Rec Sports
Record-Breaking Bay FC Women’s Soccer Star Empowers Youth
Notable Humans — now on Saturdays! Racheal Kundananji uplifts Zambian youth through sport; Dorothy Lazard inspires the community to preserve Oakland’s past; and Sven Jobe and Mallie Testerman fire ceramics at Pier 70, continuing their families’ legacy of craftsmanship in San Francisco.
Zambian footballer Racheal Kundananji may have made headlines as the world’s most expensive women’s player when she signed with National Women’s Soccer League’s Bay Football Club in early 2024, but it’s her off-the-pitch legacy that she’s most focused on building. After rising from playing soccer in secret as a girl in Lusaka to Olympic stardom and European success, Kundananji launched the Racheal Kundananji Legacy Foundation to address critical issues facing youth in Zambia—addiction, HIV/AIDS, and teen pregnancy.
Through school supplies, mentorship, and visits to places like Lusaka’s Sanity House rehab center, she’s connecting directly with young people, offering not just inspiration but tangible support. As a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, Kundananji now uses her platform to champion education, prevention, and empowerment, particularly for girls. With every goal she scores in the NWSL, she’s giving kids back home another reason to believe in something bigger.
Catch Kundananji and the Bay FC team at Oracle Park on August 23 competing against Washington Spirit.
Dorothy Lazard doesn’t just remember Oakland — she helped archive it. As head of the Oakland History Center for over a decade, the retired librarian made local history accessible, personal, and urgent. Her lived experience—growing up during white flight, the rise of Black Power, and redevelopment—made her a uniquely trusted guide.
Lazard’s memoir, What You Don’t Know Will Make a Whole New World, recounts her early years after moving from St. Louis to San Francisco, and then Oakland. It’s a story about libraries as refuge, and knowledge as power. “History keepers hold the future in their hands.”
Her work helped countless people understand how Oakland came to be — and how the community might move forward. Along the way, she became something rare: a librarian with a fan club. She made local history legible and deeply human, especially for those who didn’t think of themselves as historians.
In retirement, Lazard is still writing, still remembering. The History Center is now in good hands, she says, but her legacy — of rigor, humor, and deep care — remains shelved in the stories she helped others discover.
Ceramicists Sven Jobe and Mallie Testerman are bringing new life—and ancient craft—to San Francisco’s Pier 70, transforming a former WWII shipbuilding site into a hub of contemporary artistry. Their studio, Sven Ceramics, makes elegant, gold-accented tableware for Michelin-starred restaurants, but it’s more than just beautiful design: it’s family history in full circle. Jobe’s grandmother welded ships here; Testerman’s grandfather engineered them. Now the couple fires plates, mugs, and bowls just yards from where their ancestors once built battleships.
After a decade working from a backyard studio, they’ve moved into the revitalized Building 12 with a showroom, teaching space, and a 2,300-pound kiln that barely fit in the elevator. The couple—who pivoted from careers in construction and education—designs ceramics that honor the Bay Area’s natural and built landscapes. “We’re still making stuff,” Jobe says, “just in a totally different way.” Their story is one of lineage, craftsmanship, and the slow, hot work of building something lasting.
Image: SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: Racheal Kundananji #8 of Bay FC controls the ball during a game between Racing Louisville FC and Bay FC at PayPal Park on March 22, 2025, in San Jose, California. (Photo by Elysia Su/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Previously: Notable Humans: Berkeley Teen Takes On World’s Toughest Swims To Raise Money For Pediatric Cancer
Rec Sports
Protests planned in SW Michigan after ICE officer fatally shoots Minnesota woman
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — After an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed Minnesota resident Renee Nicole Good, 37, as she was driving Wednesday, some Southwest Michigan communities are planning to gather Thursday evening in protest of the federal agency.
The organization, Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo, said there will be a “pop-up” protest happening outside of the 8th District Courthouse on the corner of North Park Street and West Kalamazoo Avenue beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Indivisible Greater Kalamazoo will be joined by the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party, the Southwest Michigan Coalition, and the Southwest Michigan chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
In Battle Creek, the Calhoun County Democratic Party said they are organizing what they call an “emergency protest” at Sojourner Truth Monument Park from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Following the protest, the organization is inviting attendees to gather at First Congregational Church on Capital Avenue NE where Oakland County Prosecutor and democratic candidate for Michigan attorney general Karen McDonald will be a guest speaker.
A bullet hole and blood stains are seen in a crashed vehicle on at the scene of a shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (Ben Hovland/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)
Trump administration officials painted Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to ram federal agents with her car, according to the Associated Press.
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Good was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and appears to have never been charged with anything beyond a traffic ticket, the AP reported, and described herself in social media posts as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.”
Rec Sports
USD Women’s Soccer Announces 2026 ID Camps, Youth Camps and Event Lineup
SAN DIEGO — University of San Diego Women’s Soccer rang in the New Year announcing its full slate of camps and events for 2026, offering players of all ages and ability levels the opportunity to train, compete, and connect on America’s Most Beautiful campus.
From college identification camps to youth camps, a goalkeeper clinic, and a community 5v5 tournament, the 2026 calendar provides multiple entry points for players looking to grow their game in a high-energy, supportive environment. All camps and events are hosted on the University of San Diego campus and are led by the USD Women’s Soccer coaching staff, along with current student-athletes and experienced coaches.
College ID Camps
USD will host multiple College ID Camps throughout the spring, designed for prospective student-athletes who are interested in competing at the collegiate level. These camps provide a high-level training environment while allowing players to be evaluated by the USD coaching staff.
College ID Camp Dates:
Each ID Camp includes technical training, small-sided games, and full-field play, while also giving participants insight into the college soccer experience at USD.
Goalkeeper Clinic
USD will also host a dedicated Goalkeeper Clinic for players looking to refine their position-specific skills in a focused setting.
The clinic will emphasize technical development, game understanding, and position-specific training led by experienced coaches.
Ultimate 5v5 Tournament
As part of its community outreach and fundraising efforts, USD Women’s Soccer will host an Ultimate 5v5 Soccer Tournament on campus.
The event features fast-paced small-sided games, music, food, and a fun atmosphere for players, families, and fans, all while supporting the USD Women’s Soccer program.
Nike Kids Summer Soccer Camps
USD will host two Nike Kids Soccer Camps during the summer, offering young players a fun and educational introduction to the game. These camps focus on skill development, confidence, teamwork, and a love for soccer in a positive learning environment.
Kids Camp Dates:
Registration for all camps and events is now open, and spots are limited. Participants are encouraged to register early to secure their place.
For more information on USD Women’s Soccer camps and events, please visit the registration links above.
Rec Sports
The Cost of Playing Youth Sports Isn’t What It Use To Be- Up 46 Percent | News Radio 1200 WOAI
A survey between 2019 and 2024 reflects a spike of 46 percent in costs to enroll your child in an after-school sports activity. According to the Aspen Institute survey parents have paid an average of $1016.00 a year with other surveys, according to the report, showing a number as high as 5K a year.
In the 80’s, youth sports use to be offered by a nonprofit, like the YMCA, or supported by a church- with manageable costs designed to include youths from families of all income levels so that kids can learn valuable skills- such as teamwork, social skills, and to allow them to have fun. Now, kids are blocked by affordability challenges. Economist Ray Perryman says it’s unfortunate. “It makes it very difficult for what may be some very talented and dedicated kids to get the opportunities they need to compete effectively at a fairly young age.” He said.
In addition, the kids are missing scouting opportunities. “It’s become a sort of thing, where the professional and college scouts look to those camps and those leagues and that sort of thing where they start scouting and looking at those things at an early age. If you’re not there – you’ll never get on the list.
Nobody is all that happy with the current system,” said Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute sports program. “It’s broken at best.”
The costs of youth sports go far beyond paying for teams. Parents now must pay fees for their kids just to try out for teams — $50 is not unusual — or even to watch them play.
As far as a solution- the hope is to put a spotlight on the problem. Since these are all private entities, all you can really do is create new leagues focused on affordability.
“It is something that’s very important as we move forward. When you see something that should be available to everyone. What you would hope you would see are some private sector initiatives, or philanthropic groups, or neighborhood organizers getting involved to help solve this problem over time.” Perryman said.
Rec Sports
Tigers avoid arbitration with seven players
The Tigers on Thursday reached agreements on one-year deals for 2026 with a flurry of players to avoid arbitration.
Thursday marked the deadline for teams to exchange proposed salary figures with unsigned players that would be used in a potential arbitration hearing to determine their salary. Detroit announced it came to terms with seven players:
• OF Riley Greene: $5 million
• 1B Spencer Torkelson: $4.075 million
• OF Kerry Carpenter: $3.275 million
• RP Will Vest: $3.95 million
• UTIL Zach McKinstry: $4.2 million
• SP Casey Mize: $6.15 million
• LHP Tyler Holton: $1.575 million
The Tigers entered this offseason with a long list of arbitration-eligible players, including two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The club did not come to terms with Skubal, which means they might need an arbitration hearing to determine his salary figure for the 2026 season.
A source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that Skubal filed for $32 million, while the Tigers countered with $19 million. Skubal’s figure would set a new record for the highest salary earned by a pitcher in arbitration. The current record is held by former Tigers lefty David Price, who earned $19.75 million in 2015, and the record for any player is $31 million by Juan Soto.
Greene is coming off a strong 2025 campaign in which he earned his second consecutive All-Star nod and his first Silver Slugger Award. He recorded an .806 OPS and logged career highs in homers (36) and RBIs (111). This marked the 25-year-old’s first year of arbitration eligibility. He’s under club control through 2028.
Torkelson (who’s also under club control through 2028) had a career year in his fourth big league campaign. Over 155 games, the 26-year-old slashed .240/.333/.456 (all of which were career highs) with 31 homers (tied for a career high), 78 RBIs and a 117 OPS+ (a career high).
Carpenter hit a career-high 26 homers this past season and slashed .252/.291/.497 over 130 games. He went on to hit two homers and log a .910 OPS over eight postseason games, both of which led Detroit. He, too, is under club control through 2028.
Vest and McKinstry are each under club control through 2027. Vest recorded a 3.01 ERA in 68 2/3 innings over 64 appearances. McKinstry earned his first All-Star nod and Silver Slugger Award while recording a .771 OPS and 113 OPS+ (both career highs) over 144 games. He appeared at every position but catcher and center field.
Mize earned his first All-Star selection while going 14-6 with a 3.87 ERA and a 3.89 FIP in 149 innings over 28 starts. The 2026 season is his final year of club control before he can become a free agent.
Holton recorded a 3.66 ERA over 70 appearances (including six starts as an opener) in 2025. He’s under club control through ‘28.
Detroit previously came to terms with outfielder Matt Vierling ($3,255,000), reliever Beau Brieske ($1,157,500) and catcher Jake Rogers ($3,050,000) in November to avoid arbitration.
Rec Sports
Men’s Basketball vs Saint John’s University on 1/7/2026 – Box Score
Rec Sports
Money Is Ruining Sports At All Levels
Jameson416
Jan 08, 7:41 AM
The unfortunate part with a lot of it is you simply can’t find appropriate competition at the “local/rec” level for several sports. This is especially true for baseball leagues by the ages of 9 or 10. If your kid can play, and wants to improve and play with similarly talented kids, travel becomes the only option in a lot of places. It really sucks, bcz there are a lot of travel teams that really arent even that good, and if everyone would just agree to play rec, the leagues could be strong… but thats just not the way it works out in most cases. Thankfully that mentality hasn’t overtaken football in our area, and I’ll never be a proponent of single sport specialization.
I really like what the above poster said about “being ok spending the $, if the kid is willing to work.” That’s pretty much 100% where we are as well. My oldest is way more into it and so thats what we do, including private training etc… my middle child is actually prob a better natural athlete (speed, quickness, etc) but he just isn’t to the point of caring that much yet, which we’re totally fine with. Im a firm believer in meeting your kids where they are, seems to make for a better outcome.
I wholeheartedly agree though, youth sports have become outrageous. But where do we go from here?
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