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Registration Underway for YMCA Summer Soccer Program

CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion County YMCA is gearing up for a new season of Summer Soccer for youth. Kids from Clarion County and beyond are invited to join the program to build a solid foundation for team sports and learn soccer skills. YMCA Summer Soccer is a participation-based program for boys and girls in […]

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CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion County YMCA is gearing up for a new season of Summer Soccer for youth. Kids from Clarion County and beyond are invited to join the program to build a solid foundation for team sports and learn soccer skills.

YMCA Summer Soccer is a participation-based program for boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade (for the 2025-2026 school year)!

The YMCA program focuses on learning the fundamentals of soccer while fostering teamwork and sportsmanship. Volunteer coaches lead practices, and games are held every Saturday at the YMCA Sports Field on Mayfield Road.

The YMCA has revamped the program for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, ages 4 to 6,  with a YMCA staff-led clinic-style program! This new structure is designed to improve their skills and knowledge of the game through drills, objective-based games, and scrimmages.

The program is led by Clarion County YMCA Associate Director, Max Krepps.  Krepps has a background in Youth Sports, having served as the Youth Director at the Oil City YMCA for nine years.

Pre-K & K Division (Ages 4-6)

  • Meet on Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. starting June 23rd

1st & 2nd Grade Division

  • Practices during the week to be determined by the coaches
  • Games at 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Starting July 12th

3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Division

  • Practices during the week to be determined by the coaches
  • Games at 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays, starting July 12th

Register for YMCA Summer Soccer by June 19th at 5:00 p.m. to guarantee a team t-shirt! Teams will be created on June 20th, and parents will receive an email with team information, practice times, and schedules.

Registration is available ONLINE or by calling 814-764-3400.

Parents can also stop by the YMCA, located at 499 Mayfield Road in Clarion, to enroll their children.





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Kentucky Venues hosting basketball tournaments bringing 200K visitors to Louisville | Business

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Venues is in the midst of hosting hundreds of thousands of people in Louisville this month. The Run 4 Roses Classic is an annual girls basketball tournament that attracts athletes and coaches from around the world. The event at the Kentucky Exposition Center goes from July 8 through July 21 […]

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Venues is in the midst of hosting hundreds of thousands of people in Louisville this month.

The Run 4 Roses Classic is an annual girls basketball tournament that attracts athletes and coaches from around the world. The event at the Kentucky Exposition Center goes from July 8 through July 21 and features several tournaments. A boys basketball tournament happens in the same time frame.

According to Kentucky Venues, the tournaments are expected to bring in just under 200,000 attendees and contribute almost $60 million in economic impact. Louisville Tourism said its the second largest event in the city for economic impact, only surpassed by the Kentucky Derby. 

The Basketball Tournament also returns to Louisville for a third year in a row. It will be held at Freedom Hall from July 18-29. 

In downtown Louisville, the Kentucky International Convention Center will welcome 3,500 high school age youth and adult youth workers for the Presbyterian Youth Triennium 2025. It goes from July 28-31 and is expected to bring in $2.4 million in economic impact. 

Top stories:

Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson found guilty of all charges in Crystal Rogers’ murder

Guilty verdicts in Crystal Rogers murder trial prompt emotional homecoming in Bardstown

East Louisville drivers concerned over nearly 3-year interstate project near new VA hospital

Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.



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Saints bring big sports experience to St. Ignace

The Michigan Independent Hockey League (MIHL) has expanded to the U.P. for the first time, with the St. Ignace Saints joining the league for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The Saints are part of a four-team expansion that will create a new division in the league and provide a unique “big sports” entertainment to the Eastern […]

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The Michigan Independent Hockey League (MIHL) has expanded to the U.P. for the first time, with the St. Ignace Saints joining the league for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

The Saints are part of a four-team expansion that will create a new division in the league and provide a unique “big sports” entertainment to the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

“It’s a different style of hockey and the league is actually really exciting to watch,” says Owner and Interim Head Coach Jeremy Pallot-Behling. “We want to be competitive, and the blueprint is there for us. It has no choice but to work.”

Formed through a core group of players from the now defunct Soo Nordiques, Pallot-Behling leads the franchise in its inaugural season. Supported by both his business and coaching experience with the Lake Superior State University ACHA teams, Pallot-Behling and the Saints have quickly established relationships with community leaders focused on both the business and hockey side of starting a franchise.

Calling the 1,100-seat Little Bear Arena home, the Saints will be the latest major hockey option in an underrated market for the sport. The arena is just a block away from East Moran Bay, where one of the largest and most prestigious pond hockey tournaments in the United States take place every February.

“St. Ignace is a great hockey community; there is no denying that. When we started discussing a team, we had no reason not to take a look at (the market)” said MIHL Commissioner Scott Brand. “We don’t have to worry about exciting people with any dog-and-pony shows, we can just go out and play hockey to fans that know the game.”

The team will use the Saints moniker, similar to the youth and high school programs in the area. Pallot-Behling said that a similar name would help unite the community’s athletic efforts and was approved by local leaders. Unlike other teams using the block ‘S’ with motion markings, the MIHL franchise will use a Saint Bernard mascot in its branding.

Working with St. Ignace leaders has been one of the easier parts of creating the franchise, Pallot-Behling said.

“We reached out to the rink and the city and everybody immediately came on board. It was obvious that this was the spot where we needed to be,” he said. “(St. Ignace) knows hockey and they pack the barn for youth games regularly.”

Establishing team-based sports in the region has been difficult, despite the U.P. being a well-known haven for individual sports.

In addition to hosting the U.S. Skiing and Snowboarding Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, multiple international championships for ski jumping and natural luge were held through the region. The largest sled dog race in the Lower 48 is the U.P. 200 and the largest ice climbing festival in the Midwest is held in Munising every year.

In the midst of a larger tourism push across the region, many summertime activities have lower participation but still hold recognizable events like the Marquette Marathon or the Island Resort Championship in the LPGA.

Unfortunately, for team-based endeavors, most of them have died out.

The exception comes in hockey, where three historic franchises and a relocated junior team still compete. The Portage Lake Pioneers and Calumet Wolverines are so old they predate Michigan’s business incorporation laws. They play in the Wisconsin-based Great Lakes Hockey League. The two junior teams compete in Canadian-based leagues, as the Soo Eagles play in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and Ironwood Lumberjacks play in the Superior International Junior Hockey League.

St. Ignace’s inclusion in the MIHL though is the first time that a franchise has tried the semi-pro level based exclusively in Michigan. Most franchises were either big enough to include multiple states in the Midwest or incorporated in Wisconsin.  

Andrew MacIver is the Assistant Director of Community Services for the City of Marquette and has seen his fair share of franchises come and go over his professional and collegiate career.

While talent dilution, limited facilities to share between youth and adult programs and the success of collegiate programs have all negatively impacted teams near the UP’s biggest population hubs, markets like St. Ignace could have more success in creating the fan base necessary to keep a team thriving.

“The UP is only three percent of the total population of Michigan and of the three major cities up here in Marquette, Houghton/Hancock and Sault Ste. Marie, you have markets where there’s already NCAA D1 and ACHA women’s hockey. It is so difficult to compete with that,” he said. “It has to be a passion project led by someone who is able to operate in the red more so than not.”

According to MacIver, travel is also a major factor for teams in the Upper Peninsula. It’s a six-hour drive to Minnesota and four to Green Bay or Appleton, plus a time change making the return trip more difficult. While parents are bringing kids these distances for elite youth hockey and basketball programs in the hopes of creating a way for their children, that is not always possible for adults balancing a career while staying active in their sport. 

In the MIHL, teams are limited to a 250-mile radius from St. Louis, Michigan, located in almost dead center of the Lower Peninsula. But while those distances can be daunting to many Michiganders below the bridge, the Saints believe the distance won’t be a challenge. Instead, it will be how spread out the team will be in getting to St. Ignace.

“We’re not too worried about (the travel). Kalkaska, Cheboygan — we’ve been doing that all of our lives,” Pallot-Behling said. “We have four or five locals from the City of St. Ignace, with a lot of other guys coming from the Soo or the Canadian side of the Soo. It’s just 45 minutes away, so we can try and keep it close.”

According to Brand, league expansion to include a North and South division will significantly cut down on travel for all franchises. Even with the teams playing more games, all eight MIHL teams will travel less this season than all seven high school football teams in the Big North Conference like Escanaba, Marquette, Alpena and Petoskey. 

Smarter economic moves for the team and league can also translate to economic benefits to the community.

“You’re looking at 12-14 hotel rooms on the year for travel, plus gas money. From a team standpoint, that makes a lot of sense,” Brand said. “Now, teams are buying ice time in rinks, helping to funnel funds into those buildings and bringing fans in who will buy a hot dog and a cold drink. Some might hit a nearby restaurant or casino.

With just 13 home games, that’s going to help bring some money into these areas. Is it like building a factory? No, but it is going to help out local economics.”

Working further with the community is a major goal for the Saints, who have already developed relationships with local chambers of commerce and youth hockey programs. Plans on broadcasting the games on social media, fan interaction events on and off the ice and integrating the youth hockey teams will help introduce the team further to the community, but Pallot-Behling said the Saints still have to win and have those magical moments to create a long-lasting fandom in St. Ignace.

“Ultimately, we think we can take the North (Division) after seeing a couple rosters and signings, but our big goal is to grow our fan base. Losing teams don’t put butts in seats, so we need to work hard and we need to be good if we want to be sustainable,” he said. 

The MIHL will start their exhibition season this October with further games lasting throughout the winter and ending with the playoffs and championship in April. For more information, visit the MIHL website or the St. Ignace Saints Facebook and Instagram pages.

Brice Burge is a regular contributor to UPword.




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Staff Spotlight: Demiko Ervin – Little League

For the July edition of the Little League® Staff Spotlights, enjoy this first-person letter from Demiko Ervin, Director of Urban Initiative, as he walks you through his journey:   Inspired by the Game My earliest and most cherished memory of watching baseball was the 1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series with my grandfather. It was the […]

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For the July edition of the Little League® Staff Spotlights, enjoy this first-person letter from Demiko Ervin, Director of Urban Initiative, as he walks you through his journey 

Inspired by the Game

My earliest and most cherished memory of watching baseball was the 1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series with my grandfather. It was the Oakland Athletics, led by the “Bash Brothers,” Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, against the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers, led by Orel Hershiser, who had just completed one of the greatest seasons by a starting pitcher. No one gave the Dodgers much of a chance. My grandfather, a lifelong Dodgers fan, and I watched every inning of every game of that World Series. We were thrilled when the Dodgers defied all odds and clinched the World Series in five games. Little did I know that two decades later, I would have the opportunity to share that story with Orel Hershiser, who was working as a broadcaster for ESPN, during my first Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS).

Growing up in North Carolina, most people were hardcore Atlanta Braves fans, as they were the closest MLB team to our state. I, on the other hand, was not. Every afternoon I would come home after school and race to turn the TV channel to WGN to watch the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley Field hadn’t installed lights yet, so every home game was played during the day. I would always make sure that our VCR was ready to record each at-bat of my favorite Cubs player, first baseman, Mark Grace. I would closely watch and rewatch each of his at-bats to try to learn something new. I became a bit of a baseball nerd and loved every minute of it. More importantly, those afternoons sparked my passion for the game.

Over the years, sports have always remained an important part of my life. From officiating intramural sports during my undergraduate years at Appalachian State University, to directing the youth sports programs at the YMCA, and ultimately earning my master’s degree in sports management at Florida State University. My love for sports has been a constant and ultimately created the path that led me to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Growing the Game

Before joining the Little League® team full time, I had no idea that a career with Little League existed. Once discovered, it was a no brainer for me. My professional journey up until then had been in the youth sports sector, so joining the oldest, largest, and most well respected youth sports organization in the world felt natural. Even then, I still didn’t have a true understanding of the impact Little League Baseball and Softball had on a global scale. I didn’t fully grasp how many players, volunteers, communities, and countries we impacted through our programs each year. The seven international tournaments at the end of the summer are the standout events, but the annual impact of Little League around the world throughout the year is nothing short of impressive.

Over the past 17 years with Little League, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of different areas of our program — bat and ball compliance testing, leading the LLBWS Stadium Ushers, serving as game replay official at region tournaments and the LLBWS, serving as the Little League Softball® World Series Tournament Director for two years, and now currently working with our volunteers who host the Teenage Division World Series events each summer.

Building Communities Through the Game

Of all the tasks that I’ve been entrusted with, the one that has always held a uniquely personal place with me is my role as the Director of the Little League Urban Initiative. When I stepped into this position 16 years ago, I received a piece of advice from Pat Wilson, now Little League President and CEO, that has stayed with me since. He told me that this position was all about building relationships and the more I got into it the more I’d be able to get a feel for that. I took those words to heart, and they’ve continued to guide me throughout my time with Little League.

This role has given me the opportunity to interact with Little League players, parents, and volunteers from around the world. What I am most proud of, though, are the relationships I have built with so many incredible volunteers — people who share the same deep commitment to give every kid in every community the chance to experience Little League. Many of these volunteers have become friends, or “Little League family” to me, and I couldn’t be more thankful for them. My favorite part of this job is visiting local leagues, walking around their parks and fields, hearing their stories, and learning about their unique Little League journeys. These volunteers are what keep me coming back and inspire me year after year.

It is still hard for me to believe that I’ve been a part of this great organization for nearly two decades. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun, and I can’t wait to see what the future of Little League has in store and the impact we will continue to make together. When people find out that I work for Little League, the first question they always jokingly ask is, “Do you need an assistant?” The next question is usually asking if I have any advice for someone looking to start their career in the sports industry. My advice is always the same: Be coachable, work hard, and be nice to people. Both on and off the field, I think those three things will always serve you well!



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Daunt to Dillonwood; Springville Youth Baseball | Photos

For many years there was a kids baseball program in Springville, even as far back as the 60’s and before. Over time the parents got busier, and the players began to age away from things as mundane, or “not cool,” as a spirited baseball game. As the necessary volunteer labor ebbed away, somewhere about 15 […]

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For many years there was a kids baseball program in Springville, even as far back as the 60’s and before. Over time the parents got busier, and the players began to age away from things as mundane, or “not cool,” as a spirited baseball game. As the necessary volunteer labor ebbed away, somewhere about 15 years ago organized baseball in Springville faded out.

As time proceeded, all those youngsters who were players years ago became parents of active children. The kids heard stories from the dads, and grandads, of great games the “old folks” had previously played. When 20 or 30 of a new crop of offspring began clamoring for “something to do around Springville” the old “doing what we did when we were kids” again became a good idea.

So, the Springville Youth Athletic Association was brought back to life. The organization had originally acquired a 501c3 designation, making contributions to the organization tax-deductible. When the current group of parents swung into action last year, they reinstated the tax-free status. 

The Rodeo Association donates the use of the ball diamond in the southern corner of their parking lot. SYAA had hoped to start their 2024 season in April. However, the Rodeo was rebuilding and improving portions of their facility as they prepared for the annual rodeo. During the fix-up, they had some “spare dirt” they’d scraped off a couple of banks around the arena. As they moved the dirt out of the way, they dumped it around the outfield fence to give the big hitters from SYAA more room. Even though the home run fence hasn’t been expanded yet, it probably will be before next season.

Of course, all the improvements had to be completed before the first Grand Entry on the last weekend of April. However, after the last cowboy rode away, the cry of “Play Ball” once more echoed around our foothills.

2024 was the first year back in operation for SYAA, attracting 122 kids from 4 to 12. Games are held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. They don’t play on Wednesday night respecting the churches of Springville, many of whom have Wednesday events for kids.

There are three leagues available to meet the needs and skill levels of the youth of our community. Age 5 to 6 start in the T-Ball group. They can be as young as 4 to participate but must be turning 5 by the end of the current school year. The ball isn’t thrown but is placed on top of a rubber post, called a Batting Tee. The batter takes a mighty swing then hopefully dashes toward first base, cheered on by enthusiastic shouts from parents, coaches and other players. During the first games of the year some of the shouting is necessary to send the inexperienced runner toward first base rather than third. During T-Ball everybody in the lineup bats each inning. Games start at 5:15 p.m. and last for 1:15.

My boys played T-Ball in Porterville. One of my fondest memories is about one of the youngest players. He wanted to play but was easily distracted if something wasn’t happening in his area all the time. Because he wasn’t skilled yet, he was usually assigned an outfield position. During one game I heard his daddy calling his name repeatedly. Junior had gotten bored, dropped his glove and sat down on the grass with his back to the rest of the field. He was studiously picking through the outfield grass looking for bugs.

After a couple seasons of T-Ball, they move up to the Minors. These players are 7 to 9 years of age. Because they’re now experienced athletes, they play assigned field positions. They also have a much better ability to bat, field and throw. The ball-tee is long gone. Now they must swing at pitched balls to get a hit. The Minors games are also 1:15 in length, starting about 6:30 p.m., depending on how quickly the T-Ball crowd vacates the field, and how quickly the home team (batting second) takes the field.

The oldest players, now a mature 10 to 12 years old, play in the Majors. Their games are 1:30 long and start around 7:45 p.m. Bodies are maturing, kids are being coached and taught some of the finer points of the game and play much more competitive ball games.

In the first year, SYAA attracted 122 players, of course both boys and girls, who wanted to participate. This year that number went up to 166, with great anticipation for a continued increase for the 2026 season.

Because these kids are playing near their homes, even the Majors can be home by 9:30 p.m. If our kids had to travel to Porterville to play, they wouldn’t be home before 10 p.m. or later. With a quick shower before bed, getting a player up for school after game night would be difficult.

SYAA has kept the price of participation as low as possible at $65. Each player gets a Shirt, Belt, Socks, and a Hat. In Porterville the price is significantly higher. Plus, driving to the Rodeo Grounds is a lot different than driving to the ball fields in Porterville. Many of the kids playing last year couldn’t have participated if their parents had to drive that far or pay more to play.

SYAA has a Snack Shack to help parents provide food for their families on game night. If a family only has one player, when their game concludes they can hurry home to dinner.

Sponsors are always welcome. Neil Ray, Vice President of SYAA, played as a kid. Dinner time becomes game time. They hold prices down to $4 for most things, $5 for a cheeseburger, and $8 for a Walking Taco, a opened bag of Fritos filled with meat, cheese, and lettuce.

Athletes, parents, volunteers, and a father of three of the athletes involved. Phillip Kroupa is the President of SYAA and the father of three players. If you’d like to talk to Phillip, you can give him a call at 559-310-2735. 

Baseball is done for 2025. But the old Brooklyn Dodgers said it best. “Wait ‘til next year.”



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Forest City 11-12 baseball team wins title | Youth Sports

FOREST CITY — The Forest City 11-12 baseball team recently won the District I Tournament in McDowell County. They defeated Rutherfordton 4-1, Cherryville 3-2 and host McDowell County 14-5 in the championship game. “Pitching and defense were the keys to the tournament,” head coach Chris Marshall said. “We had three really good pitchers in Preston […]

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FOREST CITY — The Forest City 11-12 baseball team recently won the District I Tournament in McDowell County. They defeated Rutherfordton 4-1, Cherryville 3-2 and host McDowell County 14-5 in the championship game.

“Pitching and defense were the keys to the tournament,” head coach Chris Marshall said. “We had three really good pitchers in Preston Marshall, Hunter Hedden and Rylan Sain. At the end of the day though, it was the defense that won the ball games. My catcher, Brody Jones, was outstanding for the whole tournament.”



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Greg Kelser talks Pistons free agency, WNBA return to Detroit, youth basketball camp

DETROIT – Greg Kelser, former NBA player and current FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Pistons color analyst, has had a life revolved around basketball. From winning the 1979 NCAA National Championship alongside Magic Johnson, going against Larry Bird, to being selected by the Pistons as the fourth pick in the NBA draft, Kelser’s passion for basketball […]

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DETROIT – Greg Kelser, former NBA player and current FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Pistons color analyst, has had a life revolved around basketball.

From winning the 1979 NCAA National Championship alongside Magic Johnson, going against Larry Bird, to being selected by the Pistons as the fourth pick in the NBA draft, Kelser’s passion for basketball has allowed him to have a massive impact on the sports community.

Youth basketball camp

Children may see him on TV for Pistons games, but they can catch him in person at his basketball camp, where he’s teaching kids the fundamentals of basketball and strong character.

“Sports has helped shape me,” said Kelser. “In sports, everything isn’t always going to go your way. You’re going to have some pitfalls, going to have some losses, you’re going to have to get up and dust yourself off, that’s life. But sports sort of prepares you for that,” Kelser added.

The camp is open to boys and girls ages 7-17 in West Bloomfield, Southfield, and Pontiac.

“In the morning were going to break the game down, were going to teach you the various aspects because you want to be a well-rounded basketball player and then in the afternoon you get a chance to play games against your campmates to see if you can show us what you’ve learned.”

WNBA returns to Detroit

Aside from the camp, Detroit basketball is officially re-expanding to the WNBA in 2029. Kelser explained how excited this makes him for the city:

“You can’t tell the WNBA story in terms of what Detroit meant to the WNBA in its early stages, winning three championships.” Kelser plead. “History doesn’t erase itself. The women’s game has come so far … having it back in Detroit is going to really be a boom for the city but for the sport as well.”

Pistons free agency

As for the Pistons, today is the first day of free agency. Kelser explained to us that everyone returning to the 2025 roster will be expected to do even more. However, the team received some unfortunate news as guard Malik Beasly is under federal investigation for gambling allegations on NBA games.

“That was shocking. For me, it’s a reminder that that’s life… I hope that it’s something that turns out to be very minor because for him his career had been resurrected last year, Kelser explained. “For the team it’s a major distraction right now. You hope it diminishes by the time training camp comes around. It is a reminder that you’ve got to be aware of the decisions you make, because they can be detrimental if you’re not careful.

Kelser continues to leave his mark on Detroit basketball. Not only as a broadcaster or player but as a mentor to the next generation. You can find the registration to his camp on his website.

Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.



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