STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) – Standing Rocks County Park provides winter sports opportunities for families and outdoor enthusiasts in central Wisconsin, featuring three ski hills designed for beginners and learners.

The park offers daily ski passes at $18 for adults, $15 for youth skiers, and free admission for children eight years and under. The slopes remain open as long as snow conditions allow or until March 15, whichever comes first.

“As a kid, this is where I learned how to ski back. I’m in my mid-30s now, so just kind of keeping on the tradition with the family,” said Bryan Konkol. “It’s a perfect hill for little kids to learn, and the price is reasonable.”

The park features more than eight miles of trails and paths for cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking and snowshoeing. A second lodge serves cross-country skiers, while a sledding hill operates near the main lodge.

Park workers brought rehabilitating birds of prey to teach young skiers about local wildlife during recent visits.

“I just see how much joy it gives them. And yeah, I mean, it’s just the weather’s perfect, and it’s just something they love to do,” Konkol said.

Young visitors Parker and Madison expressed enthusiasm for the slopes. “I like going fast down all the hills, and it’s super fun,” Parker said. Madison added, “I just like going down there because we get to go down the hills fast.”

The ski slopes operate weekends from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Cross-country trails remain open from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., with some trails illuminated after dark. Ski rentals are available in the main lodge for $15 to $20.

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Nevada may rank last nationwide for youth participation in sports, but when it comes to flag football, it’s a leader. 

The Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body for the state’s high school sports, in 2012 launched a flag football pilot program in Clark County. It was approved as a varsity sport in 2016, making Nevada just the second state after Florida to authorize flag football. 

Nationwide and in Nevada, flag football is especially popular among female athletes.

“There’s a lot of trailblazers out there in Nevada who have been championing it for girls,” said Charles Torwudzo, the manager of the U.S. national teams and of player personnel at USA Football, the governing body for flag and touch football.

Nevada’s program is one of the nation’s strongest, boasting multiple athletes on the U.S. flag football teams for both teenage girls and adult women. Last year, more than 1,800 girls played high school flag football in Nevada. 

That’s triple the number playing in the 2013-14 school year, the earliest year data is available from the National Federation of State High School Associations.

“Nevada specifically has a great grassroots baseline out there, as one of the early adopters,” Torwudzo said.

Sixteen states now authorize girls’ high school flag football, with 12 of these states doing so in the last three years alone. The sport’s growth has been helped by millions of dollars from benefactors such as Nike and the NFL and has unfolded as interest in women’s sports explodes.

Collegiate opportunities are also increasing. At least 65 NCAA schools sponsor girls flag football at the club or varsity level, including UNLV and UNR. Nevada State University launched its first team this fall.

The sport was also recently approved to join the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, the first step to possibly becoming an official sport for the top three divisions.

Scott Blackford is the director of programs at Nevada Youth Sports, an organization that runs recreational and club sports in Southern Nevada and manages charter schools’ sports leagues.

Blackford said his Las Vegas-based sports organization has seen girls’ participation in their flag football teams increase by 250 percent since 2021. Four years ago, one in every 10 of their flag football players was female. Now that number is one in every four, he said.

He attributed the sport’s popularity to its inclusivity. 

“It’s a sport almost anybody can play. Tackle football is for a certain type of person,” Blackford said. “Flag football is also football, but allows kids to to enjoy the game without the other stuff that tackle brings.”

Torwudzo theorized that the sport has found success because of its limited barriers to entry, with minimal equipment and easy-to-learn rules.

Girls who play flag football said the activity has given them a chance to make the sport their own.

Maci Joncich, a Henderson native who in 2024 became the youngest member of the U.S. women’s national flag football team, told The Nevada Independent she grew up playing the sport with her older brothers. 

She said she thinks the sport is so popular because it “gives girls the opportunity to really work for something” by joining competitive varsity teams.

Flag football has changed gender patterns in sports nationwide, according to Project Play, a branch of the Aspen Institute think tank. Although boys still generally participate in sports at higher rates than girls, that gap has grown significantly smaller since the pandemic. 

That trend has not materialized in Nevada, where U.S. Census Bureau data shows girls’ sports participation was higher than boys’ prior to the pandemic but has since dropped dramatically. 

But when it comes to football, girls in Nevada are far outpacing boys, whose participation in high school tackle football has dipped slightly in the last decade. Girls’ participation in flag football has tripled. 

Joncich said she never expected this level of participation among girls.

“Younger girls will come up to me at events and say, ‘I want to play,’” Joncich said. “It warms my heart, because I never used to see that growing up.”

Alyce Brown of The Associated Press contributed to this article.

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s athletes delivered another successful year in the country’s sporting history in 2025, achieving breakthroughs across football, boxing, tennis and winter sports.

Kairat FC team. Photo credit: Kairat FC

From historic firsts to record medal hauls, Kazakhstan’s presence on the world sports map grew stronger than ever.

Football: A breakthrough year and growing international recognition

The defining moment of the year came when FC Kairat qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in its history, defeating Scotland’s Celtic FC in a dramatic penalty shootout in Almaty. The club’s international rise was further reinforced, when FC Kairat was ranked among the 500 best football clubs in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). Kairat became the only Kazakh club on the list, placing 240th overall with 90.75 points.

FC Kairat’s momentum culminated on Dec. 9 when Anarbekov became the first Kazakh footballer ever to be named UEFA Champions League Player of the Match. His exceptional performance against Olympiacos earned him a 9.2 rating from UEFA, which also included two of his saves among the best of the matchday. 

Kazakhstan’s young football talent also gained international visibility, with 17-year-old forward Dastan Satpayev being recognized among the world’s top five young players by Score 90. Meanwhile, Italian giant Inter Milan highlighted Anarbekov’s skills in a dedicated feature. Institutional progress followed as well as the Kazakhstan Football Federation’s national academy received official FIFA Talent Academy status, making Kazakhstan only the ninth country in the world to achieve it.

Boxing: Dominance continues and a new Hall of Fame legend

At the IBA World Championships in Dubai, the Kazakh team finished second overall, collecting six medals – three gold, one silver, and two bronze. Saken Bibossinov (54 kg), Orazbek Asylkulov (57 kg), and Abylaikhan Zhussupov (71 kg) captured world titles.

Gennady Golovkin. Photo credit: olympic.kz

The year also brought historic recognition for Kazakhstan with Gennady Golovkin becoming the president of World Boxing Federation and his election to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Golovkin, selected in the 2025 ballot, became the first Kazakh boxer inducted into the Hall and joined global legends such as Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, and Mike Tyson. 

Kazakhstan further cemented its dominance by topping the medal standings at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, where the national team earned seven gold medals.

Tennis: International titles and historic rankings

Kazakhstan strengthened its global presence in tennis with some of the most significant victories to date. Elena Rybakina made history when she became the first Kazakh player to win the WTA Finals, defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets in Riyadh. She finished the year ranked fifth in the WTA standings, while Yulia Putintseva entered the top 20 for the first time in her career.

Elena Rybakina (L) and Yulia Putintseva (R). Photo credit: Kazakhstan Tennis Federation

On the men’s side, Alexander Bublik captured the ATP 500 Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, Germany, securing his fifth career ATP title after defeating a series of top-ranked players, including Daniil Medvedev. 

The next generation also delivered promising results as 17-year-old Amir Omarkhanov climbed to No. 4 in the global junior rankings, bolstered by a breakthrough season. Kazakhstan also continued expanding its tennis ecosystem, hosting the ATP 250 Almaty Open.

Chess

Kazakhstan continued its rapid rise in global chess, achieving historic results across elite, youth, and team competitions. A historic moment took place inside the British Parliament when top Kazakh grandmasters played an exhibition match against members of the UK Parliament.

Bibisara Assaubayeva. Photo credit: Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan

A major milestone came when FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich announced that Kazakhstan won the most medals worldwide in all FIDE competitions in 2024. The momentum continued into 2025 with the national women’s team placing fourth at the FIDE World Women’s Team Championship in Linares and earning three individual medals.

Kazakhstan’s rising star Meruert Kamalidenova delivered another impressive result by finishing as women’s vice-champion at the sixth El Llobregat Open in Spain, a major international event featuring participants from 33 countries.

Youth achievements further underscored Kazakhstan’s depth of talent. At the 27th Asian Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok, Kazakh players captured 11 medals, including five gold across classical, rapid, and blitz events.

Bibisara Assaubayeva also achieved the norms required to become Kazakhstan’s second female grandmaster, following Zhansaya Abdumalik, reinforcing the nation’s expanding influence in the chess world.

Winter sports

Kazakhstan’s athletes delivered a series of outstanding results in winter sports, particularly at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, where the national team earned 20 medals – four gold, nine silver, and seven bronze. Among the most significant accomplishments were the country’s first-ever victories in short track and freestyle acrobatics. 

Mikhail Shaidorov. Photo credit: olympic.kz

The men’s 5,000-meter relay team secured Kazakhstan’s inaugural gold in short track, while the freestyle acrobatics duo defeated two leading Chinese teams to win the nation’s first gold in that discipline. Kazakhstan’s men’s hockey team also continued its tradition of excellence by winning the Asian Winter Games title for the fifth time.

Figure skating brought additional triumphs when Mikhail Shaidorov secured silver at the 2025 ISU World Championships in Boston, marking Kazakhstan’s third-ever medal at the event and earning him a place at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Expanding success beyond traditional arenas

Kazakhstan also reached new heights in sports outside its long-established strengths. In motorsports, Artline Kazakhstan became the world champion in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, marking the country’s first world title in the sport.

Kazakh player Daniil Golubenko, representing the Brazilian organization FURIA. Photo credit: digitalbusiness.kz

Kazakhstan also saw a breakthrough in eSports when Kazakh Counter-Strike player Daniil Golubenko, representing FURIA, won the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Chengdu 2025 tournament with a dominant 3:0 performance and was named MVP. 

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan launched its first professional women’s eSports league, the Female Pro League, which aims to promote inclusivity and create new opportunities for female gamers. 

Youth and junior success: A foundation for future champions

At the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, Kazakhstan achieved its best-ever result, winning 93 medals and ranking third overall. The country’s next generation of boxers also excelled at the ASBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships in Colombo, where Kazakh athletes captured 22 gold medals, including sweeping all women’s weight divisions.

Kazakh athletes competed in more than 20 sports. Photo credit: National Olympic Committee’s press service.

Kazakh juniors continued to show promise in tennis, figure skating, and athletics, demonstrating the growing depth of talent across multiple sports.

From Champions League debuts and world titles to Hall of Fame inductions and record-breaking youth performances, 2025 solidified Kazakhstan’s reputation as a rising global sports nation. 

The driver of a stolen car crashed into Lightning’s Boxing Club in Oakland early New Year’s Day after colliding with another car — sending two people to the hospital — then fleeing on foot. The estimated repair costs are between $50,000 and $1000,000.

As KTVU reports, a boxing ring used by heavyweight champion George Foreman in the 1980s sustained extensive damage after a car thief crashed into Lightning’s Boxing Club on 5845 MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland at some point in the early hours Thursday morning. Kris Lopez, who co-owns the gym with his wife Denise Lopez, said the impact of the crash was forceful.

“It’s like an earthquake,” Kris Lopez told KTVU. “The force knocked over the ring stairs and pushed the ring out of place.”

Per KRON4, the Lopezes are raising funds for the repairs and staff payroll through GoFundMe, which was close to $10,000 Sunday morning. According to the fundraiser’s page, the boxing ring will need to be replaced.

Per KTVU, the gym has played a crucial role in supporting underserved youth in the community, some of whom have become professional boxers.

“Dear Oakland Community, we have given our all to this city for the better good—mentoring youth, creating positive members of society, and even producing the occasional boxing champion,” the fundraiser’s page states. “Your donation will help us continue this important work and keep our doors open for the next generation. Please give what you can so we can get back to saving the community and inspiring our youth through the sport of boxing!”

Per NBC Bay Area, the boxing club is temporarily relocating to Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, a local nightclub and event space in Oakland’s Black Arts and Business District, but the Lopezes hope to reopen as soon as possible.

“I just want to keep the boxers going,” Kris Lopez told NBC Bay Area. “We have a nationally ranked amateur boxer, and of course my son and all the other kids who need this place to participate in something positive.”

“I’ve had so many people tell me, your husband changed my life,” Denise Lopez told KTVU. “That makes it worth doing.”

Authorities are still searching for the suspect in the crash.

Image: GoFundMe

FARGO — A move to take a youth initiative out of the purview of the city of Fargo is expected to expand student civic engagement, the city said.

The City Commission voted Monday, Dec. 22, to give Fargo Public Schools oversight of the Fargo Youth Initiative, an advisory body made up of local high school students.

Commissioners have been discussing over recent weeks whether certain boards are effective or viable. The city’s Planning Department previously coordinated Fargo Youth Initiative events.

“It really did take a village to find a new home for this, but I think it’s the next iteration of greatness,” Commissioner Denise Kolpack said at the meeting.

Isabella Meyer, chair of FYI and a senior at Fargo North High School, told commissioners many decisions are made for youth without involving them.

“The Fargo Youth Initiative has been a great way for us to be able to share our voice and our opinions on what actually works and what we actually need,” Meyer said.

The youth advisory group will now be housed within Fargo Public Schools and will include liaison representatives from the Fargo City Commission, the FPS Board of Education and the Fargo Park Board, with potential for expansion.

The group will meet at and receive administrative support from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley.

Chris Flynn / The Forum

Robin Nelson, Boys & Girls Clubs CEO and Fargo School Board vice president, became involved in the Fargo Youth Initiative as it was created in 2013.

She said connecting the high school students with School Board, Park Board and city representatives will provide for even better opportunities.

“Now that they’ve got some more direction, it’s really ignited their excitement,” Nelson said.

Liaisons are expected to be Kolpack from the City Commission, Kristin Nelson from the Fargo School Board and Zoë Absey from the Park Board.

Proposed areas of focus for the Fargo Youth Initiative include education relating to North Dakota Century Code, open meeting regulations and local governance and policies.

Advocacy opportunities include raising the profile of youth public health issues and youth homelessness and speaking out on city, parks and school policies and initiatives.

Community impact ideas could include organizing student-led events or service projects, and regularly attending and participating in local government meetings.

“Youth are a big percentage of our population, so the more they can learn about how our city governments work and serve as a conduit and voice for youth so they are heard at those elected levels, is beneficial,” Robin Nelson said.

A goal is to achieve a total of 15 members on the Fargo Youth Initiative, which plans to continue to meet monthly.

Huebner is a 35+ year veteran of broadcast and print journalism in Fargo-Moorhead.