by ALEXANDRA RETTER

In a soccer program for children of all abilities, students at a practice this month took turns  dribbling through cones before trying to shoot a goal. The Winona Family YMCA offers this inclusive soccer program, as well as a variety of other inclusive sports programs. This programming gives students a chance to practice social skills and make friends, as well as practice their sports skills. 

The Winona Family YMCA  also offers programs such as adaptive volleyball and basketball and adaptive swim lessons. 

Sports Lead Collin Perschnick has been involved with all the inclusive sports programs. “I think it’s something that can be missed a lot in our day in society,” he said. “Making programs that are for everyone and anyone, just bringing people of all skills and abilities together is what I really like about it.” He aims to become an adaptive PE teacher, and he has fun watching students grow. “It’s inclusive sports, but it builds more than just the sports skills; it’s also connection and working on social skills and [it] gets them in a new environment.” He’s glad to see students get more and more comfortable and keep building relationships with others. “I think there’s been a lot of students who have maybe had friendships or known each other from school but are still kind of nervous, and then a lot of time you can find kids who develop buddies or partners who they really like to hang out with a lot,” he said. “And it’s always fun to see those relationships build.” Similarly, he wants students to feel comfortable in themselves. “What I really hope they take away from this is … it’s OK to be them and themselves, and there are people who care about you, adults and peers,” he said. 

In soccer, students work on dribbling, passing and shooting, Perschnick said, and they play games as well. “What you will also see with all our inclusive programs is we have our sport, but we will also take breaks to play different games they like … They love freeze tag, they love four cones, which is four corners. We include those games for them to break up their soccer skills and get to interact with their peers in different ways besides just soccer,” he said. They also play color tag, in which students stand on one side and taggers stand in the middle, then call out a color, and if a student is wearing that color, they have to run across without getting tagged.“It also helps them work on the skill of what happens when something maybe doesn’t go our way … and you can see that each and every single time, it gets better,” he said. 

Marge Literski’s grandson is in the soccer program, and she said it has been great to watch him interact with his peers. “… The socialization is really good for him,” she said, adding that he has not stood back as much as usual. She wants to sign up him for future programs. Jade Beck’s two children are also in the soccer program, as they are trying out different sports to see what they enjoy. “It’s good for them to learn skills through the program, like waiting one’s turn, waiting in line and listening to instructions,” she said. “I hope they make some new friends and learn some listening skills … We’re members of the Y, so physical activity is a big, big thing that I like to implement into their lives or integrate into their lives, so hopefully they will learn that at this impressionable age and it will last throughout their lifetime,” she said. It’s great to include everyone in the program, she added. “I think everybody has different levels of skill, whether it be athletic skills or listening skills or sportsmanship, so it’s nice to see and appreciate other people’s strengths and weaknesses and just learn that it’s OK for everyone to have varied levels of both those things,” she said.  

Education@winonapost.com

The ECNL Boys head to Virginia this weekend, for the final national event of the 2024-25 regular season, ECNL Virginia, at River City Sportsplex in Midlothian, Virginia. The three day event will feature 150 teams from the ECNL Boys U15-U17 age groups.

The weekend will be highlighted by Saturday night’s Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game. The game will kickoff at 6:30 PM from Field 6 at River City Sportsplex and can be live streamed here.

Check out all the information below to learn everything you need to know about this event.

Date: May 24-26, 2025

Location: River City Sportsplex | Midlothian, Virginia

Schedule: Every team is guaranteed three games in three days, playing competition of similar levels outside of their conference. Check out the ECNL app for the complete schedule or view the full schedule of games here.

Team List: View the full list of teams here

Streaming: Watch games from ECNL Virginia as well as Saturday night’s Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game here

Three Things to Know

1. VDA B08 went an unbeaten 12-0-2 on the season to claim the Mid-Atlantic Conference title. This weekend, they make the trip across the state to take on El Camino FC Salinas, Association FC, and Louisville City Academy.

2. SLSG MO B09 team clinched the Heartland South Division with a record of 11-2-1 and have won nine in a row heading to Virginia. This weekend, they take on NCFC Youth, Potomac Soccer, and FSA FC, as they look to keep their winning streak going.

3. Florida Kraze B10 team went an unbeaten 13-0-3 to win the Florida Conference title. This weekend, they look to keep their unbeaten run going when they take on NCFC Youth Academy, NVA, and FSA FC. 

Continental Tire NSG Rosters: The Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Games are “all-star” matches that bring top players at each regular season ECNL National Event together for representative competition on the first day of the event. They are one component of the ECNL National Selection Program, which encompasses all player identification and development programs within the league. 

Players were selected for the games by ECNL Player Identification staff through a combination of scouting and recommendations based on performances over the past several months. These athletes will not compete for their clubs on this day in order to properly rest and prepare for the National Selection Game.

Rosters

East

Jorge Becford (United Futbol Academy)

Logan Bugni (VDA)

Kevin Coronado (Connecticut FC)

Ashton Fleming (Florida Elite SA)

Curren Gaskill (Wilmington Hammerheads Youth)

Garrett Griffin (FC Tucson)

Kevin Howard (NCFC Youth Academy)

Grafton Kahl (Richmond United)

Elias Mas (Davis Legacy)

Misha May (San Francisco Elite)

Sebastian Montes (California Odyssey SC)

Daniel Pell (Association FC)

Shiloh Reese (Palm Beach United)

Angelo Rodriguez (Supreme FC)

Ayden Scammacca (Placer United)

Henry Schultz (STA)

Declan Sengbusch (WNY Flash)

Dayton Wauchope (East Meadow SC)

Thomas Weinrich (Louisville City Academy)

West

Max Baker (Colorado Rapids)

Sean Chamberlin (Marin FC)

William Cohen (Arlington Soccer)

Micah Eldridge (FC Pride Elite)

Elijah Font (Match Fit Academy)

Louis Gastelu (Manhattan SC)

Nathan Gritzmacher (FSA FC)

Alvin Hernandez (Rockford Raptors FC)

Malachi Huisman (CCV Stars)

Alex Kuhner (NC Fusion)

Cade Lussier (Legends FC San Diego)

John Maggio (Beach FC (VA))

Luke McDonough (SUSA FC)

Enrique Ortiz (Penn Fusion SA)

Cesar Ramirez (Charlotte SA Academy)

Alvaro Reyes (El Camino FC Salinas)

Gavin Stone (Santa Rosa United)

Luke Weber (FC Wisconsin)

Colton Wells (San Juan SC)

To view a full list of the rosters for the National Selection Game, click here.

More Information: To view the address for the complex and more ECNL Virginia information, click here.

 

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About the ECNL:

The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential. 

The ECNL’s mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports.

The ECNL Commitment:

We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence.

 

www.TheECNL.com 

Boys FB: /ECNLboys |  Boys IG: @ECNLboys  | Boys TW: @ECNLboys

YOKOHAMA NORTH DOCK, Japan – An event between Soldiers stationed here and a local youth baseball team brought the groups together for a day of sports, physical training and even a tour aboard an Army watercraft.

The 5th Transportation Company (Composite Watercraft Company) welcomed the Yokohama Higashi Little League team to Yokohama North Dock on May 6 for the inaugural exchange between the unit and the youth athletes, who practice several times a month on the field located on the installation.

Capt. Alena Leshchyk, commander of the 5th Transportation Co., said her unit is new to Yokohama, and they were looking for opportunities to engage with their host city and share a little bit of what they do. The exchange event provided the perfect opportunity, Leshchyk said.

“Opening doors and engaging with our host city will not only help the Soldiers here have a richer cultural experience; it will also strengthen the ties between our unit and the city, making it more a joint community,” she said.

The initial plan was for the Soldiers and little leaguers to play baseball on the same field where they practice. Inclement weather necessitated moving activities to North Dock’s indoor fitness center, where they played dodgeball and basketball together.

The Soldiers also treated their guests to pizza for lunch and later showed them aboard a Landing Craft Utility vessel, which are used to transport troops and equipment.

Masaharu Sano, a sixth grader and his baseball team’s captain, said he and his teammates had fun playing and eating with the Soldiers and getting to tour the LCU.

“This was my first time interacting with U.S. Soldiers, so I was a bit intimidated at first,” Sano said, “but after I started to play with them, I learned they were very kind and funny.

“The best part for me was seeing the inside of the vessel for the first time and realizing how big it was,” he added. “And of course, eating pizza with the Soldiers afterward.”

Sano and the team said they were enthusiastic about more opportunities in the future to interact with the Soldiers.

Leshchyk agreed, saying it was great to see the children and the Soldiers be enthusiastic, motivated, excited, and having fun playing together.

“I find it endearing to see how the language barrier and the cultural barriers go away when they’re together having fun,” the commander said.

Leshchyk called the event a success and said she hopes the children had a good time and learned something new about the U.S. Army, and that Soldiers are not so different from them and like to have fun too.

“We have a presence here [in Japan],” Leshchyk said. “I think it’s important that we take part in the community and contribute something.”

NEENAH (NBC 26) — Flag football is gaining momentum across the country, with the sport set to debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Now, girls at Neenah Middle School are joining the movement, suiting up for the school’s first-ever girls flag football team.

Head coach Chris Polit, already involved with Neenah’s middle school tackle football program, said the idea came directly from student demand.

“I’m involved with the tackle program at the middle school, and so a lot of the girls in the hallway asked me about tackle football, but they’re not quite sure about coming out to join tackle,” Polit said. “And so over the last two years, girls basically hounding me to get something started and kind of two years in the making, kinda created it from scratch.”

Watch the full story here:

Neenah Middle School launches first-ever girls flag football team as national interest in the sport grows

With support from local businesses, school staff, and administrators, Polit built the program from the ground up. The student response, he said, exceeded expectations.

“I sent out a survey and I expected I’m like, oh, it’d be cool if I get 15 to 20 girls interested, and then I had 70 sign up,” he said. “So it was kinda crazy to see the response.”

Out of the 70 girls who signed up, only one had previous experience: sixth grader Maggie Eastman, who’s been playing flag football through the YMCA for six years.

“My brothers were throwing around in the front yard, and they needed someone else to play, so they asked me,” Eastman said. “And after we were done playing, I found it really fun and asked my dad if I could start playing actual organized football.”

Eastman said she’s usually the only girl on the field, so seeing her friends get involved has made the experience even more rewarding.

“It’s really awesome to me that they wanna do something, you know, not many girls play, mostly for boys, I guess.”

For eighth grader Madison Heuer, the sport is brand new. She was introduced to flag football through her brother and now finds herself invested in the game, on and off the field.

“When I used to turn on a game, I’d be bored. ‘Dad, change the channel,'” Heuer said. “But now I’m really fascinated, and I know what’s going on finally. And I know all the positions and what’s going around, so I became more in touch with football.”

With flag football headed to the Olympics and a recent Super Bowl commercial spotlighting girls in the sport, Polit believes the momentum is only growing—and that varsity-level competition could be next.

“Obviously, we’d love other middle schools to get involved and play other people other than ourselves,” Polit said. “I think it’s gonna get there in the next few years. Like I said, there’s a few other states that have it, and I think Wisconsin’s not gonna be far behind.”

Both Eastman and Heuer hope to keep playing through high school, and they’re excited that more schools in northeast Wisconsin will start teams of their own.

Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated nationwide from May 5 to May 9, recognizing the transformative work of educators in children’s lives. 

At Arizona Desert Elementary School in Tolleson, five of its teachers were given more than words of praise for the celebratory week. Through the support of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, the educators were awarded $1,000 for their classroom needs, alongside additional gifts, including free hotel stays. 

“Our teachers deserve all the recognition that they receive. They do a phenomenal job. We’re a community of amazing educators on this campus that are absolutely passionate about caring for all of our students. They make a difference every single day,” said Brenda Catlett, Arizona Desert Elementary School principal.

Catlett hosted a teacher nomination, where students wrote letters as to why they are grateful for their teacher. She received over 100 letters from students through eighth grade.

These letters were sent to the Fiesta Sports Foundation — formerly Fiesta Bowl Charities — which chose five teachers to receive $1,000 each to support their classroom in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week. The following teachers were selected by the foundation:

• Shannon Stanley, third- to fifth-grade resource teacher

• Elizabeth Farr, second-grade teacher

• Ericka Green, fourth-grade science teacher

• Brittany Morgan, fifth-grade language arts and history–social science teacher

• Franki Diaz, seventh-grade writing and science teacher

Each teacher was surprised in their classrooms with an oversized check and a box full of gifts. Before the grand reveal, however, the student whose letter was selected by Fiesta Sports read the kind words before the teacher and the class.

“I’m super grateful for all of them. I can’t believe that she wrote that letter like this. It is the sweetest thing I have,” Green said.

Green did not expect to become a teacher. It fell in her lap, she described, and she is thankful that she did, as she is now “here for the long haul.” The letter she received described how she helps her students both in class and outside of school, through their good and bad days.

She oftentimes receives appreciative notes from her students, but this letter warmed her heart like no other.

“The words that she wrote about helping her outside of school, sometimes you don’t realize that you make that impact on students, and that they kind of carry that when they go home. That’s what makes this one super special,” Green said.

Giving back to the community is a hallmark of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, Sandra Avila, community relations director. The organization is known for its College Football Playoff postseason game, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. However, it is active throughout the year, providing charitable resources that benefit communities throughout Arizona. It considers itself the state’s leading organization in creating “unforgettable experiences through world-class sporting events, unparalleled hospitality and life-changing community impact,” per its website.

“It’s that appreciation portion. It’s letting them know that they’re doing amazing work, that they are making a difference in their students,” Avila said.

The Fiesta Sports Foundation supported three additional schools in Arizona during Teacher Appreciation Week, providing $5,000 in funding to each location. The staff enjoyed giving back to the teachers, including Spirit, the foundation’s mascot, who brought smiles to the kids’ faces throughout the day.

“We are pillars for youth sports and education, and Teacher Appreciation Week is certainly an opportunity to celebrate and honor teachers for the amazing work that they’re doing,” Avila said. “Doing it in partnership with the students who nominated the teachers, who were able to write a beautiful letter about why their work is so important, it makes it very special.” 

For more information about the Fiesta Sports Foundation and its charitable works, visit 

fiestasportsfoundation.org.