Upcoming youth camps

June 9-11: FPC Kids Cheer Camp, at FPC 800 gym, grades 2-8, 9 a.m.-noon. Learn cheers, dances, stunts. Cost: $110, snacks provided, T-shirts on final day. Bring water bottle tennis shoes. Information: [email protected]

June 16-18: Flagler Palm Coast Baseball Camp, ages 7-12, at FPC softball field, 9 a.m. to noon. Cost, $150 includes camp shirt. Information: [email protected]

June 16-18: Matanzas Youth Football Clinic, incoming grades 6-8, at Matanzas High School, 8-11 a.m. Cost: $100. bring money for merchandise and snacks, pizza and treats last day. Information: [email protected]

June 16-19: FPC Boys Basketball Camp, incoming grades 5-9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cost: $125 includes T-shirt, last-day pizza party. Information: https://tinyurl.com/YC362A6D

I have been coaching a youth running team for 14 years now. 27 seasons. 570 practices. Hundreds of Personal Records set, and just as many smashed. Thousands of miles. My first team had seven runners and the roster grew over the years to a steady 60-ish. I have had the pleasure of coaching hundreds of kids and working with dozens of other coaches.

On Thursday, I ran my last 5k with the team: an epic, hilly, twisty, creek-splashing trail run in West Chester called the Trail Blazer. I can’t imagine a better place to wrap up.

Here are some of the things I learned while coaching these runners.

— Running is a forever sport. As you get older, there are fewer opportunities to play football, hockey, or soccer. First, because you’re old. Second, because your schedule fills up, so finding a league that fits your busy life is hard. All you need to keep running, though, is a decent pair of shoes and a place to wear them out. Running is also a global sport, so pretty much anywhere you go, you will be able to find a community of runners.

If you find yourself halfway across the country and want to make some friends fast, try the local running store.

— Just because kids are young, doesn’t mean they can’t lead. Every season I have watched runners stop to help someone who was struggling, heard teammates pay compliments to someone who worked through something hard, and had runners tell me that someone else had a tough day at school and could use a boost. At our 5ks, when there are out-and-back sections, the runners on their way back are cheering on their teammates as loudly as the runners on their way out, even though yelling makes running harder. This team has always carried itself.

If you give a third, fourth, or fifth grader the opportunity to inspire others, they will probably end up inspiring you.

— Running is both the easiest and hardest sport there is. It is so easy, most people learn to run before they can even say, “mama.” But it is so hard that coaches of other sports use it as a punishment for their athletes.

In this way, running is like character: You build it one challenging moment at a time.

— I have had some really fast runners over the years, but the chances of me coaching a future Olympian were always basically zero. The chances that I might coach someone who would someday coach youth sports were 100%. I have already had several of my runners return to coach the team with me as high schoolers (and they’re always the runners’ favorite coaches).

It is impossible to describe how it feels to see the runners I knew as third graders mature into the kind of men and women who want to inspire younger runners.

— If you really want to create a winning team, start by being positive all the time. At the end of our practices, we gave out dog tags to a few runners who had done something special at practice. One season, at the first practice, I asked for people to join me for optional sprints. Only five runners joined me. I gave them all dog tags. A week later when I offered optional sprints at the end of practice, every runner put their toe on the line.

That team ended up being the fastest one I had coached up till then.

— I have learned from 26 previous seasons that the first day we don’t have practice is the hardest for coaches. So it was that on Friday at 3:25, when my alarm didn’t tell me to put on my sneakers and leave the office, I felt bereft of the opportunity to see an incredible group of kids do something extraordinary on an otherwise unremarkable weekday afternoon.

I am extremely thankful to all of the coaches I have worked with over the years, and to the parents who thought, “Yeah, I bet my kid would like spending 90 minutes running after school,” for sending your kids our way. But most of all, I am thankful to the runners for pouring their hearts into this team. I’ve known for years that I was getting as much out of this program as they were. In truth, probably more.

Originally Published: June 4, 2025 at 11:01 AM EDT

The Printscape Pony League World Series, one of youth baseball’s most celebrated international tournaments, is proud to announce Dick’s Sporting Goods as the Presenting Sponsor and Official Sporting Goods Retailer of the World Series.

This partnership aligns two organizations with roots in Southwestern Pennsylvania who are fully committed to supporting youth sports. Dick’s Sporting Goods, a leading U.S. based full-line omni-channel sporting goods retailer, brings its long-standing commitment to youth athletics to the Printscape PONY League World Series, a tournament that has showcased the best 13- and 14-year-old baseball talent from around the globe since 1952.

“At Dick’s, supporting youth sports is at the heart of what we do,” said Mark Rooks, VP of Creative, Sponsorships & Entertainment at Dick’s Sporting Goods. “With this partnership, it’s an honor to help create opportunities for these players to grow, compete and be part of something bigger than themselves. We’re looking forward to another season of incredible play!”

With these designations, Dick’s Sporting Goods will enhance the overall fan and player experience via on-site activation while supporting tournament operations and outreach initiatives. The company’s sponsorship will also be visible through a mixture of physical and digital assets associated with the event, including prominent signage, television and livestreaming elements, and social media.

“We have enjoyed a great historical relationship with Dick’sSporting Goods are excited for our partnership with them as the World Series Presenting Sponsor and Official Sporting Goods Retailer,” said Nathan Voytek, World Series President & Chairman. “Their dedication to youth sports and strong ties to the Pittsburgh community make them a vital partner in our efforts to grow the tournament and elevate the experience for both players and fans.”

The 2025 Printscape PONY League World Series will take place Aug. 8-13 at Historic Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, Pa. 10 teams from around the world will compete to be crowned World Series champion in front of more than 30,000 fans, with thousands more tuning in through live television broadcasts and digital streaming platforms.

For more information on the Printscape PONY League World Series, visit plws.org. To learn more about Dick’s Sporting Goods, visit dicks.com.

Printscape PONY League World Series

The Printscape PONY League World Series is an international youth baseball tournament played annually at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA. The World Series annually attracts over 30,000 fans and contributes over $6.3 million to the regional economy, with all games livestreamed domestically and internationally. The tournament represents PONY Baseball’s 13- and 14-year-old age division. PONY has over 500,000 players ages 3-23 in more than 50 countries. More information is available at plws.org.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods

DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands and Going Going Gone! stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

The Carbon Events and Recreation Complex (CERCUT) is inviting young athletes across the region to lace up their sneakers and join in on a series of summer sports camps geared toward youth ages 4 to 12.

Four camps are scheduled throughout June and July, each focusing on a different sport. The goal is to teach fundamentals, encourage physical activity and help young participants build confidence on and off the field. Each camp is $40 and registration is open now at Carbonrec.com.

The summer lineup kicks off with soccer camp, scheduled for June 23–25 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Participants will be introduced to the basics of the game, including dribbling, passing and teamwork in a structured yet playful setting.

Next up is flag football, set for June 30 through July 2, also from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The non-contact format makes the camp safe and accessible, while still offering the excitement and strategy of traditional football.

Volleyball camp will take place July 14–16, continuing the 8:30 a.m. start time and wrapping up at 11 a.m. That same afternoon, from 1 to 3 p.m., CERCUT will also offer an inclusive volleyball camp, welcoming athletes of all abilities to participate in a supportive and adaptive environment.

The final camp on the schedule is basketball, which will run July 21–23 from 8:30 to 11 a.m., followed once again by an inclusive camp from 1 to 3 p.m. The sessions will focus on the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, passing and court awareness.

The camps are about more than just learning a sport. These camps are a chance for kids to get outside, meet new friends and grow through play. It’s about building confidence and having fun while learning the basics of the game.

Parents are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. For more information or to sign up, visit Carbonrec.com.

The Columbus Youth Track team has begun practicing in preparation for their first meet of the season.

The team was started in 2021 by one of Columbus’ fastest runners (some call him Columbus’ fastest man) Royce Caldwell.

“Joining the CYS Family I was able to come in and start another youth sport, that I felt like our community needed,” Caldwell said. “I thank Larry Rooks and Brenda Garcia for allowing me to work with these kids as well as be a part of something special.”

He started the team as a way to give kids in the community something active to do in the summer. Columbus has been showing that they are full of summertime activities for kids in the community to be a part of and win some trophies and medals for their hard work.

The age groups for the team range, for example Caldwell said this year his youngest runner is five and his oldest is 18 years old. He said there are definitely challenges in trying to make this sport fun for the kids especially for a five-year-old, so he tries to find ways to keep them engaged and focused on getting better as a runner.

In addition to that Caldwell puts a big emphasis on teaching these young men and women about life. He wears his heart on his sleeve as a coach and is always willing to listen to his athletes whenever they need him to because he always has his kids’ best interest at heart.

“Running is a tough sport, it is physically demanding so a lot of kids, especially my younger ones, tend to give up or not want to do it after a while and I don’t blame them,” Caldwell said. “We try to always encourage them to keep trying because it might not have worked this time, but it might work the next time, and you can apply that to life, always keep trying and never give up.”

Caldwell said it can be challenging, but these kids are up to the challenge, and that’s why they keep coming back, and the team keeps growing.

“These kids want to be great athletes, and they understand that in order to achieve that greatness whether it is in any sport or in life, they are going to have to work hard and earn it,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell wants to see his kids improve, but he always wants to teach them about the world and how cruel it can be sometimes. While the world can be cruel, Caldwell likes to remind his athletes that they are special and they can accomplish anything they put their mind to, just have to watch out for dream stealers.

This team also offers an inexpensive option for a summertime activity compared to others. Caldwell said the team hosts a lot of fundraisers to help out families that want to be a part of the team but cannot afford it.

One of the key fundraisers that Columbus Youth Track hosts is their chicken spaghetti luncheon cooked by Pilsners Cafe that started in 2021, to contribute to raising money for the TAAF regional meets, Caldwell said.

The team is a part of the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation, so they do compete in meets throughout the season. With that comes an opportunity to go to State and Caldwell said he has brought some kids to State every year since they started.

“It’s always fun bringing them to State because they get a chance to see where this sport can take them and they love it,” Cadwell said.

The Columbus Youth Track Team practices every Monday and Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. and will begin their season later this month.