The Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating two of its own, after Firefighters Erik Weeks and Amy Stevens successfully completed their Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMTB) certification.

Both Weeks and Stevens recently passed the state-required exams and are set to begin serving in their new roles once their certifications are officially processed.

The milestone expands the department’s emergency medical response capabilities and reflects the continued commitment of its team members.

Stevens will also volunteer her EMT skills with Wayne Township Fire & Rescue.

“We’re incredibly proud of Erik and Amy for their hard work and dedication,” the department shared. “This is a big step forward—not just for them, but for the entire community.”

The Oak Ridge Youth Association Little League baseball program’s regular season ended on May 31, and the playoffs concluded on June 11.

The baseball league is for players ages 4 to 15. The league’s goal is to teach kids the fundamentals of baseball, develop their skills, and grow a true passion for the game. ORYA offers spring and fall seasons, with games primarily played at Oak Ridge Town Park and Oak Ridge Elementary School. Depending on age level, each player will play eight to 10 regular season games and participate in a post-season league tournament.

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The league has five age divisions: Shetland (ages 4 to 6), Pinto (ages 6 to 8), Mustang (ages 8 to 10, Broncos (ages 10-12) and Pony (ages 12 to 15).

Another goal of the ORYA Little League is to make the competition as even as possible, Director Michael Connelly said.

“You can see that in all the divisions. No one team completely dominates,” he said.

Connelly and others also made sure all the players in the league had great uniforms this season.

“We gave them Major League uniforms this season. They had Major League uniforms and hats. We found a vendor that would give us the Major League uniforms with their names on it,” Connelly said.

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In the older divisions, the Oak Ridge All-Stars teams were selected, and District 2 All-Star play has already begun.

The ORYA has a number of sports for local youth. In addition to baseball, there is a football program a softball league, a soccer league, a cheerleading program, a basketball league for boys and girls and a boys’ and girls’ lacrosse league. Starting in 2022, ORYA also has had a rugby program. ORYA also has a rowing program as a partner with the North Carolina Rowing Club.

For more information about ORYA youth sports programs, visit their website at https://www.orya.org.

Sean Rodriguez spent 13 years in Major League Baseball despite a difficult childhood. His new sports training facility in Largo will provide a refuge for local kids navigating similar circumstances. 

Rodriguez, a first-generation U.S. citizen, was a Tampa Bay Ray for six years and has long called St. Petersburg home. He founded R3 Athletics, a youth baseball league, and opened The Yard in April. 

The Yard is a state-of-the-art, nonprofit training facility that equally emphasizes both athletic skills and character development. Rodriguez said it is a welcoming and fun place for the community to escape the ultra-competitiveness and negativity that now permeate youth sports. 

“I was less fortunate as a kid – I didn’t necessarily have a lot of opportunities unless there were families, coaches or teams that were willing to just take me on and basically do it for free,” Rodriguez told the Catalyst. “So, that is the nonprofit side of what we’re trying to do.” 

Rodriquez, known for his versatility, played every position but catcher during his career. One of his most memorable moments with the Rays came in May 2014 when his three-run, walk-off homer at Tropicana Field snapped a four-game losing streak. 

Baseball is in his blood. His father, who now works at The Yard, has coached baseball professionally for over 40 years. 

Sean Rodriguez played for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2010 through 2014. St. Petersburg remained home, despite subsequent stops in Pittsburgh (twice), Atlanta, Philadelphia and his native Miami.

An American dream

Rodriguez’s parents had an arduous path to America. His mother was able to fly to Miami after winning Cuba’s immigration lottery. His father was a physician, and the Fidel Castro regime was reluctant to relinquish “anyone who had any kind of value.” 

A guard held his grandfather and father, then about 9, at gunpoint when they attempted to flee the communist country via boat. Another guard questioned why they would “shoot one of our own” and let the two leave. 

“They had a lot in Cuba; tons and tons of resources,” Rodriguez said. “They left all of that to come over here and start from scratch.”

He said his grandfather, who died in 2006, never regretted leaving everything he owned to start a new life in a “flawed” yet “amazing country.” Rodriguez was born and raised in Miami and moved to St. Petersburg in 2009 after the Anaheim Angels traded him to the Rays. 

He and his wife bought a house in 2010 so his autistic son could remain closer to therapists. They decided to stay in St. Petersburg once his baseball career ended and purchased another home in 2020. 

“We absolutely love it,” Rodriguez said. “It has been a blessing.”

Giving back

While his parents instilled Christian values, Rodriguez said he was “a little too self-driven” as a young adult. He then met his close friend and business partner, Ron Davis, when his son played recreational baseball in Pinellas Park. 

Their relationship evolved, and Rodriguez continued meeting “great, like-minded people with the right intentions and a genuine passion to just pour into the community.” 

The two launched R3, a traveling youth baseball organization that now boasts 14 area teams. They also found it challenging to share practice fields with other “very competitive” clubs. 

Rodriquez said many coaches and parents “lose sight of what the purpose is behind putting these kids on a diamond.” While he was “out for blood” when he played competitively – “it was win or die” – pre-teens should be “having a blast.” 

“The Yard was meant to be somewhere where anyone and everyone can go train,” Rodriguez said. “It doesn’t have to just be our R3 kids. It’s designed to be a place where we can bring people together.

“It’s just building each other up from within and trying to build better human beings.” 

The Yard also offers a recovery and yoga room.

Rodriquez’s brother, who has also played and coached professionally, also works at The Yard. His wife shares administrative duties alongside the spouses of other coaches. 

The facility is family-oriented with “enough professionalism and state-of-the-art equipment” to foster future champions. The Yard offers batting cages, private and group training, a recovery room with saunas, cold plunges and heat therapy, yoga, camps and strength, agility and endurance equipment. 

Rodriguez said the overarching goal is to provide professional-grade services in a positive atmosphere. The facility at 11683 87th St. welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities. Aaron Sanchez, an MLB pitcher, recently trained at The Yard.

However, molding youth remains a focus, and Rodriguez plans to incorporate a “homeschool dynamic” with a classroom setting. The Yard provides scholarships for underserved kids in the community. 

“My genuine hope is to find a way to make this a spot where people can come through and say, ‘Ok, if I book ahead of time, I’m good. I got a spot, and I don’t even need to pay,’” Rodriguez added. “And feel like it’s a viable product. A lot of people try to put something out, and sometimes it can feel either watered down or driven by the wrong purpose.” 

FAIRMONT — Swimsuits are on. Bikes are off the bike racks. Shoes are tied. They’re ready to go. Youth and adult athletes from across southern and central Minnesota and northern Iowa will put their skills in swimming, cycling and running to the test at the sixth annual Marty’s Youth Triathlon and the 18th annual Fairmont Triathlon and 5K Bacon Fun Run/Walk 5K next weekend in Fairmont.

Amanda Forstrom has been on the Fairmont Triathlon committee for two years and assists with planning, along with seven other individuals. A Fairmont native, Forstrom prizes the Fairmont community, and additionally, as a physical therapist and athlete, holds the races close to her heart. Before joining the committee, Forstrom was a volunteer and a competitor herself.

“It’s nice to contribute to this good event here in Fairmont,” Forstrom said. “[Since] I’m a physical therapist, I appreciate events that promote good health.”

The weekend will be full of entertainment for spectators at Gomsrud Park, and excitement and intensity for competitors.

The adult races include a quarter-mile to-and-back swim at Budd or Hall Lake. Lifeguards will be present on kayaks for emergency assistance. In the 12-mile bike race, competitors will ride west out of Gomsrud Park onto Lair Road, north on County Road 39, west on County Road 22, south on County Road 37 and then return to Gomsrud Park. Finally, in the five-kilometer/3.1 mile sprint, competitors run east out of Gomsrud Park on Lair Road, turn south on a bike trail to Belle Vue Road, east to Prairie Avenue, north to Cardinal Street, through Johnson Street, west to Prairie Avenue, north to the Aquatic Park, and finally returning to Lair Road and the finish. The Olympic competitors will race the same route for a second lap before completion.

The Marty’s Youth Triathlon separates racers by age (from 5 to 15 years old) in distinguished classes. Forstrom stated that distance and length vary with age and the ability of the children. Ages 5 to 8 will compete in a 25-minute pool swim with flotation devices allowed, a mile bike ride and a quarter-mile run. Ages 9 to 11 will compete in a 25-minute pool swim with flotation devices allowed, a 1.8-mile bike and a half-mile run. Ages 12 to 15 will compete in a 50-minute pool swim, a 3.5-mile bike ride and a one-mile run.

“It’s really fun to watch,” Forstrom stated.

According to Fostrom, more than 200 people have registered including approximately 75 racers in Marty’s Youth Triathlon, 60 racers in the 5K Bacon Fun Run/Walk and 61 racers in the Fairmont Trathlon. Forstrom remarked that the events are very age diverse, with the youngest competitor 5 years old and the oldest in their 80s.

“It’s encouraging to see how many people signed up this year,” Formstrom remarked. “These are activities you can do for most of your life.”

Forstrom agreed that the event is very significant to Fairmont culture and builds a strong sense of community.

“It takes a lot of volunteers to help put on an event like this,” she said.

Marty’s Youth Triathlon kicks off at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, June 20, and the Fairmont Triathlon and 5K Bacon Fun Run/Walk 5K will begin at 8:30 and 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 21. Food and refreshments will be served for the racers following the events. Participating athletes are encouraged to make sure their gear is organized, their bike is functioning and that they drink plenty of water.

Registration is required to compete. The deadline to be guaranteed a t-shirt has passed, but it’s not too late to join the races. Registration and more information for athletes, volunteers and spectators can be completed by visiting the official website at www.fairmonttriathlon.org, the Fairmont Area Community Calendar or visiting Gomsrud Park (5K/Fairmont Triathlon) or Fairmont Aquatic Park (Marty’s Youth Triathlon) for same-day registration.