Rec Sports

Red flags in youth sports programs, how to spot and respond to them

Published

4 months ago

August 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

USA Hockey didn’t invent the line, but Ken Martel has used it when he talks about succeeding in sports.

“As many as possible for as long as possible with the best environment possible,” the organization’s senior director of player and coach development told USA TODAY Sports in an interview last year.

He was referring to the American Development Model program he helped install more than a decade and a half ago, when the sport was losing young players in our country.

The ADM, which has become the cornerstone of USA Hockey’s message, has helped bring them back to the ice in droves and, in Martel’s thinking, continues to help generate world junior championship titles.

“When you have more kids playing, certainly a few more of them will turn out to be good and you’ll see ’em on TV, right?” he says.

USA Hockey created the ADM to help keep kids, parents and coaches engaged while, at least in theory, giving everyone a chance to organically develop to his or her full athletic potential.

It starts with getting boys and girls enthused from an early age, infusing a love of competition (without a laser focus on winning) and engaging them into adulthood.

USA Hockey reports 577,864 registered players (kids and adults) for 2024-25, up from 465,975 in 2008-09.

“Geography is no longer a predetermining factor in who can be good in our sport,” Martel says.

USA TODAY reported Aug. 1, however, about how one NHL club has a monopoly over North Texas ice. It effectively controls the pathways by which the region’s young players advance, Kenny Jacoby writes, and has reminded (and even threatened) parents they can block it at any time.

“You get so beaten down, and you see your kid get screwed over for opportunities, and you decide, ‘You know what? Maybe I do have to play by their rules to get where I want to be,’ ” says Kat Pierce, a hockey mom whom a Dallas Stars employee attempted to reprimand when she criticized them in a social media post.

The power to decide to play a sport, and to stick with it, is ultimately the choice of our kids. As parents we have a right to speak up to a coach or organization without fear of them being penalized.

We know from this story and others about the so-called “professionalism of youth sports” that the system isn’t always that simple. Here are eight red flags to watch with youth sports programs:

You don’t feel like you have a say with anything

USA Hockey delegates much of its authority to regional affiliates. The Texas Amateur Hockey Association oversees Texas and Oklahoma.

Member associations’ votes are weighted by the number of players they register and, as USA TODAY reports, tilt heavily in the interests of those in Stars leagues or with teams that rent Stars ice.

It’s an issue with which many of us can relate, at least to some degree. Running a youth team or league is entrusted in the hands of a few – club owners or the board. All too often, it seems, they prioritize their own interests: Making a steep profit or giving their own kids All-Star slots.

You should never feel you don’t have power, though. Volunteer for the board, file a complaint with the league about a nepotistic coach or speak to other parents if something doesn’t feel right. It probably isn’t.

Band together in your opposition. A board or coach can brush aside one complaint but collective one isn’t as easily ignored, and it isn’t good for business.

Coach Steve: How do I deal with a bad coach? Here are three steps

You fear if you speak up, your kid will be penalized

OK, maybe it’s not that simple. When Jacoby, my USA TODAY colleague, reported about the Stars’ heavy influence in North Texas, he came across a number of parents hesitant to raise concerns out of fear of retaliation against their kids.

One dad who coached at a Stars complex inquired about coaching at a competing rink after he felt the Stars had failed to address a safety concern. The Stars fired him when he did so, according to emails he provided, and allegedly banned his 5- and 7-year-old daughters. (A Stars employee denied banning his daughters.)

No one wants to risk putting their kids’ dreams, or even their playing time, in jeopardy. But think about the concern for a moment. Is being on a team where you’re afraid to rock the boat really a situation you want your child to have to endure?

Before you do anything, talk to your son or daughter about their experience. They might not want to be there anyway. You always have a voice in their sports journey.

You fear if you leave, there will be no ‘better’ options

Think of yourself as an investor in your team or league. Its leaders should be open to your constructive criticism on how to make it better.

Don’t take to social media to complain, where you risk making someone feel public embarrassment. Instead, schedule a private meeting where you can mention your concerns diplomatically. The reaction you get will give you a good indication of where you stand.

If they aren’t willing to consider spreading out rink fees over a larger group of teams, or giving every kid equal playing time when you’re paying for a college showcase experience, for example, this might not be worth your time.

No single team will make or break whether your child reaches an elite level of a sport, but a single experience might determine whether they keep playing at all.

We can help. Submit your feedback here about how the corporatization of youth sports has affected you and your kids. We wrote in a line specifically for those of you who’ve faced retaliation or threats.

You feel pressured (or are outright told) not to play other sports

An internal study the NHL and NHL Players’ Association conducted in 2018 found that out of the 700-plus players on rosters, 98% of them were multisport athletes as kids.

“Get out, play multiple sports,” says USA Hockey’s Martel. “Look, if your passion’s not ice hockey, you’re never gonna really turn out to be a great player if you don’t truly love it. And if you find a passion that happens to be another sport, wonderful.”

The American Development Model recommends multisport play until at least age 12. Arguments can be made to take it longer.

“I am dead set against single-sport athletes (while kids are growing up),” former football coach Urban Meyer has said. “When my son was playing baseball I had many people tell me that he should just stop playing other sports and focus on baseball. I got in big arguments with people, and a lot of those kids that (at) nine, 10 years old were great – they blew out. They burned out, and they’re not playing anymore.”

Meyer said he looked at kids who played football and another sport at a high level. Brenda Frese, another national championship-winning coach, also loves recruiting basketball players who play multiple sports.

“We just see the benefits of it – you know, mentally, physical, socially, you name it,” Frese’s husband, Mark Thomas, told me in an interview for a 2023 profile of the Maryland women’s coach and her family.

“At an early age, teams try to take over your calendar. A key little tool I learned is that as long as you’re playing multiple sports, you give yourself some leverage that they can’t take over your schedule completely because you have commitments to multiple teams. Eventually, you may have some hard-line coaches.”

When one of the couple’s twin sons played club soccer in seventh grade, Thomas recalled the coach telling parents and players: We expect you to only play soccer now and if you’re not just playing soccer, then we don’t want you.

“From the soccer club’s end, why wouldn’t you keep more kids involved?” Thomas said. “I mean, he was never a kid who was gonna be a professional or anything like that. I didn’t understand the point.”

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association recommends playing for one team at a time, playing a sport for less than eight months per year and at no more hours per week than your age.

You can always specialize the year before high school if you are concerned about making a specific team, but playing other sports recreationally on the side will make you a better athlete.

You’re on a team with a primary focus of winning titles

As Martel looked to reinvent American hockey, he discontinued a 12-and-under national championship.

“The only pushback we got was from a few adults that run programs; it was more about them than it was about the kids,” he says. “Why do we need to run across the country at 12 for a championship? If you’re gonna run a 12U national championship, the 10U coach starts aggregating players because we need to get them all together so that they’re ready by the time they’re 12. And it just starts the race to the bottom sooner.”

Project Play, a national initiative of the Aspen Institute to build healthy communities through sports, surveys children. When it asks them what they like most about playing sports, having fun and playing with friends always ranks at the top and by a lot, according to Aspen Sports & Society community impact director Jon Solomon.

Solomon says winning games and chasing scholarships rank lower, such as in the Washington, D.C. State of Play report.

Yes, kids thrive off game situations. But instead of loading up on age-specific travel tournaments, play the 8- through 12-year-olds together, as USA Hockey suggests. Prioritize small-sided games in practice over “boring” drills, as Martel calls them.

“We do different things in that to get them to work on different technical abilities and different tactical situations,” Martel says. “But kids have fun. They get to problem solve. There’s autonomy to that. And you see that in our play.”

It costs a lot less, too.

A team – or a tournament – requires you to stay at specific hotels with no flexibility

We love the adventure of traveling with our kids through their sports. Hitting the road can give them exposure to top competition. It’s also a prime intersection for collusion.

For years, according to USA TODAY reporting, three Stars executives organized tournaments that required out-of-town participants to book minimum three-night stays at select hotels. At the same time, they ran their own for-profit company that took a cut of the revenue.

After our investigation, the Stars say they will be “loosening” the policies.

Although stay-to-play arrangements remain common across youth sports, I have never encountered one over about eight years of traveling with my sons for their baseball teams.

The hotels our team or a tournament recommends are always suggestions. I book at a better rate through my rewards program if I find one.

We sometimes run into tournaments that are a couple of hours from home. Once the game times are announced, we might choose to return for one of the nights.

Having that choice improves our quality of life, and our satisfaction with the team.

The coach has a chummy relationship with a few of the other players’ parents

The most effective coaches maintain a cordial yet arm’s length rapport with parents.

They lay out the ground rules in a meeting before the season – no parent coaching from the bleachers, perhaps? – and say something to parents who violate them.

Playing for close friends is inevitable when kids are younger. When they are preparing to play high school ball or competing in front of college coaches, though, there are enough distractions without having to worry about your coach favoring someone over you.

You can’t answer affirmatively: ‘Is it worth it?’

Brent Tully was a former defenseman who helped Team Canada win two world junior championships in the 1990s. He later became general manager for an elite junior hockey team in Ontario and has coached younger players. He’s also a father of two athletes.

He has seen first hand the long hours and travel, the tens of thousands of dollars spent, the living “hand-to-mouth,” as Pierce, the Texas hockey mom, described in my colleague’s story.

All for what?

“I can’t imagine parents at the end of that last year (when) their child isn’t drafted,” Tully said in 2024. “And that’s the end. The disappointment of the ending, it’s all too frequent.

“My oldest son, back when he was playing, they were an average to below average team. And they stayed that way, even beyond the years he had stopped playing. I knew some of the fathers pretty well. And one father, at the end of nine years of minor hockey – and he complained all the time, complained about his son’s ice time, about the coaching – I remember saying to him, ‘So was that all worth it?’ Was that fun? All the money you spent. Your son’s now gone to college, and he’s working a job and you could have had him play house league, probably left with a lot less frustration. And he can still play the game his whole life at the level he’s playing. …

“Regardless of where a boy or girl plays, that should be a great experience.”

Coach Steve: 10 questions athletes should consider if they play on a travel team

With the right experience, his sport can be ingrained in someone from “cradle to grave,” as USA Hockey’s Martel describes.

“Hockey is played with no contact in a lot of places,” he says. “We have 70-and-over national championships. It’s really low impact and it’s a lot of fun. There’s people that play when they’re 100. So hopefully you come back to the sport and you’re involved over a life.

“You don’t see that in American football. No one wants to go out and get tackled and have to go to work the next day.”

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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Rec Sports

With Kyle Tucker’s likely exit, Craig Counsell seems comfortable with youth movement

Published

16 minutes ago

December 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ORLANDO, Fla — As if there was any more confirmation needed that Kyle Tucker wouldn’t be returning to the Chicago Cubs, manager Craig Counsell only reinforced the idea. When talking to members of the media Tuesday afternoon at the Signia by Hilton in Orlando, Counsell sure sounded like someone prepared to manage a team that didn’t include Tucker.

“From a position player standpoint, the loss right now is Tucker obviously,” Counsell said. “The rest of the group is back and likely with us.”

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone paying attention. Tucker is expected to get the largest contract of the offseason. While multiple teams have been linked to the star right fielder, there has been nary a mention of the Cubs. Perhaps if the unexpected happens and Tucker’s market lingers into February, the Cubs will entertain a short-term deal should Tucker be willing. That seems unlikely at the moment.

Whether it’s the right move or not is a separate discussion, but it has been clear for a while now that Tucker would find the big-money contract he’s seeking elsewhere.

The front office has been clear that upgrading the pitching staff would be the priority. Both the bullpen and rotation are areas where the Cubs will look to improve, but even if it’s not at the top of the to-do list, adding a more established bat to the roster to make up for losing Tucker can’t be ruled out.

“You’re just trying to fortify the roster as a whole,” Counsell said. “You can think about it in different ways. But I think more depth from a position player standpoint would be helpful, absolutely. I do think we were extremely healthy there last year, so more depth there is important.”

Team president Jed Hoyer has said he’d prefer not to have young players sitting on the bench, so depth can’t come at the expense of player development. Counsell doesn’t seem to be pounding the table to add an established bat to the mix, not publicly at least. Building a better bench than last season seems important to everyone in the organization, but adding no-doubt offensive production won’t be forced.

That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but Counsell seems intrigued by the idea of getting more playing time for young players, in particular Moisés Ballesteros and Owen Caissie.

Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs drops his bat and watches a hit ball fly as he begins to run toward first base.

Seiya Suzuki’s recent performance has made him one of the players the Cubs could lean on to help fill Tucker’s shoes. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

“We have young players that did contribute in a big way,” Counsell said. “I thought Moisés gave us the offensive production of Tucker essentially in the month of September. Between him and Owen, who was unfortunately hurt for most of that month, those are two important players as we sit right now.”

Ballesteros ended the season with a 143 wRC+ in 66 plate appearances. All but 20 of those came in September when he posted a 177 wRC+ and delivered four of his five extra-base hits on the season. Ballesteros got that playing time after Caissie went down with a concussion and Tucker was on the shelf with a calf injury that cost him most of September. The young DH/catcher parlayed that performance into a spot on the playoff roster.

“He’s at the point where if he can help the major-league team, he’s going to be in the major leagues,” Counsell said. “There’s not an everyday catching job in the major leagues for him. But as we’re constructed right now, we’ve got room for at-bats, so I would prioritize the major leagues right now. But that could change with roster stuff.”

Ballesteros’ September looked remarkably similar to what he’s shown for much of his minor-league career: a high-contact bat who can take walks and can hit the ball hard to all parts of the field with legitimate extra-base pop. Caissie didn’t get an extended opportunity to show what he can do, but that could change in 2026. He brings elite power to the table but also plenty of swing-and-miss concerns.

Counsell was also very complimentary of Seiya Suzuki, who had an offensive power breakout in the first half before hitting an extended slump that ended just in time for a brilliant postseason. The veteran had a career-high 32 homers and .233 ISO, then hit three home runs and three doubles in eight playoff games.

“I’m really happy for Seiya with how he performed in the playoffs,” Counsell said. “He was a very dangerous hitter and showed what he can do and the impact he could have.”

Due to Tucker’s injury, Suzuki was able to get a decent amount of playing time in right field down the stretch, something Counsell said Suzuki “did a really good job” handling. This, after a 2024 where Suzuki seemed to lose his confidence in the field and eventually his job there to Cody Bellinger and, of course, Tucker this past summer.

Even if there isn’t an impactful, established bat added to this roster, Counsell sees a pathway to a strong offense, but there’s an obvious risk. Michael Busch’s breakout has to be real. It felt as much considering that, like Suzuki, he dominated in the postseason and truly built upon a solid first season with Chicago in 2024.

Pair that with Suzuki, the continued development of young players like Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong, along with less-established kids in Ballesteros and Caissie, and there is hope that the group can be dynamic even without Tucker.

“It’s a tough league,” Counsell said. “Even the veteran players can struggle. You see in giving young players opportunities, they’re the guys that are going to improve as the season goes and turn into better players. Then turn into very important players on your club.”

There could still be an addition that moves the needle on offense, but the Cubs also seem prepared to go with a youth movement if the right acquisition doesn’t come along. Counsell understands that with youth, the production may not happen immediately. However, after watching these things happen in Milwaukee and across the league with various other strong organizations, he trusts that patience with the kids will pay off.

“You have to be patient with those opportunities,” he said. “You have to create the opportunities for players of that caliber.”

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Rec Sports

NFL Teams Approve $32 Million Investment in Professional Flag Football League

Published

1 hour ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Key Takeaways

NFL teams unanimously voted to invest $1 million each, totaling $32 million, to develop and launch a professional flag football league with both men’s and women’s teams.
The league intends to sell media rights for the venture and expects to begin play after the 2028 Summer Olympics, where flag football will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles.
Two potential operating partners have emerged: TMRW Sports, founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and a group led by former NFL running back Curtis Martin with former Bucks part-owner Marc Lasry.
Flag football participation has reached 20 million players worldwide, with 2.4 million kids under 17 playing organized flag football in the United States.
The sport is now offered at the high school level in 38 states, with hundreds of colleges and universities also providing flag football programs.

Financial Commitment Marks Strategic Expansion

NFL teams took a definitive step into professional flag football Wednesday, voting unanimously to invest up to $32 million in the development and launch of a new pro league. The virtual vote during a league meeting authorizes 32 Equity, the NFL’s investment arm, to enter into an agreement with an operating partner for the planned league.

Each of the league’s 32 teams is committing $1 million to the venture. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to Front Office Sports that the approval was unanimous, signaling broad support across ownership groups for expanding the NFL’s footprint in flag football.

Troy Vincent Sr., executive vice president of football operations for the NFL, described the vote as “a critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport.” Vincent added that the league is “developing the infrastructure to accelerate the game’s growth to new heights by creating a clear pathway for aspiring athletes to progress from youth and high school programs through college and now to the professional level.”

Partnership Landscape Narrows to Two Contenders

The NFL has been fielding inbound interest from potential partners for months. In May, a source familiar with the league’s thinking told Front Office Sports that “more than a dozen parties” were still in consideration. By October, according to Bloomberg, that field had narrowed to two finalists.

The first is TMRW Sports, the company founded by professional golfers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy that launched the indoor golf league TGL. The second is a group led by former NFL running back Curtis Martin that includes former Milwaukee Bucks part-owner Marc Lasry.

An NFL representative told Front Office Sports Wednesday that the league is “not commenting on specific partners at this stage, but there has been tremendous interest in the marketplace in developing a professional flag football league.”

The structure under consideration involves an entity that the NFL supports financially but does not directly operate. This approach allows the league to leverage its brand and resources while enabling specialized partners to handle day-to-day operations.

Olympic Timing Shapes Launch Strategy

The NFL’s push into professional flag football aligns with the sport’s debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Flag football will be included in the Olympic program for the first time, creating a global stage and potential inflection point for mainstream adoption.

While the NFL didn’t specify an exact launch date for the new league, the expectation is that play will begin sometime after the 2028 Summer Olympics conclude. This timing positions the league to capitalize on heightened visibility and fan interest generated by Olympic coverage.

In February, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was exploring both men’s and women’s pro flag leagues. A source familiar with the matter told Front Office Sports Wednesday that there will be one league featuring both men’s and women’s teams. The NFL also intends to sell media rights for the venture, creating additional revenue streams and broadcast exposure.

Earlier this month, the New York Jets committed $1 million to a new women’s college flag football venture from the Eastern College Athletic Conference, which will begin play in February. That commitment was made through a grant from The Betty Wold Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization named for the mother of Jets owner Woody Johnson.

Participation Growth Validates Investment

Youth and recreational flag football participation has expanded substantially in recent years. The International Federation of American Football, the global governing body responsible for growing American football worldwide, reported earlier this year that 2.4 million kids under 17 are playing organized flag football in the United States, with millions more participating internationally.

Overall, 20 million flag football players exist worldwide, according to the NFL’s Wednesday statement. The sport has gained traction at the high school level, now offered in 38 states. Hundreds of colleges and universities also provide flag football programs, creating a pipeline of experienced players who could transition to professional competition.

This participation base provides the NFL with both a talent pool and a built-in audience for a professional league. The growth spans demographics, with particular momentum among girls and women. Many state athletic associations have added girls’ flag football as an official high school sport, addressing long-standing gaps in athletic opportunities.

Strategic Implications for Youth Sports Market

The NFL’s commitment to professional flag football represents a calculated expansion into a segment of the sports market with lower barriers to entry than tackle football. Flag football requires less equipment, carries reduced injury concerns, and can be played in smaller venues, making it more accessible to a broader range of participants and communities.

The league’s investment creates a professional endpoint for a participation pyramid that now extends from youth programs through high school, college, and into the Olympics. This pathway could attract athletes who might not pursue tackle football while also appealing to those seeking alternatives to traditional contact sports.

By establishing media rights and partnerships before launch, the NFL is positioning flag football as a viable commercial product rather than a developmental initiative. The inclusion of both men’s and women’s teams in one league structure also reflects evolving approaches to gender equity in professional sports.

The $32 million investment, while substantial, is modest compared to the NFL’s overall financial scale. For context, NFL revenue exceeded $20 billion in 2024. The per-team commitment of $1 million represents a low-risk exploration of whether professional flag football can sustain itself as a business venture with sufficient fan interest and media demand.

via: FOS / YAHOO

photo: RCX Sports

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Athletic Directors Head to Tampa, Florida, to Continue Focus on Education-based Programs

Published

2 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The busiest and most impactful people in our nation’s schools? A strong case could be made that athletic directors are the ones who keep the engines running in our nation’s schools – particularly for the more than 8.2 million participants in high school sports.

Starting Friday, about 2,500 leaders of high school and middle school athletic programs will make their way to the Tampa Convention Center in Florida for the 56^th annual National Athletic Directors Conference co-sponsored by the NFHS and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Their mission? Professional development is at the top of the list for most meeting attendees. High school athletic directors are entrusted with key leadership roles, and continuing their education helps to provide a safe and fun experience for student-athletes in their schools.

Attendees at this year’s conference have signed up for almost 1,900 Leadership Training Institute courses sponsored by the NIAAA. The 59-course topics address legal issues, as well as marketing and promotion, technology, sports medicine, mental health, hiring and mentoring coaches, emergency management, managing athletic fields and equipment, building positive culture and many more.

In addition to leadership training opportunities, 48 workshops will be offered in six sessions during the five-day conference. While there are a few workshops on topics that are making national news headlines, such as NIL Impact on High School Athletics, most of the sessions focus on ways that athletic directors can continue to emphasize the education-based nature of high school sports and other activities.

Our nation’s athletic directors are aligned with state high school associations to keep high school sports educationally focused. Athletic directors in our nation’s schools want to protect opportunities for other students, promote school and team unity, and maintain the community-based nature of high school sports.

In line with this philosophy, following are some of the workshop topics at this year’s conference: Developing and Implementing Effective Emergency Action Plans, Proactive Strategies for Partnering with Parents, Title IX Updates and Best Practices, Aligning Middle and High School Athletic Programs, Mental Health and Wellness, How to Celebrate Success of Student-Athletes/Teams/Coaches, Getting Back to the Basics of Education-based Athletics for Parents, Competing with Character: Sportsmanship in Interscholastic Athletics, among many others.

The NFHS and our member state associations, along with the NIAAA, are focused on keeping high school sports unique, and the nation’s high school athletic directors are the key individuals in our schools to maintain the educational focus. With youth leagues and travel teams geared toward specialization and winning, and college sports now driven by money and success, there is a push by some for high school sports to “be like the others.”

There’s a reason that participation in high school sports continues to rise every year – and for the overwhelming majority it has nothing to do with NIL or transferring to another school to join a winning program. As a result, the National Athletic Directors Conference continues to focus on the educational aspects of sports and other activities in our nation’s schools – because the main reason most students are involved in school activities is to participate with their friends and be part of the school’s team in the community where they live.

High school athletic directors work long hours and are not in the limelight, but they are the heart and soul of education-based programs. We salute these individuals and encourage school administrators and school boards to support athletic directors in their schools.

The success of organized sports in an education-based setting in our nation’s schools for more than 100 years has been due in large part to these individuals. Local schools depend on athletic administrators to lead their programs, our member state high school associations depend on these individuals, and the NFHS and NIAAA look to athletic directors for leadership at the national level.

Collectively and collaboratively, we can meet the challenges ahead to protect and promote education-based sports and activities.

Read all NFHS Voice columns here.

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Rec Sports

Van Ho expands community ski programs | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

2 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ORDA’s Senior Manager of Sport Strategy and Engagement Kris Cheney-Seymour, middle, smiles with a group of young skiers at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
(Provided photo — ORDA)

LAKE PLACID — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority recently announced an expanded slate of community cross-country skiing programs and events for the 2025-26 winter season at Mount Van Hoevenberg. These feature new offerings and returning favorites; the lineup is designed to make Nordic skiing more accessible for participants of all ages and abilities while complementing the venue’s daily skiing and year-round activities.

These community programs and events are available in addition to daily skiing and other activities available to all visitors:

Youth Skiing Programs are offered for two different age groups to provide area youth with safe opportunities to discover cross-country skiing as a healthy and fun recreational alternative.

¯ Wee Ski — for youth ages 3 to 6 (with an adult), this 11-week program provides a playful setting for youth to take their first strides on cross-country skis. From 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from Saturday through Feb. 21. Single-day options are also available.

¯ Pathfinders — for youth ages 7 to 12, this 12-week program offers dynamic opportunities for more independent skiers to develop skills and discover more. From 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday through Feb. 28.

¯ Through a collaboration with the New York Ski Educational Foundation and other partner organizations, MVH also offers additional skiing opportunities.

Snowboomers is a weekly guided ski session that provides camaraderie, coaching and fun for active adults aged 50 and older. From 1 to 3 p.m. each Thursday from Thursday through March 12. Free for season pass holders, while the $28 non-passholder drop-in fee includes a trail pass as well as equipment rental if needed.

ADK Tour De Ski is a citizen race series offering both youth and adults a chance to explore six different cross-country ski venues across the North Country with events of multiple distances throughout the winter months. The series begins on Sunday.

Full Moon Parties are guided group ski adventures for all ages that explore the MVH trails at night while allowing everyone to ski their preferred distance at their own pace. Includes bonfires and an apres ski party with live music inside the Mountain Pass Lodge. Tickets are $6 per person with parties on Saturday, Jan. 3, Jan. 31, Feb. 28 and March 28.

Lake Placid Loppet is a long-standing traditional celebration of Nordic skiing that provides events for all ages and abilities. The event’s signature 50K and 25K races are on challenging courses, while a Citizen’s Series provides three shorter distance events (2, 7.5 and 13K) on relatively flat terrain for those newer to the sport or looking for a simpler experience. All races can be skied using either the classic or skate technique. Start times vary from 9 a.m. to noon on Jan. 25.

In addition to youth-skiing classes, MVH will offer cross-country ski lessons for all ages and abilities through Discover Cross-Country Skiing, as well as a biathlon experience combining Nordic skiing with marksmanship. For visitors interested in the venue’s Olympic heritage, guided Legacy Tours are also available and the Mountain Pass Lodge features an indoor climbing center for year-round adventure.

Cross-country skiing at MVH officially opened for season pass-holders Nov. 15 and for the general public on Nov. 28. Season passes for the 2025-26 winter are available now and can be purchased online through the MVH website or in person at the Mountain Pass Lodge. Daily conditions reports for the Nordic ski trails at MVH are available on the venue’s website.

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Spectate and Recreate

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In addition to community skiing and lessons, MVH will host several elite international events this winter.

The venue will welcome the International Biathlon Union Cup from Feb. 26 to March 1 and March 4 to 7, featuring sprint, pursuit, individual and mixed relay races at the recently upgraded biathlon stadium. From March 19 to 22, the Lake Placid Finals, the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, will bring the world’s fastest Nordic skiers to the venue for the season’s culminating cross-country ski event — the first time the U.S. will host the World Cup Finals since 2001. These marquee competitions complement MVH’s full winter calendar of youth programs, recreational skiing, lessons and guided tours, with full event schedules and ticket information available on the venue’s events page.

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Parks, Recreation & Culture Financial Assistance

Published

2 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Apply for the Naturally Fun Scholarship

Income verification is due at the time of application approval. To save time, upload your required documents with your online application. Once approved you will receive an award letter with registration details. This scholarship is valid for 12 months from the date of the award letter.

Accepted Documentation to Verify Arlington Residency and Income:

Current Federal Income Tax Return

Proof of residency (utility bill or lease agreement)

If you did not file taxes, submit a brief explanation of your financial situation, including income/support sources (e.g., official verification letters). For questions, call 817-459-5474.

Income Eligibility

Annual incomes are subject to change based on HUD guidelines.

Household Members / Annual Income (Less Than)

1 member – annual income less than $22,400; not exceeding $59,750

2 members – annual income less than $25,600; not exceeding $68,300

3 members – annual income less than $28,800; not exceeding $76,850

4 members – annual income less than $32,000; not exceeding $85,350

5 members – annual income less than $34,600; not exceeding $92,200

6 members – annual income less than $37,150; not exceeding $99,050

7 members – annual income less than $39,700; not exceeding $105,850

8 members – annual income less than $42,250; not exceeding $112,700

Important Information

Each recipient is responsible for the remaining payment after the scholarship discount is applied. Scholarships cannot be used for rentals, private swim lessons, or activities outside of the listings above. Memberships are non-refundable. Explore our website for details on facility hours, fitness class schedules, aquatic programs, and to register for activities.

For more information, call the Administrative Office at 817-459-5474.

In addition to the scholarship program mentioned above, the Arlington Parks & Recreation Department has multi-child discounts for our camp and after-school childcare programs. For more information, please email us.

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Rec Sports

Asunción Paraguay; Bangkok, Thailand; and Santiago, Chile invited into a Targeted Dialogue for the Youth Olympic Games in 2030

Published

3 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The YOG Working Group will continue to study the potential and relevance of future editions of the YOG to benefit young athletes and the entire sports movement, in consultation with stakeholders such as the International Federations (IFs), the NOCs and continental organisations, as part of the Fit for the Future review process.

“The strong interest in the 2030 edition from new regions of the world demonstrates the value that potential hosts see in the Youth Olympic Games,” said Hrbeková. “The YOG have offered tens of thousands of young athletes and volunteers a unique, global, multi-sports experience, helping to form the basis for their future careers. The YOG are also an important laboratory for innovation in Olympic sports events.”

All three projects are aligned with local and national long-term plans for development, sports, education and health, to deliver a wide range of socio-economic community benefits.

They were put forward for Targeted Dialogue based on their unique opportunities:

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