical provider for the required high school sports physicals that allow youth to participate in high school sports. Kayla Coltson, Family Nurse Practitioner at The Center, shared that they have provided 755 sports physicals to area youth since August 2024.

These numbers reflect the continued and growing demand for accessible youth-focused health services in the region. The Center’s integrated approach–combining medical care, mental health support, prevention services, and wellness education–helps empower young people to make informed decisions and build healthier futures.

“It’s clear that this collaboration is filling a critical gap in our community,” said Michael Snyder, Health Officer at Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties. “We are committed to providing quality services, reducing barriers, and meeting the evolving needs of youth across Delta and Menominee counties.”

The Center for Youth Health and Wellness remains open to individuals ages 10-21, offering walk-in and scheduled appointments. Services include primary medical care, behavioral health counseling, vaccines, wellness visits, and health education–all provided in a confidential, inclusive, and supportive setting.

The Center employs four staff, including a receptionist, a licensed mental health counselor, a registered nurse, and a nurse practitioner. The Center also has an active Advisory Board consisting of representatives from local K-12 partners, Delta-Schoolcraft ISD, Public Health, Bay College, and local parents.

Funding for The Center is provided through a grant awarded to Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with reimbursement from billing public and private insurance plans. No client between the ages of 10-21 will be denied care due to an inability to pay.

Bay College and Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties look forward to building on this strong foundation for years to come as we continue to serve the youth of our community.

For more information, visit the Center’s page at baycollege.edu, contact The Center for Youth Health and Wellness at 906-786-1672 or visit The Center’s Facebook page.

By Hayley Fowler ( December 22, 2025, 3:36 PM EST) — A trio of nonprofits that advocate against gambling are fighting betting company Kalshi’s efforts to curb Maryland gaming regulators’ oversight, telling the Fourth Circuit that health consequences and threats to elections and youth sports would be significant if Kalshi succeeds….

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Letter: Sports complex at Pendleton would mean higher taxes

Published 4:58 pm Monday, December 22, 2025

Pendleton city officials announced that replacement of condemned stairway on Southwest 13th Street was a top priority, submitting a grant request for funding through the Safe Pathways To Schools Program sponsored by the Oregon Department of Transportation as adequate city funding was unavailable. The request was denied perhaps because the plan was not compliant with the federal American with Disabilities Act, according to the program administrator.

In 2011 the city purchased 40 acres adjacent to Barnhart Road, affectionately known as the “road to nowhere” for $500,000. The current city’s mayor and the economic development director have approved a proposal giving that property to Round-up City Development Corp., an agency masquerading as economic power house for the city, to construct a youth athletic complex. This sounds like a great idea until you consider the city, the school district, Babe Ruth and Little League associations have already established a good foundation of facilities that could be improved for considerably less. For the complex to be completed, a bond would be needed and approved by the voters, meaning property tax hike.

A common excuse from city officials when asked about improving streets is there is no funding. I wonder why.

Rick Rohde

Pendleton

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