Plans for bike park near Shawnee sports complexes move forward
Plans to develop a park in Shawnee aimed at cyclists received unanimous approval from the city council. On May 12, the Shawnee City Council approved a roughly $329,000 contract with a local design firm to create a master plan and market analysis study for the proposed 170-acre Rail Creek Park project. The vote was 8-0. […]
Plans to develop a park in Shawnee aimed at cyclists received unanimous approval from the city council.
On May 12, the Shawnee City Council approved a roughly $329,000 contract with a local design firm to create a master plan and market analysis study for the proposed 170-acre Rail Creek Park project. The vote was 8-0.
The city council approved the contract with the Kansas City-based Vireo LLC to start work on the nine-month project. It was previously budgeted at $500,000 as part of the city’s 2025 Capital Improvement Program.
The park, which would be located at 6103 Woodland Dr., has been on the city’s radar for the past five years. Plans for it have been included in both the 2020 Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the 2021 Achieve Shawnee Comprehensive Plan. The area on Woodland Drive is currently used by bike riders and groups like Donderdag Youth Cycle Clinics.
“(It’s) a park that will not only serve our residents in the Kansas City Metro Area, (but will also) create a destination park for cyclists and adventure-loving travelers in the Midwest and even nationally,” said Tonya Lecuru, Shawnee’s parks and recreation director.
The city is seeking public input for the park
As part of its agreement with the city, Vireo will conduct market analysis, including site evaluation, workshops and focus groups with community stakeholders, and public listening sessions, as well as conducting an economic impact analysis and feasibility study.
Vireo will also create a master plan for the park, including a site plan, two architectural concepts, phasing diagram, revenue projections and a funding master plan.
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During public comments at the city council meeting earlier this month, Melissa Sabin, a parent of a child with disabilities, said she was grateful residents will be involved to give their input.
“I think that is needed, and if you guys could just publicize (community engagement events) and really, just get people involved, I know I have a whole community of people who would love to share some best practices or some inputs, at the very least,” she said.
Final plan could be approved early next year
With the city council’s contract with Vireo, a timeline is set for the park process, including:
May — June: Background phase, including the start of the project, site tour for Vireo and review of previous documents
June — August: Site studies phase, including Vireo analyzing the site and data, conducting visioning workshops and market analysis
September — October: Master Plan refinement, with 60% of the master plan documents reviewed
November — December: Draft Master Plan, with 90% of the master plan document reviewed
January — February 2026: Final Master Plan for Council Approval, with 100% master plan documents for review and a presentation made to the city council.
City council showed support
Before voting, several city councilmembers had questions about funding.
Councilmember Kurt Knappen wanted to be sure that what the city council was approving was only for the first phase of the plan, which City Manager Paul Kramer affirmed.
“I just wanted to confirm that we’ll have the ability to discuss (the project) and decide as we go along,” Knappen said.
Agreeing with Knappen’s clarifying question, Councilmember Mike Kemmling wanted to be sure he wasn’t committing to multiple phases of the project.
“I kind of had some similar reservations just because of how large this was. But I think just this step here, taking a look, seeing what we’re going to be in for (is good), as long as this doesn’t commit us to the larger scope,” he said.
Other councilmembers, like Jacklynn Walters, praised the first phase of the project for coming in under budget.
“I know there’s some excitement around this project and even the potential of what it could draw to our city,” she said. “I appreciate that it’s coming in a little under proposed $500,000 budget, so I’m thankful for that, and thank you (Tonya) for your hard work.”
Residents expressed excitement for project
During the comment section of the discussion, several Shawnee residents, including those involved with the Donderdag youth cycling group, said they were excited to see it move forward.
Already training kids at the site of the proposed park, Donald Jonas, Jr., executive director of Donderdag, said it’s been a good piece of land for kids to bike on.
“It’s got humans thriving and living and growing on it, having a great time,” he said.
A father of a child that went through the Donderdag program, Randy Braley said he was excited for the potential the park has.
“This will be a canvas for cyclocross and cyclers to use, but it will also be a green space for the rest of the community to use, engage and interact,” Braley said.
Ultimately, Jonas said the park should get more people outside to enjoy nature.
“When you put up bike trails and bike spaces and bike areas for your citizens, you end up with a lot of people that get outdoors more,” he said. “If you do it right, like the city and the chamber of commerce and the parks department is here in Shawnee … It’s really a beautiful and wonderful thing.”
More Shawnee news: Work to make downtown Shawnee more walkable set to wrap up soon. What can pedestrians expect?
Lincoln Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest Set For Saturday | KLIN
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is teaming up with Lincoln Community Learning Centers for a Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest on Saturday at Peter Pan Park at 32nd and “W” streets. This free event will run from noon to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to reduce barriers to physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by connecting […]
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is teaming up with Lincoln Community Learning Centers for a Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest on Saturday at Peter Pan Park at 32nd and “W” streets. This free event will run from noon to 4:00 p.m. and is designed to reduce barriers to physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by connecting families with affordable youth sports opportunities.
Attendees will enjoy live music, free food, sports games, a dunk tank and additional activities. “When kids participate in sports, their physical fitness increases, mental well-being improves, and social connections strengthen,” says Rachel Redepenning, LLCHD Public Health Educator. “This leads to lower risk of chronic diseases, avoidance of substance use and building of long-term social and emotional skills.”
Families who attend will be able to connect with sports programs for youth ages 3 through 16 and all skill levels that offer affordable options, financial aid, or scholarship opportunities for youth sports, learn about registration deadlines, cost, and expectations for various sports leagues and recreation programs.
For more information about the Youth Sports Sign-Up Fest event click here.
Why youth sports insurance is facing a critical reckoning
Mental health has become another area of focus. Sports organizations are investing in coach education, launching awareness campaigns, and adopting digital monitoring tools to stay ahead of potential issues. “We partner with MaxU, which offers daily three- to five-question assessments. It helps administrators, coaches, and parents spot early warning signs,” Burks said. Link 0
Mental health has become another area of focus. Sports organizations are investing in coach education, launching awareness campaigns, and adopting digital monitoring tools to stay ahead of potential issues. “We partner with MaxU, which offers daily three- to five-question assessments. It helps administrators, coaches, and parents spot early warning signs,” Burks said.
UVA Orthopedic chair warns of rising overuse injuries in youth sports
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) Dr. Bobby Chhabra, Chair of UVA Orthopedics, raised concerns over the increasing number of Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA and tied the trend to long-term overuse starting in youth sports. “Thirty years in the NBA I mean, just looking at the data, they averaged about one Achilles tendon rupture a […]
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) Dr. Bobby Chhabra, Chair of UVA Orthopedics, raised concerns over the increasing number of Achilles tendon injuries in the NBA and tied the trend to long-term overuse starting in youth sports. “Thirty years in the NBA I mean, just looking at the data, they averaged about one Achilles tendon rupture a year and now we have 3 in like 3 weeks during the playoffs,” he said, citing the cases of Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, and Damian Lillard. Chhabra pointed to the year-round nature of sports, saying even kids are playing through fatigue and skeletal development.
During an interview on WINA, Chhabra responded to commentary from UVA alum and former NBA player Olden Polynice, who suggested overtraining is draining players’ longevity. “Your body ain’t got but that many jumps in it,” Polynice said during a national radio appearance. Chhabra echoed the sentiment, urging parents to reconsider the current sports culture. “They should be playing three sports a year. They should have plenty of time to rest, particularly during adolescence when they’re skeletally mature and they’re still developing. But that’s not the culture in this country,” he noted.
As youth athletes face increasing pressure from scholarships and NIL deals, Chhabra warned that both physical and mental health risks are growing. “There’s too much pressure on these kids now,” he said. He advised that early specialization can lead to devastating injuries and long recovery periods, which are becoming more common at younger ages.
Steelers Player Had Classy Move After George Pickens Bailed on Youth Football Camp
George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him. Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign […]
George Pickens’s rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t end on the worst of terms, but his latest scrutinized actions may have further soured the Steelers fanbase’s opinions of him.
Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May and has since revealed he “forced” his way out of Pittsburgh following his up-and-down 2024–25 campaign with the Steelers. The 24-year-old wideout now gets a fresh start in the NFC East, where he’ll be catching balls from quarterback Dak Prescott as well as trying to win Cowboys fans over.
A recent account about Pickens’s inconsiderate behavior won’t help with the latter: the ex-Steelers star apparently bailed on his summer football camp at Highmark Stadium at the last minute, according to TruEdge Sports, a company that specializes in youth sports camps.
It’s important to note that the company checked with Pickens after the Cowboys trade to see if he was still committed and would still show up to the event, scheduled for June 28. Pickens said he would, but allegedly backed out last week.
“Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified by George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp,” the company wrote.
Thankfully, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth volunteered his services and offered to help run the camp in Pickens’s absence. A few other Steelers players may be joining as well.
George Pickens backed out of his Pittsburgh football camp last minute. Pat Freiermuth stepping in as one guest. Possibly other Steelers players as well. #Steelers#NFLpic.twitter.com/zTnaDzNhuW
The Steelers will no doubt be happy to put the drama-filled days of the George Pickens era behind them and are now jumping into a boat with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the upcoming season. What could possibly go wrong?
Families, businesses concerned about effect of tariffs on youth sports
By JAY COHEN, AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball. The costs, especially for Jax, add up in a hurry. That’s why Casamento, 48, and her husband, […]
CHICAGO (AP) — Youth sports are a big part of Karli Casamento’s life. Her son, Jax, 15, golfs and plays on three baseball teams. Her youngest son, Colt, 7, plays baseball and basketball.
Many of the US’s most popular sports rely on imported equipment
The U.S. has been the largest importer of sporting goods since 2010, accounting for 31% of the world’s imports in 2022, according to a 2024 World Trade Organization report. Boosted by racket sports, China is the most significant exporter of sporting goods at 43% in 2022.
Fueled by golf, badminton and tennis equipment, Vietnam and Taiwan experienced rapid expansion in exporting outdoor sports equipment to the U.S. from 2018 to 2024, according to data from the consulting firm, AlixPartners. Vietnam increased 340% to $705 million, and Taiwan was up 16% to $946 million.
Tariffs of 46% for Vietnam and 32% for Taiwan could go into effect next month after a 90-day pause.
Hockey skates, sticks and protective gear are often imported. Same for baseball gloves and composite and aluminum bats, which are often imported or use materials that are imported, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Soccer goals, lacrosse nets and cones are often sourced from low-cost labor markets.
“You can’t get around the fact that a lot the stuff that we use in youth sports is coming from abroad,” said Travis Dorsch, the founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University. “So surely if the tariffs go into effect and in any long-term or meaningful way, it’s going to affect youth sports.”
The Casamento family cheers for the Philadelphia Phillies, and that’s how Jax and Colt got into baseball. Karli Casamento called sports “a safe way to socialize, and it gets them active.”
But equipment has become a major expense for the family. Jax has a $400 bat and a $300 glove, Karli Casamento said, and his catching equipment is $700. There is an additional cost for registration for his travel team, in addition to what it costs to travel to tournaments.
“We’ve tried to say to Jax, ‘Well, you’re in ninth grade now, do you really need to play tournament ball? You’re not going to grow up and be, you know, the next Mike Schmidt,’ things like that,” Karli Casamento said, “because it’s just, it’s $5,000 a year and now we have two kids in sports.”
Tariffs may not impact all sports families equally
That effect most likely will be felt by middle- and low-income families, threatening recent gains in participation rates for youth sports.
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which tracks youth participation by sport, found in 2023 there was a 6% increase in young people who regularly participated in a team sport, which it said was the highest rate (39.8%) since 2015. An Aspen Institute study released in October showed participation for girls was at its highest levels since at least 2012.
“I’m really concerned that we’re going to spike this great momentum because families, who are already saying that sports is getting increasingly more expensive, equipment’s getting more expensive and they’re continuing to stretch to make that work, like this might be the one that just kind of puts them over the sidelines,” said Todd Smith, the president and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
Smith was in China in April for a World Federation of Sporting Good Industries board meeting. He visited some manufacturing facilities while he was in the country.
“The ones that I went to are really, really impressive,” Smith said. “First class, high tech, like highly skilled. And the thought that tariffs are all of a sudden just going to allow a 10-plus million dollar facility to just pop up the next day in the U.S. is just, it’s not feasible.”
Low-income families were already feeling a financial strain with youth sports before Trump was elected to a second term. According to the Aspen Institute study, 25.1% of children ages 6-17 from households earning under $25,000 played a sport on a regular basis in 2023, down slightly from 25.8% in 2022. That’s compared to 43.5% of children from households earning at least $100,000, up slightly from 42.7% in 2022.
Youth sports participation has a wide range of ramifications for public health, said Tom Farrey, the founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program.
“This incredibly virtuous cycle can be engaged if you can simply get kids off their phones and off their couches and into the game and they have a sustained experience into adolescence,” Farrey said. “And if you don’t, then you’re at risk for a range of health consequences, including obesity.”
Going along with playing on three baseball teams, Jax Casamento has workouts for his travel squad and also takes hitting lessons. The Casamentos turned a baseball trip to South Carolina into a family vacation last year.
Michael Casamento is a physical education teacher in an elementary school, so the family’s concerns about the effect of tariffs on the cost of youth sports go beyond their two boys.
“I work with a lot of kids that are a lower socio-economic status,” Karli Casamento said. “It really makes it harder for those types of families to be able to afford to play sports.”
VIDEO: Central Lady Cats Volleyball hosts youth summer camp
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — Click the video above for sights and sounds from Central’s summer volleyball camp. Youth sports summer camps are alive and well in the Concho Valley. This week, the Central Lady Cats host their annual volleyball camp, lasting between Monday, June 23 and Thursday, June 26. Advertisement Lady cats […]
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — Click the video above for sights and sounds from Central’s summer volleyball camp.
Youth sports summer camps are alive and well in the Concho Valley. This week, the Central Lady Cats host their annual volleyball camp, lasting between Monday, June 23 and Thursday, June 26.
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Lady cats head coach Julie Williams, along with her assistant coaches, teach the fundamentals and basics of volleyball to kids between grades four and nine. The camp is divided into three sessions, starting with fourth and fifth grade in the morning, followed by sixth and seventh and later concluding with eighth and ninth grade in the afternoon.
“[The Camp] is unique because a lot of [Central’s] middle school coaches help along with our high school coaches. [The coaches] are what make the camp go,” Williams said. “Volleyball is just becoming big. It’s big in this town, everybody likes to play volleyball, so we’re just here to provide a service to [the town] to help them continue to grow and develop in the fundamentals and just to really love the game of volleyball.”
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