Rec Sports

Philomath Harriers hosting youth track and field meet on Saturday

The annual Philomath Harriers home youth track and field meet will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the high school’s Clemens Field. The meet will feature approximately 300 young athletes from across the Willamette Valley, ranging from second to fifth grade. Spectators are welcome to attend. Scheduled events on the track include the 100, 200, […]

Published

1 week ago

May 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The annual Philomath Harriers home youth track and field meet will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the high school’s Clemens Field.

The meet will feature approximately 300 young athletes from across the Willamette Valley, ranging from second to fifth grade. Spectators are welcome to attend.

Scheduled events on the track include the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 4-by-100 relay. Field events will be turbo javelin, long jump, high jump and softball throw. The meet’s organizer said a highlight of the event is the popular 50-meter race for children ages 5 and under 9, which is held immediately following the sprint relays. Another popular event is the coaches relay.

The Philomath Harriers will be represented by more than 40 young athletes.

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Coppo Field, the new home of New Canaan varsity baseball, opens

NEW CANAAN — The son of Joe Coppo threw out the first pitch at the opening of the baseball field named after his late father, which was recently celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and inaugural game. The field is named in memory of the New Canaan resident, coach, and youth baseball advocate who died in the […]

Published

10 minutes ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEW CANAAN — The son of Joe Coppo threw out the first pitch at the opening of the baseball field named after his late father, which was recently celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and inaugural game.

The field is named in memory of the New Canaan resident, coach, and youth baseball advocate who died in the 9/11 attacks. It will now serve as the official home of the New Canaan High School Rams varsity baseball team, replacing Mead Park.

During the opening, which was held on May 7, master of ceremonies Terry Dinan paid tribute to Coppo’s legacy.

“Joe Coppo was a longtime resident of New Canaan and supporter of New Canaan baseball who graciously volunteered his time coaching and was an active board member,” Dinan said, according to a press release from New Canaan Public Schools. “Joe’s spirit and legacy lives on in all who take the field to play. We know he would be excited and proud to see the unveiling of the renovated Coppo Field today.”

Coppo’s son John threw the ceremonial first pitch at the field, located at Waveny Park.

New Canaan Athletic Foundation founding chair Mike Benevento spoke at the event about the scope of the $5 million project to bring the state-of-the-art turf baseball facility to New Canaan, a public-private partnership between the Town of New Canaan, NCAF, and New Canaan Baseball.

“While it will primarily serve baseball, the outfield and additional space will be used in the fall for youth field hockey, flag football, and many other sports,” Benevento said in the release. “It’s an exciting step forward for our youth athletics programs.”

According to the press release, “Coppo Field features a brick backstop, expansive dugouts, double-barrel bullpens, and a top-tier turf surface.”

The inaugural game was played against Darien High School, as the two teams have a nearly 100-year-old rivalry, with their first game taking place at Mead Park.

“Mead Park was the proud home of New Canaan Baseball,” Dinan said. “Today, we turn the page to an exciting new chapter. This beautiful field will now serve as the home of the New Canaan Varsity Rams and support nearly 600 players across our town, from T-ball to high school.”

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Is it safe for youth athletes to take dietary supplements?

Mass equals gas. It’s a refrain you hear from today’s pitchers, even from early adolescent ages, bent on increasing their velocity with added size. It’s not just baseball. Walk around a high school athletic field, court or track and you’ll see kids who are larger and sleeker than they were just a decade or two […]

Published

27 minutes ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Mass equals gas.

It’s a refrain you hear from today’s pitchers, even from early adolescent ages, bent on increasing their velocity with added size. It’s not just baseball.

Walk around a high school athletic field, court or track and you’ll see kids who are larger and sleeker than they were just a decade or two ago.

Young athletes are lifting weights and taking over-the-counter dietary supplements in an attempt to gain size and power. The three most common of these performance enhancing substances (PES), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Creatine, caffeine and protein supplements.

“I think sometimes what happens is that a child who’s really interested in adding strength and muscle bulk, they’ll do a lot of things at the same time,” says Rebecca Carl, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, “and so then it’s not clear if they’re taking caffeine and creatine and they’re on protein supplements and they’re lifting what’s helping them.

“There’s a big issue with contamination,” she says.

How much do supplements help? How safe are they? USA TODAY Sports spoke with Carl, a sports medicine physician and associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, about children and adolescents’ use of popular supplements and healthy weight gain.

Creatine: Benefits ‘really doubtful’ for kids

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), creatine is produced in your liver, kidneys, and pancreas, then stored as phosphocreatine in your muscles, and our bodies use phosphocreatine to help “jumpstart” during exercise.

The USADA says creatine is also found in red meat, salmon, milk, eggs and mollusks.

Taking in the compound as a supplement, however, is highly popular but also somewhat controversial among the adolescent population.

While you might know a coach who suggests taking creatine supplements, the AAP doesn’t recommend children or adolescents take them.

“There are not studies demonstrating safety in children/adolescents,” Carl says. “More recent reviews suggest that creatine can be used safely but these are generally studies of adults.

“Your body can make creatine so it’s not needed in the diet. There is creatine found naturally occurring in things like meat and fish. But taking it as a supplement, we don’t know if there’s harm in doing that for children.

“The other thing is it has a very narrow performance benefit.”

Carl says creatine could aid athletic bursts of one to three seconds but probably not with overall sports performance.

“If I was summarizing it for a family, I’d say for most athletic activities, the benefits of creatine are really doubtful,” she says. “There may be some benefit for really explosive, short activities. The classic would example be a weightlifter who does a single maximum lift, then there’s probably a performance benefit for that … (but) probably not even repetitive activities like that.

“There’s not a benefit for certainly any sport where there’s an endurance component of it.”

So for baseball, for example, Carr says, creatine might help you with a single swing or single pitch, but not a series of swings or pitches.

“PES use does not produce significant gains over those seen with the onset of puberty and adherence to an appropriate nutrition and training program,” the AAP says in its most recent policy statement on performance-enhancing substances, which Carl says is reviewed every four years.

Coach Steve: When can teenagers start lifting weights? What about a personal coach?

Protein bars, powders and shakes: ‘Totally unnecessary’

Two in five parents say their teenager consumed protein supplements over a one-year period, according to a 2024 University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

Teens think they are taking them to build muscle, but the AAP says there’s no performance benefit to protein supplement if a diet provides adequate protein.

“Protein supplementation is for most children totally unnecessary because they get enough protein in the diet,” Carl says. “Even kids who are lifting.”

If an athlete is a vegan or has other has dietary restrictions, Carl might have them see a registered dietician to determine how much protein and nutrients their body needs.

The AAP recommends that children 4 years and older and adolescents get 10-30% of their daily calories from protein.

Generally, Carl says, adolescents should take in 0.5 grams of protein per pound pound of body weight per day. Those needs may be higher for athletes engaged in intense activity or resistance training.

“Getting adequate protein through the diet is best, especially given the issue of possible contamination,” Carl says. “One other thing that is an important issue with all of these supplements is that supplements aren’t regulated the way that drugs are, so you don’t have to pull a supplement from the market until it causes harm. (With) medications, you have to prove that it’s safe first.”

Caffeine and energy drinks: ‘The risk of taking too much’

The amount of caffeine in food (soft drinks are allowed a maximum of 71 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces) is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Caffeine in energy drinks and other dietary supplements isn’t.

“Most children take caffeine, whether or not they’re doing it as a supplement, so it’s not that we think kids shouldn’t have any caffeine,” Carl says, “but some of the energy drinks that have really high doses, there’s been emergency room visits over taking too much of it.”

AAP research connects significant toxicity with the ingestion of multiple energy drink. The AAP doesn’t recommend kids and adolescents drink them at all.

The AAP has guidelines about safe caffeine use. According to its PES statement, 1 to 3 milligrams per kilogram has been shown to have performance-enhancing effects, particularly in endurance activity, strength of knee extensors and improvements in time to exhaustion studies.

So, for example, Carl says a child weighing 40 kilograms (or 88 pounds) would take 120 milligrams.

“Caffeine does have performance benefits, and it’s safer than things like, certainly anabolic steroids and some of the more notorious agents,” Carl says. “I think in specific circumstances, there may be a benefit to taking caffeine, but there’s also the risk of taking too much of it.”

Some potential adverse effects of caffeine overdose include cardiac arrhythmias (premature ventricular contractions), increased blood pressure, headaches, irritability, sleep disruption, tremor and gastric irritation and increased core body temperature with exertion in hot environments.

The FDA issued a warning in 2018 about supplements consisting of pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid form.

“It is very difficult to tell the difference between what is a safe amount and what may be a toxic or even lethal amount of this bulk product,” the FDA said in the statement. “Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and very small amounts of pure or highly concentrated caffeine may have serious effects and could even be deadly.”

If you have read Richard Ben Cramer’s biography about Joe DiMaggio (“The Hero’s Life”), you know the baseball legend used to drink many cups of coffee before games to get a boost.

According to FDA calculations, DiMaggio would have had to go on a 28-cup binge to equal the same amount of caffeine in one teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine.

Coach Steve: What are the keys for young baseball players to realize their potential?

Guidelines for adolescent weight gain

Just like with cutting weight as a wrestler, there isn’t a shortcut to gaining weight in a healthy fashion. The practice can become unhealthy for adolescents when it adds excess body fat.

According to its statement on weight control practices in young athletes, the AAP recommends athletes who want to gain weight and add lean muscle mass do so gradually, and without supplements:

For Boys: Up to a half-pound or pound per week.
For girls: up to one-quarter to three-quarters of pound per week.
If you’re maintaining body weight while adhering to the protein guidelines above, consume an extra 300 to 500 calories above your baseline intake, an extra 14 grams of protein, strength train and get adequate sleep.

The AAP doesn’t necessarily use a maximum weight recommendation for height. Carl says Body Mass Index measurements, which have traditionally been used, are not as helpful for athletes with higher lean body mass.

“BMI classify individuals as obese even if they have low body fat (and) more muscle mass,” she says. “We tend to think in terms of recommendations of how to gain muscle mass.”

The problem with supplements and the next level

About 10 years ago, as The New York Times reported, the New York State attorney general accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements.

Eric Schneiderman said his office purchased a variety of store brand herbal supplements in different parts of the state. They found, he said, that only 21 percent of the ones they tested had DNA evidence that they contained the product listed on the label.

“Sometimes that’s an issue for things like allergies – if you’re allergic to garlic and there’s garlic power or something like that – but some things they have steroid derivatives in them that could really be harmful,” Carl says of dietary supplements.

We routinely hear from professional athletes who say they didn’t knowingly take a substance banned by their league for which they tested positive. Our children are eventually going to be held accountable, too.

“At the college and professional level, they will recommend athletes not take any kind of supplements unless they have cleared it with the athletic trainers or coaching staff because sometimes there’s things that shouldn’t be in there,” Carl says.

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@usatoday.com

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OKC Thunder to host youth basketball camp in Shawnee

Photo Credit: METRO Oklahoma City Thunder OKLAHOMA CITY– The Oklahoma City Thunder has opened registration for its summer Thunder Youth Basketball camp in Shawnee for kids ages 6-14.… Previous Post Photos: Dale’s run to the state championship Next Post Gardens of Cross Timbers: Saving Hummingbirds Link 0

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Photo Credit: METRO

Oklahoma City Thunder OKLAHOMA CITY– The Oklahoma City Thunder has opened registration for its summer Thunder Youth Basketball camp in Shawnee for kids ages 6-14.…

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Twins pitch fun and fundamentals at youth baseball clinic

May 17—MITCHELL — The Minnesota Twins Community Fund brought its traveling youth baseball clinic to Mitchell on Saturday, offering local kids ages 6 to 12 a chance to learn the fundamentals of the game, and more importantly, have fun. The event held at Cadwell Sports Complex brought a total of 113 kids that participated in […]

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The event held at Cadwell Sports Complex brought a total of 113 kids that participated in the clinic, which featured skill stations led by experienced Twins clinicians.

“Our goal as the Twins organization is to get kids out and play,” said Scott Morris, one of the clinic’s instructors. “We’re not even concerned if it’s baseball or not, we just want kids to get up and play.”

Morris, who has been involved in baseball for decades as a player and coach, said the clinic serves as a reintroduction to the sport for many kids who may not play as informally as earlier generations did.

“When we were kids, we’d get two or three friends and make up a game,” Morris said. “Now kids spend more time indoors or wait for something organized rather than just getting together and play.”

Participants rotated through four core skill stations: infielding, outfield play, hitting and throwing. The clinic also emphasized receiving, learning how to catch the ball with confidence, using safety equipment to help young athletes build trust and enjoyment in the game.

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Michigan’s Jordan Marshall hosts youth football camp at Moeller

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — There were handshakes, autographs, high-fives and plenty of smiles on a sun-splashed Saturday morning at Moeller High School. University of Michigan sophomore running back Jordan Marshall, a 2024 Moeller High School graduate, returned to the Gerry Faust Athletic Complex to a festive atmosphere where he reunited with so many people who […]

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — There were handshakes, autographs, high-fives and plenty of smiles on a sun-splashed Saturday morning at Moeller High School.

University of Michigan sophomore running back Jordan Marshall, a 2024 Moeller High School graduate, returned to the Gerry Faust Athletic Complex to a festive atmosphere where he reunited with so many people who have been a part of his life growing up in Greater Cincinnati.

The 2023 Ohio Mr. Football recipient hosted the inaugural Jordan Marshall Football Camp presented by Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine along with Montgomery Inn.

“Just coming back and seeing family, friends,” Marshall said. “I got out to the mall yesterday and people are all talking to me and taking pictures. Going out to eat at my favorite spots — Montgomery Inn, The Precinct, Skyline (Chili). Just to come back — it’s just home.”

Dozens of youth football players participated in Saturday’s camp. The Moeller football team, including head coach Bert Bathiany, helped energize the campers with a pep talk, tossing the football, stretching exercises and instruction on the field. Marshall spoke about his faith, mental health and playing for Michigan.

“Being a mentor is a big part of what I want to do,” Marshall said. “Giving back to this community is really important to me. It’s something I’m always going to do every single year.”

Marshall was joined not only by former high school teammates but Michigan teammates Luke Hamilton (offensive lineman) and Stuart Blake (kicker).

“He’s a great teammate,” Hamilton said of Marshall. “He’s very competitive. He wants to bring the best out of everyone he’s around. I think he does a great job of that. They say leaders don’t have to be seniors; they don’t have to be the older guys. I think he steps in the role of a leader too at Michigan. I think he’s just vocal. A leader by show and I think we all kind of follow it.”

Marshall’s message to the youth campers at Moeller went beyond the game. He wants to impact others in a positive manner. Moeller has been a vehicle for his efforts.

“Moeller gave me the platform to do a lot of things including this one,” Marshall said. “It’s just a great feeling to bring the community together.”

Marshall, 19, is in the spotlight as Michigan prepares for its season opener against visiting New Mexico on Aug. 30. Last season, he earned his first collegiate start — and earned ReliaQuest Bowl MVP honors — in rushing for 100 yards on 23 carries in the Wolverines’ win over Alabama in late December.

Marshall appeared in five games including three games at running back during his freshman season.

“The bowl game was amazing,” Marshall said. “To have my first big game against Alabama is really special. Just to have that experience is really cool. Going into this upcoming year it’s prepared me because I have to be a leader right away just like I was here my sophomore year I had to lead at a young age. That’s what I want to do at Michigan is the same thing — start leading now and have two or three more years to lead this team to some national championships.”

Marshall is scheduled to return to Ann Arbor in early June with football workouts. The 2022 Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year continues to watch Moeller football even during his busy schedule.

Marshall is hopeful Moeller can return to Canton for a Division I state final this season. Moeller was the 2024 state runner-up.

“I got to make two or three games (in 2024),” Marshall said. “I watched almost every (other) game online. It sucks they didn’t when the state championship, but they’ll be back. Coach B (Bert Bathiany) has this place in a really good spot and these kids ready to go.”

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New hires and a promotion at the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office

Four new corrections officers join the team, Tronetti earns Deputy Sheriff rank From the ACSO, pictured Undersheriff Mackney, C.O. Giantempo, Deputy Tronetti, C.O. McKnight, C.O. Franklin, Sheriff Cicirello The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the hiring of four new Correction Officers and the promotion of one new Deputy Sheriff. The new Correction […]

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Four new corrections officers join the team, Tronetti earns Deputy Sheriff rank

From the ACSO, pictured Undersheriff Mackney, C.O. Giantempo, Deputy Tronetti, C.O. McKnight, C.O. Franklin, Sheriff Cicirello

The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the hiring of four new Correction Officers and the promotion of one new Deputy Sheriff. The new Correction Officer hires are: Steven Gianatiempo, Killian McKnight, Morgan Franklin and Dave Shay. Promoted to Deputy Sheriff is Derek Tronetti.