Rec Sports

Mill Creek Activity Center to increase gymnastics space to help meet demand

Published

1 day ago

December 8, 2025

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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As a former competitive gymnast and someone who covers stories in the city of Shawnee, this story was made for me!

I’d heard that the Mill Creek Activity Center was renovating its space to take on more gymnasts. The center has more than 200 people on its waitlist!

Mill Creek Activity Center to increase gymnastics space to help meet demand in Johnson County

I also knew the state of Kansas discontinued its high school gymnastics program, so I honestly thought this was a perfect potential solution for any up-and-coming gymnastics lovers like me.

“I think there’s a little bit of a push just in youth sports across the board, trying to get kids active, trying to get them involved, giving them an outlet for socialization,” said Kendra Martiny, the Mill Creek Activity Center gymnastics program recreation coordinator.

Mill Creek Activity Center… I’ll show up to your practices any day you’ll have me!

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Rec Sports

Kids, Inc., Toot’n Totum launch ‘Change for Better’ campaign for Rockrose Sports Park

Published

45 seconds ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Kids, Incorporated has announced that Toot’n Totum will host a Change for Better campaign from Dec. 8 through Dec. 21, with all proceeds benefiting Kids, Inc. and the development of Rockrose Sports Park.

This year’s campaign adds a new option for giving: Customers can now round up at the pump, in addition to rounding up at the register inside any Toot’n Totum location.

The partnership comes as both organizations celebrate milestone anniversaries. Kids, Inc. marks 80 years of serving youth and families in the Amarillo area, while Toot’n Totum celebrates 75 years of service to the community.

“Toot’n Totum believes in investing in the communities that have supported us for 75 years,” said John Lutz, vice president of fuel and marketing. “Kids, Inc. has shaped countless young lives in our region, and we’re proud to stand with them as they build Rockrose Sports Park. When our guests choose to round up—whether inside the store or at the pump—they’re helping create opportunities that will benefit families for generations.”

“Two longtime Amarillo institutions—each with decades of commitment to our region’s growth—are coming together to invest in the next generation,” Haley Bell, vice president for development. “We are grateful for Toot’n Totum’s transformational support and for every customer who chooses to round up. Change truly adds up, and together, we’re building something lasting for our community.”

Funds raised through the Change for Better campaign will support ongoing development of Rockrose Sports Park, Kids, Inc.’s new multi-sport complex.

The park broke ground Oct. 7, and construction is underway. Drivers along I-27 can already see early progress at the site.

Kids, Inc. is encouraging the community to participate by visiting their local Toot’n Totum and rounding up their purchase—either inside the store or, for the first time, at the pump.

For more information about Rockrose Sports Park, click here.

Rockrose Sports Park is planned as a premier hub for Kids, Inc. sports and regional tournaments, with facilities for baseball, softball, soccer, flag and tackle football and more. The complex is expected to enhance youth sports experiences and boost the local economy by attracting teams and visitors to Amarillo.

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Rec Sports

City in the Community Collaborates with NYU on AI Programming Course for Young Leaders

Published

1 hour ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

This summer, City in the Community (CITC) partnered with New York University (NYU) to deliver a free, three-week Artificial Intelligence (AI) course designed to equip young leaders, aged 16-23, with the tools to use technology for social good. Hosted at NYU and facilitated by faculty from the NYU School of Professional Studies and the NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport, the program marks the fourth year of collaboration between CITC and NYU in creating college and career pathways for high school youth.

Participants from CITC’s weekend programs, including the citywide Saturday Night Lights initiative, explored how AI can be applied to sport, community development, and entrepreneurship. Students worked in small teams to design AI-powered solutions that expand access, inclusion, and innovation across their neighborhoods.

Guided by NYU Adjunct Professor Herbert Hill, along with CITC staff Jack Jacobs and Joe Sullivan, young leaders gained hands-on experience in sports technology, applied AI, machine learning, and creative problem-solving. Their work blended academic exploration with CITC’s mission to empower youth through sport, education, and emerging technology.

“In most large organizations, programs like this can feel like a surface-level initiative, but New York City FC was fully present and supportive every step of the way,” said Herbert Hill, Adjunct Professor, NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport. “Their commitment helped our students feel heard, valued, and confident, knowing that no dream or idea is too big. This class also showed them how AI can be used in meaningful ways, not only in sports but in their everyday lives to improve their schools and strengthen their communities.”

The initiative reflects CITC’s broader effort to create equitable pathways into STEM fields for young New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds. It also advances CITC’s vision to integrate sport, innovation, and technology to strengthen health, leadership, and opportunity across the city.

“We are deeply grateful to NYU and the Department of Youth & Community Development for their continued partnership and support in making this work possible,” said Bailee Eaglin, Director of Community Development, City in the Community and New York City FC. “This program reinforces how powerful it is when young people gain real access to emerging technology and the space to explore what it can mean for their futures. We are excited about what this creates for the years ahead and look forward to growing our role in this space across our city and our Club.”

At the program’s conclusion, participants presented final projects to NYU faculty, CITC mentors, and community partners, showcasing ideas that will guide future programming and inspire the next generation of innovation in sport and technology.

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Rec Sports

Annual Pitman parade continues with faith – Catholic Star Herald

Published

2 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Parish*

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Rec Sports

Keathley Dominates as Martin County Rolls to 3-0 Start

Published

2 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Martin County Cardinals put together a huge weekend at the Hawks Nest, picking up two dominant wins over Perry Central and Oneida Baptist Institute in the D.J. Begley Boys Basketball Classic.

On Friday, the Cards rolled past Perry Central 80-54.
Braxton Keathley put on a show with a massive double double, dropping 34 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Right behind him was Bryson Dials, who lit it up for 33 points of his own.

As a team, Martin County shot an efficient 50 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from deep and an impressive 90 percent at the free-throw line.

Saturday brought more of the same. Martin County overpowered Oneida Baptist Institute 97-60, and Keathley kept the momentum rolling with a 30-point night.
Dials added 23 points, Eli Mills poured in another 23, and Devan Maynard had a strong double double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The Cardinals finished the game shooting 53 percent from the field, nearly 49 percent from three and 75 percent at the line.

Martin County moves to 3-0 on the season and will be back on their home court Wednesday night when they host Huntington Expression Prep out of West Virginia. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

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Rec Sports

How Hall of Famer CC Sabathia and NYC Teamed Up to Create an $11M Sports Complex for Harlem Youth

Published

3 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

On a crisp Harlem morning, when the subway rumbles under Lenox Avenue and the neighborhood is still shaking off its early shadows, a new kind of promise rises over the skyline. It’s not a tower or a new development. It’s a field—the kind of field that makes young people stop, stare, and imagine themselves running across it under bright lights.

The soon to be built Harlem Youth Sports Complex, supported by the newly-inducted MLB Hall of Fame member CC Sabathia’s PitCCh In Foundation and a network of city partners, stands as more than another athletic ground. It is a deliberate, purposeful investment in older youth at a stage of life where structure, belonging, and opportunity can change trajectories. For high-schoolers navigating the tightrope of adolescence—school pressures, social expectations, limited safe spaces—this complex offers something rare: a place built with them in mind.

When completed in time for this coming spring, teens will find not just turf and lines painted on a field, but a refuge where athletic dreams meet mentorship, where the hum of competition mixes with the hum of community, and where their potential is treated not as a hope but a certainty.

Spread across 150,000 square feet of pristine synthetic turf, the complex will immediately announce its big-league aspirations. Regulation-sized fields for baseball, softball, football, soccer, and lacrosse reflect a simple belief: if you expect teens to dream big, you must give them space worthy of those dreams.

In urban settings, high-school athletes often outgrow the small, uneven lots tucked between buildings or the aging fields patched together with makeshift repairs. This new facility removes those limitations. The lighting is professional-grade, the lines crisp, the surfaces forgiving. A player can dive for a catch, cut hard on a soccer break, or sprint down a sideline knowing the field beneath their feet won’t fail them.

For Harlem teens who previously had to commute to outer boroughs or wait for crowded park space, the complex brings the game home—literally.

If the field is the stage, the programming is the heartbeat. Through partnerships with city initiatives like Saturday Night Lights, the complex will buzz with evening and weekend activity. These are the hours when high-school students need safe, structured space most—after the last school bell rings, when the cafeteria closes, when the streets get louder.

Saturday Night Lights, which typically serves youth ages 13–19, offers exactly what older teens crave: real competition, real coaching, and real belonging. And it’s free. That means no registration fees, no equipment barriers, no “pay to play.” In neighborhoods where cost often sidelines talented kids, free programming is not just helpful—it is transformational.

The result is a facility where teens can walk in after school or on a Saturday night and feel immediately welcomed, supported, and part of something.

The PitCCh In Foundation’s fingerprint is unmistakable here. Sabathia has long understood that sports are just the doorway; the real magic happens in the locker rooms, on the sidelines, in the moments between drills when a coach offers a life lesson disguised as encouragement.

For high-schoolers, this means a steady stream of mentors—coaches who not only teach form and footwork but also instill discipline, confidence, and accountability. Leadership opportunities emerge naturally: a team captain organizing practice, a defensive anchor calling out coverages, a baseball player guiding a younger teammate through a new drill.

These interactions add up. They nudge teens toward healthier routines, stronger academics, better decision-making, and the kind of self-belief that carries into adulthood.

In a neighborhood where positive community anchors are invaluable, the complex becomes a place where teens can show up every day and know they matter.

A high-quality facility opens high-quality doors. The new complex offers Harlem’s high-school athletes access to resources that traditionally existed miles away:

At its core, the Harlem Youth Sports Complex represents collaboration at its best. Sabathia’s foundation, local leaders, city partnerships, and neighborhood advocates came together around a shared belief: Harlem’s teens deserve the same quality facilities and support systems found in wealthier communities.

The result is more than a sports complex. It’s a beacon. A statement that Harlem’s youth are not only seen but celebrated; not only supported but invested in.

For high-school students standing on the brink of adulthood, this field becomes a launching pad—one that sends them into the world with confidence, community, and the knowledge that their dreams have a place to take root.

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Rec Sports

Qatar Launches Global Running Track Initiative Across 11 Underserved Communities

Published

3 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Key Takeaways

Qatar Olympic Committee partners with World Athletics and Qatar Fund for Development to build 11 inclusive running tracks across 11 countries
Target locations include Anguilla, Burundi, Cook Islands, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Palestine, Panama, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Ukraine
Each track features eco-friendly materials and accommodations for athletes with disabilities
Project extends the legacy of the Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships into tangible global infrastructure
Initiative positions sport development as a diplomatic and development tool through the Doha Forum platform

Strategic Partnership Extends Doha 2019 Legacy

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) formally launched “Aim Beyond” on December 8 during the Doha Forum, a three-day global diplomacy event. The project brings together QOC, World Athletics, and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) to address infrastructure gaps in countries where athletic facilities lag behind local talent.

The signing ceremony featured QOC Secretary General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and QFFD Director General Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti. The agreement channels resources from Qatar’s 2019 World Athletics Championships into permanent infrastructure for communities that currently lack adequate training facilities.

World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon attended the ceremony and connected the project directly to accessibility challenges facing the sport. “In many communities around the world, athletic talent is abundant, but facilities are not, and that’s where Aim Beyond makes its mark,” Ridgeon said.

Target Countries and Facility Specifications

The 11 countries selected for track construction span four continents and represent diverse development contexts. The list includes island nations (Anguilla, Cook Islands, Dominica), Central Asian republics (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), African countries (Burundi, Tanzania), Eastern European nations (Moldova, Ukraine), a Central American state (Panama), and Palestine.

Each facility will incorporate two specific design priorities. First, tracks will use eco-friendly construction materials, though the announcement did not specify the exact materials or sustainability certifications. Second, each track will include accommodations for athletes with disabilities, making them accessible to a broader range of community members.

Beyond athletics training, the tracks are designed to function as community gathering spaces. The project positions each facility as a hub for youth engagement and athletic development rather than competition-only infrastructure.

Framing Sport as Development Strategy

Qatar Fund for Development’s involvement signals the country’s approach to positioning sports infrastructure within its broader international development portfolio. Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, the fund’s director general, described sport as “a transformative catalyst for human development and social progress.”

The timing and venue of the announcement reinforces this framing. The Doha Forum, which ran from December 6 to 8 under the theme “Diplomacy, Dialogue and Diversity,” brings together heads of state, policymakers, and international organization leaders to address global challenges.

By launching Aim Beyond at this platform, Qatar connects athletic infrastructure to diplomacy and development rather than purely sporting objectives. The project treats facility construction as a foreign policy and development tool that generates goodwill while addressing real infrastructure needs.

World Athletics Seeks Expanded Member Federation Support

Jon Ridgeon’s comments emphasized World Athletics’ strategic interest in strengthening its member federations through infrastructure partnerships. “Partnerships drive our mission to make athletics accessible and inspiring for all,” Ridgeon said, describing the collaboration as “strategic, human-centered teamwork.”

The project addresses a persistent challenge for World Athletics: talented athletes in emerging markets who lack basic training facilities. While many countries produce competitive runners, training infrastructure often consists of dirt roads or makeshift tracks that limit athlete development.

Ridgeon credited QOC President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani directly, stating “Our sport owes you an enormous debt of gratitude” for the commitment to expanding athletics infrastructure. This recognition suggests Qatar is positioning itself as a long-term partner for global athletics development beyond hosting major events.

Youth Access and Legacy Conversion

Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain framed the project as legacy activation from Qatar’s 2019 World Championships. “Just as Doha 2019 allowed Qatar to aim beyond its limits in pursuit of its ultimate dream, so too will this project create opportunities for young athletes to reach their full potential,” Al Buenain said.

The statement positions Qatar’s event hosting as a starting point rather than an end goal. Instead of letting championship infrastructure and investment remain concentrated in Doha, the Aim Beyond project distributes resources to countries that did not host the event but could benefit from similar facilities.

This approach addresses a common criticism of major sporting events: that host countries build extensive infrastructure for short-term use while countries with greater development needs receive no benefit. By channeling resources outward, Qatar attempts to demonstrate that event hosting can generate broader international impact.

Strategic Implications for Youth Sports Development

The Aim Beyond model offers a blueprint for how major sporting events in resource-rich countries can generate infrastructure benefits beyond their borders. Rather than limiting legacy projects to the host nation, this approach treats international facility development as part of the event’s long-term impact.

For the 11 recipient countries, the tracks provide infrastructure that would likely take years to fund and construct through domestic budgets alone. Each facility potentially serves multiple purposes: athlete training, school physical education, community recreation, and regional competition hosting.

The project’s success will likely depend on operational sustainability after construction. Community use, maintenance funding, and integration with local athletics federations will determine whether the tracks become active training centers or underutilized facilities.

via: World Athletics

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