SIOUX FALLS — South Dakota native and University of Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer will return to the state to take part in Sanford Sports Night on Thursday, July 10, at the Sanford Pentagon.

Sanford Sports Night with Kalen DeBoer will start at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8. Doors will open at 5:30.

Kurtiss Riggs, who was DeBoer’s teammate at the University of Sioux Falls, will moderate a discussion with DeBoer, focusing on the insights, challenges and future of youth sports. The evening will wrap up with a special message from DeBoer and a tribute to the Legends for Kids program, which is set to retire after 25 years of operation.

“It’s always great when I get the chance to come back to South Dakota, especially for such a special event like this one,” DeBoer said in a news release. “Sanford Health is a staple of this community, and it’s an honor to partner with an organization that has impacted this region so much.

“Returning home always reminds me of all the great people and places that made me who I am and helped me to get where I am today. My roots are in Sioux Falls, and coming back here as the head coach at the University of Alabama is truly a full-circle moment for me.”

In January 2024, DeBoer was named head coach at Alabama following the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban. Last year, DeBoer led the Crimson Tide to a 9-4 record in his first season at the helm, notching three top-25 victories and tying the record for the most wins by a first-year coach in program history.

In total, DeBoer has a 113-16 record overall record as a head coach, which includes prior stints at Fresno State and Washington. He led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2023.

“We are honored to have Kalen DeBoer return to Sioux Falls for this special night,” said Steve Young, president of Sanford Sports. “Coach DeBoer’s passion and philosophy have proven themselves time and time again over the course of his illustrious career.

“Fans, parents and student-athletes will learn a lot from his vision of the current landscape of youth sports, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him back in his home state!”

DeBoer was born and raised in Milbank and began his football journey at USF, where he set school records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. In 2000, he returned to his alma mater as offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach five years later. In five seasons at the helm of the Cougars’ program, DeBoer compiled an impressive 67-3 record, claiming three NAIA national titles (2006, 2008, 2009).

General admission tickets

can currently be purchased online

for $5. Groups of eight can reserve a table on the floor at Heritage Court, while suites are also available. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at (605) 312-7917.

To purchase a ticket or suite, call the ticket office or email Sanford Sports Complex director Brock Reynoldson at brock.reynoldson@sanfordhealth.org.

Online ticket purchases, which are available until July 9, are subject to additional fees. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door on the day of the event.

Trent Singer is a sports reporter for Sioux Falls Live. He focuses his coverage on Augustana men’s hockey and Sioux Falls area sports. Singer’s previous stops include Just Women’s Sports, the Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New Era.

Football | June 10

DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University will welcome alumni, celebrate its football history, honor members of the military and first responders, teachers and more during its final season in the Mid-American Conference as the promotions for NIU’s 2025 football home games were announced on Tuesday.
 
NIU kicks off its 124th college football season on August 30th versus Holy Cross on “First Saturday in Huskie Stadium” with fans encouraged to wear red and help celebrate Football Champions Weekend with stars of the past.
 
The Huskies next are home on Saturday, September 27th to take on San Diego State in the annual Salute to Service game, which will also include high school band day, scout day and a celebration of teachers in conjunction with Extra Yard for Teachers Week.
 
On Saturday, October 4th, the oldest Homecoming in the state of Illinois will be celebrated for the 118th time with NIU taking on MAC foe Miami for the Mallory Cup. In addition to welcoming alumni from across the country, the Huskie Football program is extending a special invitation to former football student-athletes.
 
The Huskies and Ball State will battle for the Bronze Stalk Trophy in DeKalb on Saturday, October 25th during Family Weekend, which has also been dubbed the cancer awareness game and youth sports day. NIU employees and health care workers will be recognized and can take advantage of ticket discounts.
 
NIU plays its final midweek #MACtion game on Tuesday, November 18th versus Western Michigan with the Huskies’ MAC finale set for Friday, November 28^th on “Black Friday” with a Black Out (wear black). Prior to the game, which kicks off at 11 a.m. (CT), 2025 seniors and their families will be honored.
 
The list is not final as additional promotions will be added as they are finalized.  
 
Season ticket prices for NIU’s six 2025 home games begin at as little as $110 each for a general admission ticket. With the purchase of the Huskie 4-Pack (four or more tickets), pay $110 each for a reserved seat in sections A, B or F on the West Side. Reserved west side seats are priced at $152 or $170 with discounts available for NIU alumni, NIU faculty/staff, DeKalb County residents, seniors (62+) and members of the Varsity Club (former student-athletes).
 
Fans who purchase 2025 Huskie Football season tickets by June 30th of this year automatically qualify for the “Lock In” rate, giving them the ability to purchase similar season tickets in 2026 and 2027 at 2025 prices, provided they meet the season ticket deadline each year. 
 
Renew or purchase tickets for the 2025 NIU Football season now online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets. For more information, call the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225) weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or email huskiestickets@niu.edu.
 
— NIU —
 
Twitter: @NIUAthletics
Facebook: NIU Huskies
Instagram: niuhuskies
YouTube: NIU Athletics Official
 
 

Honed on Bryant Lake in Eden Prairie, the Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club’s women’s crew clinched a national championship bid.

The Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club (TCYRC) and its U19 Women’s 4+ boat have clinched a coveted spot in the USRowing Youth National Championships. The tournament is June 10-15 in Sarasota, Florida.

The USRowing Youth National Championships ranks as high school women’s rowing’s second most prestigious event. Thirty-nine teams competed across the Midwest region. Yet, only four crews, from Minnesota to St. Louis to Pittsburgh, secured national spots. Selection committees chose just 31 teams from regions across the country, most from the Southwest, Atlantic, and Southeastern divisions.

The region’s colder climate drives the disparity in competitive rowing. TCYRC only gets six months of water time. Nevertheless, teams from other regions row year-round. Still, despite these disparities, TCYRC proudly notes that 100% of graduating seniors have signed college letters of intent or are walking on to college programs.

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Unprecedented talent shining bright

This year’s crew, a mix of a sophomore, two juniors, and two seniors, includes Division I-bound stars. Katherine Bixby and Tessa Johnson will row at the University of Minnesota and the University of Rhode Island, respectively, next year.

Indeed, it’s unprecedented for a volunteer, parent-run organization from Minnesota to produce such accomplished rowers. Accordingly, TCYRC will compete against teams from Newport Beach, California, to Stony Brook, New York.

The magic behind this crew’s success lies in their training. “Winter training indoors is a meat grinder,” head coach Justin Richardson said. “There’s no sun. They’re training 12.5 to 20 hours a week. They’re practicing technique.”

Richardson teaches the athletes to maximize every stroke. “We can’t overpower them, yet we can out row them,” he said.

During practice, you’ll often hear Richardson urging the crew to glide lightly through the water. Meanwhile, he scrutinizes every stroke for “puddling” and ensures each one propels the boat a full boat length.

At Saturday’s practice, Richardson had the crew of the John “JD” Davis working on their starts out of the block. The coxswain shouts, “Three-quarters, half, half,” as the boat picks up speed. It knifes through the water.

“Death by a thousand paper cuts,” Richardson says quietly. “We are consistently closing. We make our move at the last second – blindside crews who didn’t see us coming.”

Erg’s don’t float: Rowing as one

The appeal of women’s rowing is often steeped in the Ivy League tradition and pop culture. Films like “The Boys in the Boat,” “The Novice,” and picturesque backdrops in “Good Will Hunting” create an image of exclusivity tied to social class. However, women’s rowing is frequently used to help schools meet Title IX requirements and balance out men’s football rosters. If your child wants to row in college, they can.

This crew proudly calls rowing the ultimate team sport, even though they’ve collectively excelled in other varsity athletics. When asked what it takes to succeed in rowing, Sadie Nistler, a star crew member and the boat’s engine, said, “How much is it worth to you?” Nistler fought her way back from a devastating knee injury. During her recovery, she beat out athletes from across the Twin Cities to earn a spot on the top team.

“In November, I tried and worked so hard to get back after my knee surgery,” Nistler said. “I learned what delayed gratification means. You put in the work now so it will pay off later.”

The warmth reflected off the lake as the sun shone through the crystal clear water. “I want to see more kids get involved in rowing,” Richardson said as the U19 Women’s 4+ boat docked. “Thinking that you’re not good enough? Thinking you’re not athletic enough? Don’t worry, we’ll get you there.”

The U19 women’s 4+ boat – coxswain Katherine Bixby, a senior at Wayzata; bow Kaitlyn Anderson, a sophomore at Southwest Christian Academy; Sadie Nistler, a junior at Eden Prairie; Phoebe Chin, a junior at Edina; and stroke Tessa Johnson, a senior at Hopkins – leaves for Florida on Tuesday.

SEATTLE (AP) — Elly Garcia-Dudek can’t help but gaze out toward the ice during hockey practices at the Kraken Community Iceplex.

The 12-year-old Garcia-Dudek is a big fan of women’s national team stars like Hilary Knight, who starred for the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women’s Hockey League last season. Pretty soon, Garcia-Dudek – who started playing through the Seattle Kraken’s Learn to Play program — won’t have to look across the country for role models like Knight.

The PWHL is expanding to Vancouver and to Seattle next season, which was music to Garcia-Dudek’s ears. She and her family are Kraken fans and have already put down deposits for PWHL Seattle season tickets. Luckily for Garcia-Dudek, Knight has agreed to play in Seattle.

“It’s really inspiring and cool to watch them play because it’s different from the men’s game because women aren’t used to playing with contact, but they get to with the PWHL, which is really cool to watch,” Garcia-Dudek said. “It inspires me personally like, ‘Oh, I can be one of them when I grow up.’”

Seattle’s lineup should feature plenty of offense from the outset, especially with Knight — a four-time Olympian and PWHL MVP finalist last season — on the scene.

“Hillary is a superstar in every way, right?” Seattle GM Meghan Turner said of Knight after the PWHL expansion draft. “Like she plays the way she plays, the way she carries herself in the locker room, the way that she carries herself outside the rink. She’s just really got at all.”

The Pacific Northwest expansion will give the PWHL eight teams and its first two west of Minnesota. The moves are expected to spur even more interest across the region in hockey, which has steadily grown especially in Seattle since the arrival of the Kraken in 2021.

Pacific Northwest hockey

When Martin Hlinka began his tenure as director of the Kraken Youth Hockey Association in April 2021, they had just 72 players across six teams. The KYHA now has 39 boys and girls teams, including a 14U Jr Kraken team that Garcia-Dudek will play on this year. Hlinka credits this growth in large part to the Kraken’s presence.

“The growth was great because more kids watch games on TV or in-person,” Hlinka said, “and they have a better interest and they’re excited to be part of it.”

The expectation on Hlinka’s end is that the addition of PWHL Seattle will only further increase Seattle’s intrigue in hockey at the youth level. The sport has already taken sizable steps forward, though, over the last few decades.

Since 2014-15, there’s been an increase of 1,744 more youth hockey players in Washington. And since 2021-22, when the Kraken began play, an additional 268 kids have started playing in the state.

The growth has been observed by Julia Takatsuka, a goalie coordinator for the Jr Kraken who grew up playing hockey in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood. When she was a kid, Takatsuka said, she had to travel to Canada every weekend for tournaments, and that practice rinks were relatively spartan compared to the Iceplex, which boasts three rinks and was built in September 2021.

“I would have loved to train at a place like (KCI) where we have all of the actual things we need,” Takatsuka said. “I was a goalie, so we need pegs to hold the nets down. I didn’t have that. We have that now. We have ice that has real creases for the goalies. Didn’t have that growing up, either.”

The Seattle area requires more work and time to become a women’s hockey hotbed, though. As Hlinka pointed out, there is only so much ice time to go around, and there aren’t nearly as many rinks in Seattle as there are in cities like Vancouver or Toronto.

Seeds for growth

Still, there’s clear evidence women’s hockey has already grown in Seattle.

The women’s club hockey team at the University of Washington played its inaugural season in 2021. This has allowed Regan Thomas, a West Seattle native and student at Washington, to continue playing the sport she adores. It wasn’t until she went to boarding school in New Hampshire that Thomas even became aware she could play hockey.

Soccer was Thomas’s spot of choice as a kid, and she had quite the role model in Megan Rapinoe, the national team standout who starred for Seattle Reign FC for a decade. Though Thomas wishes Seattle could have had a pro women’s hockey team when she was a kid, such won’t be the case for countless young girls in the Pacific Northwest moving forward.

“I think having those role models is incredibly important,” Thomas said. “I find myself even now like ‘Ugh, I wish this was around 10 years ago.’ Because not that I would have ever made it, but just kind of the dream of making it – you figure out how to push yourself harder.”

Lindsay Skogmo’s son, Otto, already has plenty of role models whenever he shows up to KCI for practice with the 8-and-under Jr Kraken team. When Skogmo was recently at her son’s school, she heard rumblings from girls about how hockey wasn’t for them.

Skogmo hopes pro women’s hockey in Seattle will inspire young girls like Garcia-Dudek to keep dreaming big.

“I feel like in this world right now, in our country, a lot of females feel like it’s not going good for us, or it’s going against us,” Skogmo said. “So, for us to be able to get a professional female team here really gives a lot of girl power.”

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

The Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau announces this week’s featured Youth Citizenship Award recipient is Zya DeGolier, a senior at Portville Central School and the daughter of Ross DeGolier and granddaughter of Mary DeGolier.

DeGolier’s nomination highlights her generous spirit and deep commitment to her community, reflecting qualities of empathy and leadership. Her school counselor’s praise emphasizes her role as an exemplary figure, inspiring those around her to embody similar values of kindness and service.

Upon graduation, DeGolier intends to further her education and pursue a career in criminal justice.

DeGolier has demonstrated a strong commitment to her community and equestrian pursuits by volunteering as secretary and historian for the McKean County Horse 4-H, competing in sanctioned local and district livestock events, and actively participating in the Ally Cat Pony Club through team competitions and service projects.

Her dedication is further evidenced through impactful initiatives such as collecting clothing and bedding for the Genesis House and providing meals to those in need at the Warming House, showcasing her commitment to alleviating hardship and fostering support for vulnerable populations.

DeGolier’s four years of volunteering with the Red Cross highlight her commitment to community service, especially as she also actively donates blood. Her dedication contributes to saving lives and encourages others to participate in this vital cause.

In school, DeGolier is a member of several extracurricular activities, including soccer for four years, defensive player; basketball for four years, forward; track for four years, shot put and discus; Student Council for six years, President; Class of 2025 leader for one year, President; Physics Club for three years; and Study Center for one year, peer tutor.

DeGolier’s impressive academic achievements include her induction into the National Honor Society during her junior year, where she upholds high standards by maintaining exceptional grades and engaging in community service. Additionally, her recognition with the George Eastman Young Leadership Award from the University of Rochester highlights her leadership qualities and commitment to excellence.

In her spare time, DeGolier loves to read, play soccer, volunteer and hang out with her friends. Congratulations, Zya!

Nominations for the 2025 graduating class are closed. For more information, visit cattcoyouth.org or contact Christina O’Brien, Youth Bureau program coordinator, at (716) 701-3360.