The 2025 Little League Softball World Series has begun, featuring four games on the first day on Sunday at Stallings Stadium in Elm Street Park, Greenville, North Carolina.

First game of the tournament is already through with Florida taking down Washington by a final of 9-2. They’ll face Oklahoma in the following round. The second game of the day was much tighter as the defending champions, Pitt County, North Carolina needed a three-run fifth inning to defeat Brazil. They scored four runs on just two hits to win 4-3, but that is what champions do. They’ll face the Central Region representatives in the next round.

Stay a part of the action by following live updates for all the LLSWS action on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Canada strikes back

After an unassuming first inning, Canada struck hard in the second, tallying a run and putting runners on second and third before recording a single out.

Canada earned their first run thanks to a bit of a mishap from Czechia. Instead of taking a sure out at first, the shortstop decided to attempt to get the runner heading for third, but could not apply the tag in time. Czechia would get the next out but after a pair of singles would put Canada out in front with three runs.

Canada leads 3-2.

Czechia gets on the board

Canada’s pitcher, Arielle Prescott, has been great, striking out five hitters through two innings. However, her control has cost Canada dearly as both runs in the second inning have come on wild pitches.

Canada escapes early jam

Early on in the Czech Republic vs. Canada affair, the Czech were cooking with two runners reaching base before any outs were recorded.

Fortunately for Canada, even after the runners advanced to second and third, they were able to work their way out of the jam, keeping the game scoreless as they take the bats for the first time of the game.

North Carolina shows how to tag a runner out

After miscues on throws to third base in the previous half inning, Brazil attempted their own steal of third during the top of the sixth inning. However, it was clear that it was a miscommunication between the runner and coach.

Brazil needed one run to tie the game and potentially push the game to extra innings. It was likely that the runner thought the ball had gotten past the catcher. Instead of a runner in scoring position and one out, Brazil was down to their last out, which was secured just one pitch later on a grounder to second.

North Carolina wins the game thanks to a three-run fifth inning, scoring four runs with only two hits. It’s Pitt County’s sixth straight win at the Little League Softball World Series dating back to winning the championship in last year’s tournament.

They’ll face the Central region representative in the next round.

North Carolina breaks through

Perhaps getting Fugisaki out was all North Carolina needed, after getting Brazil’s ace out of the game, North Carolina put together a tremendous rally, aided by a few errors on Brazil’s end.

The team’s first run of the inning came after North Carolina attempted a double steal. Brazil’s third baseman was playing up to prevent a sacrifice bunt, so the catcher’s throw to third sailed into left field allowing a run to score. That was followed up with a single from Isabella Ford, which drove in the next run.

Just moments later, North Carolina drank from the same well that got them a run earlier. With a runner on second after a sacrifice, North Carolina attempted a steal, and with the Brazil third baseman playing up to prevent the bunt, the catcher’s throw went into left, and the run scored, giving North Carolina a 4-3 with only the sixth inning to go.

Great rally, defensive miscues lead to run for Brazil

North Carolina looked ready to get on offense again and tie up the game, but after one quick out, a walk to Fugisaki, a bloop single, and a walk, the bases were loaded with two outs.

A grounder to short would normally be exactly what the doctor ordered but a lapse in judgment on defense led to hesitation, allowing the runner to reach first and a run to score. It’s 3-1 Brazil heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Brazil takes the lead right back

It looked like it was going to be a quick inning for North Carolina. After tying Brazil, they found a groove, earning quick outs and looking to enter the bottom half with a chance to lead. However, some strong two-out hitting drew in the Latin America runner, giving Brazil a 2-1 lead.

It will be tough for North Carolina to make a comeback if they cannot earn hits. Their only run of the game has come via a walk, stolen bases, and a sac fly. They’ve yet to record a hit.

North Carolina ties it up

Brazil’s pitcher was one of the toughest against hitters throughout the entire Latin America tournament, but this North Carolina team is proving themselves more than capable.

In just the second inning, a series of great baserunning decisions followed up with a sac fly from Avery Cash was able to plate a tying run. It’s 1-1.

Brazil with a hot first inning

The Latin America team wasted no time getting on the board, with two singles in the first inning. A leadoff hit-by-pitch, succeeded by a stolen base put the Brazilian runner in scoring position. Another hit drove her home.

Brazil continued to threaten but a great play in foul territory by the North Carolina first baseman ended the inning. Heading to the bottom of the first, it’s 1-0 Latin America.

Florida secures the win

There may have been a little rough water in the final inning, with Washington putting two runners on, but there was no damage to be done. Washington could not push any runners across, giving Florida their first win of the tournament, a 9-2 victory. They’ll face Oklahoma next.

Sam Bradley uses Ks to get through the 5th inning

Sam Bradley gets two strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth inning and now has three strikeouts for the game as Florida leads 8-2 after five innings.

Washington adds another run in the third inning

Daphnee Calsyn’s sacrifice fly pushes another run across the plate for Washington. But Florida still leads 8-2 after three innings.

Washington gets on the board in the second inning

Anna Yoo draws a bases-loaded walk to knock in the first round for Washington. It is 8-1 Florida after two innings.

Addison Bono delivers another extra base hit

Bono is an RBI machine as she clears the bases with a double in the top of the second inning. She now has six RBI in the game and has driven in six of her team’s seven runs so far today. Sam Bradley adds an RBI-single and it is an 8-0 lead for Florida after the top of the second inning.

A Bono bomb to start things off for Florida

Addison Bono hits a no-doubt three-run home run to left field to give Florida a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning. According to ESPN, it was her fourth home run of the postseason as she blasted a long ball in the district tournament, the state tournament, the Southeast Region tourney and now the Little League World Series. Also, Acadia Graney adds a two-out, RBI-single to push the lead to 4-0. Florida gets Washington to go quietly with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first and Florida leads 4-0 after the first inning.

Florida vs Washington underway at the LLSWS

If the name Lake Mary Little League sounds familiar – it should − because the baseball 12U All-Stars from Florida won the 2024 Little League World Series with a 2-1 extra-innings victory over Chinese Taipei in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The 12U softball All-Stars from the same little league are the Southeast Region champions and are looking to make history themselves after qualifying for the LLSWS for the first time. The last team from Florida to win the LLSWS (Countryside Little League, Clearwater, Florida) did it in 1996. 

The 12U All-Stars from Mill Creek, Washington are making their first appearance in the LLSWS. They are the Northwest Region champions after an extra-innings win in the regional championship game this year. A team from Washington has never won the LLSWS.

How to watch 2025 Little League Softball World Series

The 2025 Little League Softball World Series will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, with the championship game airing on ABC. Games will also be available to stream on ESPN+.

Dates: Aug. 3-10
TV: ESPN, ESPN2, ABC
Stream: ESPN+
Location: Greenville, North Carolina

Little League Softball World Series: Meet the 2025 teams

Greenville, North Carolina enters its fifth straight year of hosting the Little League Softball World Series when the event takes over Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park from August 3-10, 2025.

For the 12 teams (eight from the United States) competing for the 2025 title, the dream of hoisting the Little League Softball World Series championship banner will come on Sunday, August 10.

Little League Softball World Series 2025 teams

LLSWS teams in the purple bracket

Mid-Atlantic − West Suburban Little League (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)

New England − Guilford Little League (Guilford, Connecticut)

Northwest − Mill Creek Little League (Mill Creek, Washington)

Southeast − Lake Mary Little League (Lake Mary, Florida)

Southwest − Tulsa National Little League (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

West − Westchester-Del Rey Little League (Los Angeles, California)

LLSWS teams in the orange bracket

Asia-Pacific − Tohoku Little League (Iwate, Japan)

Canada − On Field Little League Softball (Repentigny, Quebec)

Central − Floyds Knobs Community Club Little League (Floyds Knobs, Indiana)

Europe-Africa − Prague Little League (Prague, Czechia)

Latin America − Cantareira Little League (São Paulo, Brazil)

North Carolina − Pitt County Girls Softball Little League (Winterville, North Carolina)

Catch the Little League Softball World Series on ESPN+

2025 Little League Softball World Series schedule

Sunday, Aug. 3:

Game 1: (Purple Bracket) Northwest Region vs Southeast Region, 10 a.m. ESPN+
Game 2: (Orange Bracket) North Carolina Region vs Latin America Region, 1 p.m. ESPN+
Game 3: (Orange Bracket): Canada Region vs Europe-Africa Region, 4 p.m. ESPN+
Game 4: (Purple Bracket) New England Region vs Mid-Atlantic Region, 7 p.m. ESPN+

The Buffalo Bills are going to be without one of their top receivers in the early weeks of training camp and the preseason.

Coach Sean McDermott told reporters at Sunday’s practice Khalil Shakir would be ‘week-to-week’ after suffering a high-ankle sprain.

Shakir was Buffalo’s top receiver during the 2024 NFL season, leading the team in targets (100), catches (76) and receiving yards (821) while tying for second on the team with four touchdown receptions. The slot-man built a strong rapport with Josh Allen and is expected to once again be a key weapon for the reigning NFL MVP.

Here’s what to know about Shakir’s injury and how it could impact Buffalo’s wide receiver depth chart.

Khalil Shakir injury update

Shakir’s injury occurred at Buffalo’s Blue and Red practice Friday, per the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Shakir suffered an apparent injury and walked off the field with trainers. He had his right leg evaluated on the bench before trainers accompanied him up the tunnel. He did not return to practice.

The Bills were off on Saturday before returning to practice Sunday. At that point, McDermott announced Shakir would be ‘week-to-week’ because of a high-ankle sprain.

How long will Khalil Shakir be out?

McDermott didn’t provide a concrete timeline for Shakir’s return, but CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports the 25-year-old receiver is expected to miss 4-5 weeks because of the injury. That makes his status for Buffalo’s season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 7 worth monitoring.

Who is Khalil Shakir’s backup?

Shakir plays primarily in the slot – 498 of his 735 snaps (67.8%) last season came at the position – so either Curtis Samuel or free-agent signee Elijah Moore would figure to take over for Shakir in that role should he miss time. Samuel played in the slot on 43.1% of his snaps with the Bills last season while Moore did so on 54.6% of his snaps with the Cleveland Browns.

Bills WR depth chart

The Bills currently have 14 receivers on their depth chart. They carried just five on their 53-man roster to start last season.

Below is a look at the projected pecking order among the top five receivers on Buffalo’s roster:

Khalil Shakir
Keon Coleman
Joshua Palmer
Elijah Moore
Curtis Samuel

And here is a look at the other receivers battling for roster spots, listed alphabetically by last name:

Kelly Akharaiyi
Deon Cain
Stephen Gosnell
KJ Hamler
Kaden Prather
Tyrell Shavers
Laviska Shenault Jr.
Jalen Virgil
Kristian Wilkerson

Talk about making your parents proud.

The Las Vegas Aces halftime entertainment during Saturday’s game against Minnesota Lynx was a baby race. Ten babies lined up on one end of the court, parents coaxing them to crawl to the other end. While the Lynx crushed the Aces by 53 points, the real winner on Saturday was the baby who stood up and took her first steps at the break.

Halfway across the court, with a sizeable lead in tow, the baby girl got to her knees, then her feet and started cruising to her mom — waiting at the other end of the basketball court. The winner of the race, and the crowd’s hearts, the baby received a huge hug from mom as she reached the finish line victorious.

The baby’s dad also get in the act, toting to the trophy carrying winner.

‘She just started running’ he said, proudly. ‘I was not expecting that.’

There was already one night of wild action. Who’s ready for another one?

WWE SummerSlam 2025 will cap off its double-day event on Sunday, Aug. 3, and it’s shaping up to be a massive night with heavy consequences on the business. All six matches scheduled will be for championships. 

Not only is gold on the line the entire night, but plenty of chaos is on deck too. Tables, ladders and chairs will be involved in the highly anticipated six-team tag team match, and the Women’s Intercontinental Championship won’t have any disqualifications. To end the night, it will be a WrestleMania 41 rematch between John Cena and Cody Rhodes, and it’ll be a street fight where anything goes.

It’s shaping up to be one of the biggest slates of 2025. Follow USA TODAY Sports for all the action for SummerSlam 2025:

Watch: SummerSlam 2025 preshow

When is SummerSlam 2025?

SummerSlam 2025 night two is on Sunday, Aug. 3.

SummerSlam start time 2025

SummerSlam starts at 6 p.m. ET. The SummerSlam preshow begins at 3 p.m. ET.

Where is SummerSlam 2025?

The event takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home stadium of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets.

How to watch SummerSlam 2025

SummerSlam will stream on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on Netflix in most markets.

SummerSlam 2025 will also be available to watch at select Regal Cinemas theaters around the country. Tickets to see WWE SummerSlam in theaters are available on Fandango’s website.

SummerSlam 2025 preshow: how to watch

The SummerSlam preshow will be available to watch on Peacock, and on WWE’s social channels, including YouTube.

Stream WWE SummerSlam on Peacock

SummerSlam 2025 match card night two

Matches not in order

Tables, ladders and chairs match for WWE Tag Team Championship: The Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Saban) vs. Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) vs. Andrade and Rey Fenix
Steel cage match for United States Championship: Solo Sikoa (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
No disqualification, no count out match for Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria
Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles
Women’s World Championship match: Naomi (c) vs. Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley
Street fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Cody Rhodes

SummerSlam 2025 night two match order

The matches that will start and end the night are confirmed.

WWE makes SummerSlam two nights

For the first time in its 38-year history, SummerSlam takes place on two nights.

WWE first announced the decision for the 2026 event in Minneapolis, with it joining WrestleMania as the company’s two-day extravaganzas. But in September 2024, WWE said the 2025 edition in New Jersey would be a double-night event, kickstarting the timeline early.

With SummerSlam taking over Saturday and Sunday, it allows WWE to have more matches spread across the event rather than only having less than 10. In 2024, SummerSlam had just seven matches, and in 2025, it will have 12.

SummerSlam returns to New York area

It’s another SummerSlam in the New York area as it will be the fourth time it takes place in East Rutherford. Counting New Jersey and New York, the area has hosted 10 SummerSlam’s already, the most of any city. 

The inaugural one took place in 1988, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and was last in the area in 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The brother of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, Rahaman Ali, has died.

‘You can’t tell Muhammad’s story without mentioning Rahaman,’ President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center DeVone Holt said in a statement.  ‘He was one of the most constant sources of support for Muhammad during this career and their relationship was a true example of what it means to be ‘my brother’s keeper.”

The Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, mentioned that Rahaman Ali, whose birth name is Rudolph Arnett Clay, went into the hospital on July 19 and remained in hospice care at Norton Audubon in Louisville, Kentucky.

‘When you saw people walk through the door and they saw Rahaman you would see their eyes light up almost as if they had already seen Muhammad himself,’ Holt told WDRB, a local Fox affiliate in Louisville, about Rahaman Ali and his presence at the Muhammad Ali Center.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The Minnesota Lynx have acquired Carrington from the Dallas Wings in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick from the Lynx, both teams confirmed Sunday morning on their respective X (formerly Twitter) accounts.

In a corresponding move to process the trade, the Wings have waived seven-year veteran center Teaira McCowan.

It is the second trade in a matter of months for Carrington, who was traded to the Wings from the Connecticut Sun back in February. The former second-round pick out of Baylor is averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists this season.

The Lynx trading for Carrington, who has a WNBA All-Defensive first-team selection on her resume, comes a day after star forward Napheesa Collier left Minnesota’s 111-58 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Aug. 2 with ankle injury.

Carrington was named the Most Improved Player last season in the WNBA with the Sun, as she posted career-high averages of 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.56 steals per game, which was an increase from 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.63 steals in 2023. She joins a Lynx squad that has a six-game lead over the New York Liberty in the WNBA standings.

Miller, a former No. 2 overall pick in 2023, gives the Wings a young forward to pair with Maddy Siegrist, Myisha Hines-Allen and Luisa Geiselsoder. In Samuelson, the Wings get a veteran guard, though she is set to miss the remainder of the season following a season-ending left foot surgery.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The Indiana Fever are riding a four-game win streak into Sunday’s matchup against the Seattle Storm, which will likely mark the Fever’s seventh consecutive game without All-Star guard Caitlin Clark due to a right groin injury.

The Fever improved to 16-12 on the season and 8-7 without Clark in the lineup after an 88-78 win over the Dallas Wings on Friday, which saw four of the Fever’s four starters reach double-digits in scoring. Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 23 points and three assists, in addition to double-doubles from Aliyah Boston (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Natasha Howard (11 points, 16 rebounds).

Meanwhile, the Storm are coming off a 108-106 double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. Nneka Ogwumike recorded a season-high 37 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. She became the sixth player in WNBA history to record 7,000 career points and the first to do so while shooting at least 50% from the field.

The Fever and Storm have faced each other one other time this season, with the Fever coming away with a 94-86 win at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on June 24. Boston scored a career-high 31 points in the win, while Mitchell added 26 points. Clark was held to six points, nine assists and three steals.

Skylar Diggins, who turned 35 on Saturday, had 22 points and six assists in the losing effort.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sunday’s contest between the Storm and Fever:

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm?

The Seattle Storm will host the Indiana Fever at 3 p.m. ET (Noon PT) on Sunday, Aug. 3 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm: TV, stream

Time: 3 p.m. ET (Noon PT)
Location: Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle)
TV channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN+

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

In front of fans during Weber State’s Alumni Classic on Aug. 2, the nine-time NBA All-Star guard announced that he has agreed to return to his alma mater to serve as the general manager for the Wildcats’ men’s basketball program that he once starred in.

‘Success doesn’t come overnight, especially in today’s ever-changing basketball landscape. College athletics is constantly evolving, and building a strong program requires time, trust, and commitment. I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State,’ Lillard said in a statement. ‘The support of our community is vital to the program’s success, and I am committed to playing a greater role in that effort. This opportunity allows me to be even more involved in shaping the future of Weber State basketball.’ 

Noted in Weber State’s news release, Lillard will work with the men’s basketball staff and Weber State’s athletic department in his role. He is also the latest prominent NBA figure to take on a general manager role in college basketball. The two-time Big Sky Player of the Year joins Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young to do so at their alma mater, with Shaquille O’Neal taking on the role at Sacramento State.

‘I feel like I can do a lot to help the program be successful, to help the players even individually continue to grow their careers past college, that’s something that I’m passionate about,’ Lillard told the Standard-Examiner. 

In his four seasons at Weber State from 2009-2012, Lillard averaged 18.8 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting a career 44.6% from the field and 86.7% from beyond the arc. His standout senior season earned him All-America honors, making him the first Big Sky player to achieve that feat. He was drafted No. 6 overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft.

‘This new role allows him to contribute his vision and experience in a more formal way, further elevating our program. His support provides Coach Duft and the program a tremendous advantage as we continue building for the future. Damian’s dedication to Weber State is stronger than ever, further cementing his lasting impact on our community.’

Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on July 18 after the Milwaukee Bucks waived him. He is expected to miss the 2025-26 season with the Trail Blazers as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon injury that he sustained during the first round of the NBA Playoffs with the Bucks.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

USA Hockey didn’t invent the line, but Ken Martel has used it when he talks about succeeding in sports.

“As many as possible for as long as possible with the best environment possible,” the organization’s senior director of player and coach development told USA TODAY Sports in an interview last year.

He was referring to the American Development Model program he helped install more than a decade and a half ago, when the sport was losing young players in our country.

The ADM, which has become the cornerstone of USA Hockey’s message, has helped bring them back to the ice in droves and, in Martel’s thinking, continues to help generate world junior championship titles.

 “When you have more kids playing, certainly a few more of them will turn out to be good and you’ll see ’em on TV, right?” he says.

USA Hockey created the ADM to help keep kids, parents and coaches engaged while, at least in theory, giving everyone a chance to organically develop to his or her full athletic potential.

It starts with getting boys and girls enthused from an early age, infusing a love of competition (without a laser focus on winning) and engaging them into adulthood.

USA Hockey reports 577,864 registered players (kids and adults) for 2024-25, up from 465,975 in 2008-09.

“Geography is no longer a predetermining factor in who can be good in our sport,” Martel says.

USA TODAY reported Aug. 1, however, about how one NHL club has a monopoly over North Texas ice. It effectively controls the pathways by which the region’s young players advance, Kenny Jacoby writes, and has reminded (and even threatened) parents they can block it at any time.

“You get so beaten down, and you see your kid get screwed over for opportunities, and you decide, ‘You know what? Maybe I do have to play by their rules to get where I want to be,’ ” says Kat Pierce, a hockey mom whom a Dallas Stars employee attempted to reprimand when she criticized them in a social media post.

The power to decide to play a sport, and to stick with it, is ultimately the choice of our kids. As parents we have a right to speak up to a coach or organization without fear of them being penalized.

We know from this story and others about the so-called “professionalism of youth sports” that the system isn’t always that simple. Here are eight red flags to watch with youth sports programs:

You don’t feel like you have a say with anything

USA Hockey delegates much of its authority to regional affiliates. The Texas Amateur Hockey Association oversees Texas and Oklahoma.

Member associations’ votes are weighted by the number of players they register and, as USA TODAY reports, tilt heavily in the interests of those in Stars leagues or with teams that rent Stars ice.

It’s an issue with which many of us can relate, at least to some degree. Running a youth team or league is entrusted in the hands of a few – club owners or the board. All too often, it seems, they prioritize their own interests: Making a steep profit or giving their own kids All-Star slots.

You should never feel you don’t have power, though. Volunteer for the board, file a complaint with the league about a nepotistic coach or speak to other parents if something doesn’t feel right. It probably isn’t.

Band together in your opposition. A board or coach can brush aside one complaint but a collective one isn’t as easily ignored, and it isn’t good for business.

Coach Steve: How do I deal with a bad coach? Here are three steps

You fear if you speak up, your kid will be penalized

OK, maybe it’s not that simple. When Jacoby, my USA TODAY colleague, reported about the Stars’ heavy influence in North Texas, he came across a number of parents hesitant to raise concerns out of fear of retaliation against their kids.

One dad who coached at a Stars complex inquired about coaching at a competing rink after he felt the Stars had failed to address a safety concern. The Stars fired him when he did so, according to emails he provided, and allegedly banned his 5- and 7-year-old daughters. (A Stars employee denied banning his daughters.)

No one wants to risk putting their kids’ dreams, or even their playing time, in jeopardy. But think about the concern for a moment. Is being on a team where you’re afraid to rock the boat really a situation you want your child to have to endure?

Before you do anything, talk to your son or daughter about their experience. They might not want to be there anyway. You always have a voice in their sports journey.

You fear if you leave, there will be no ‘better’ options

Think of yourself as an investor in your team or league. Its leaders should be open to your constructive criticism on how to make it better.

Don’t take to social media to complain, where you risk making someone feel public embarrassment. Instead, schedule a private meeting where you can mention your concerns diplomatically. The reaction you get will give you a good indication of where you stand.

If they aren’t willing to consider spreading out rink fees over a larger group of teams, or giving every kid equal playing time when you’re paying for a college showcase experience, for example, this might not be worth your time.

No single team will make or break whether your child reaches an elite level of a sport, but a single experience might determine whether they keep playing at all.

We can help. Submit your feedback here about how the corporatization of youth sports has affected you and your kids. We wrote in a line specifically for those of you who’ve faced retaliation or threats.

You feel pressured (or are outright told) not to play other sports

An internal study the NHL and NHL Players’ Association conducted in 2018 found that out of the 700-plus players on rosters, 98% of them were multisport athletes as kids.

“Get out, play multiple sports,” says USA Hockey’s Martel. “Look, if your passion’s not ice hockey, you’re never gonna really turn out to be a great player if you don’t truly love it. And if you find a passion that happens to be another sport, wonderful.”

The American Development Model recommends multisport play until at least age 12. Arguments can be made to take it longer.

“I am dead set against single-sport athletes (while kids are growing up),” former football coach Urban Meyer has said. “When my son was playing baseball I had many people tell me that he should just stop playing other sports and focus on baseball. I got in big arguments with people, and a lot of those kids that (at) nine, 10 years old were great – they blew out. They burned out, and they’re not playing anymore.”

Meyer said he looked at kids who played football and another sport at a high level. Brenda Frese, another national championship-winning coach, also loves recruiting basketball players who play multiple sports.

“We just see the benefits of it – you know, mentally, physical, socially, you name it,” Frese’s husband, Mark Thomas, told me in an interview for a 2023 profile of the Maryland women’s coach and her family.

“At an early age, teams try to take over your calendar. A key little tool I learned is that as long as you’re playing multiple sports, you give yourself some leverage that they can’t take over your schedule completely because you have commitments to multiple teams. Eventually, you may have some hard-line coaches.’

When one of the couple’s twin sons played club soccer in seventh grade, Thomas recalled the coach telling parents and players: We expect you to only play soccer now and if you’re not just playing soccer, then we don’t want you.

“From the soccer club’s end, why wouldn’t you keep more kids involved?” Thomas said. “I mean, he was never a kid who was gonna be a professional or anything like that. I didn’t understand the point.”

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association recommends playing for one team at a time, playing a sport for less than eight months per year and at no more hours per week than your age.

You’re on a team with a primary focus of winning titles

As Martel looked to reinvent American hockey, he discontinued a 12-and-under national championship.

“The only pushback we got was from a few adults that run programs; it was more about them than it was about the kids,” he says. “Why do we need to run across the country at 12 for a championship? If you’re gonna run a 12U national championship, the 10U coach starts aggregating players because we need to get them all together so that they’re ready by the time they’re 12. And it just starts the race to the bottom sooner.”

Project Play, a national initiative of the Aspen Institute to build healthy communities through sports, surveys children. When it asks them what they like most about playing sports, having fun and playing with friends always ranks at the top and by a lot, according to Aspen Sports & Society community impact director Jon Solomon.

Solomon says winning games and chasing scholarships rank lower, such as in the Washington, D.C. State of Play report.

Yes, kids thrive off game situations. But instead of loading up on age-specific travel tournaments, play the 8- through 12-year-olds together, as USA Hockey suggests. Prioritize small-sided games in practice over “boring” drills, as Martel calls them.

‘We do different things in that to get them to work on different technical abilities and different tactical situations,’ Martel says. ‘But kids have fun. They get to problem solve. There’s autonomy to that. And you see that in our play.’

It costs a lot less, too.

A team – or a tournament – requires you to stay at specific hotels with no flexibility

We love the adventure of traveling with our kids through their sports. Hitting the road can give them exposure to top competition. It’s also a prime intersection for collusion.

For years, according to USA TODAY reporting, three Stars executives organized tournaments that required out-of-town participants to book minimum three-night stays at select hotels. At the same time, they ran their own for-profit company that took a cut of the revenue.

After our investigation, the Stars say they will be “loosening” the policies.

Although stay-to-play arrangements remain common across youth sports, I have never encountered one over about eight years of traveling with my sons for their baseball teams.

The hotels our team or a tournament recommends are always suggestions. I book at a better rate through my rewards program if I find one.

We sometimes run into tournaments that are a couple of hours from home. Once the game times are announced, we might choose to return for one of the nights.

Having that choice improves our quality of life, and our satisfaction with the team.

The coach has a chummy relationship with a few of the other players’ parents

The most effective coaches maintain a cordial yet arm’s length rapport with parents.

They lay out the ground rules in a meeting before the season – no parent coaching from the bleachers, perhaps? – and say something to parents who violate them.

Playing for close friends is inevitable when kids are younger. When they are preparing to play high school ball or competing in front of college coaches, though, there are enough distractions without having to worry about your coach favoring someone over you.

You can’t answer affirmatively: ‘Is it worth it?’

Brent Tully was a former defenseman who helped Team Canada win two world junior championships in the 1990s. He later became general manager for an elite junior hockey team in Ontario and has coached younger players. He’s also a father of two athletes.

He has seen first hand the long hours and travel, the tens of thousands of dollars spent, the living “hand-to-mouth,” as Pierce, the Texas hockey mom, described in my colleague’s story.

All for what?

“I can’t imagine parents at the end of that last year (when) their child isn’t drafted,” Tully said in 2024. “And that’s the end. The disappointment of the ending, it’s all too frequent.

“My oldest son, back when he was playing, they were an average to below average team. And they stayed that way, even beyond the years he had stopped playing. I knew some of the fathers pretty well. And one father, at the end of nine years of minor hockey – and he complained all the time, complained about his son’s ice time, about the coaching –  I remember saying to him, ‘So was that all worth it?’ Was that fun? All the money you spent. Your son’s now gone to college, and he’s working a job and you could have had him play house league, probably left with a lot less frustration. And he can still play the game his whole life at the level he’s playing. …

“Regardless of where a boy or girl plays, that should be a great experience.”

Coach Steve: 10 questions athletes should consider if they play on a travel team

With the right experience, his sport can be ingrained in someone from “cradle to grave,” as USA Hockey’s Martel describes.

“Hockey is played with no contact in a lot of places,” he says. “We have 70-and-over national championships. It’s really low impact and it’s a lot of fun. There’s people that play when they’re 100. So hopefully you come back to the sport and you’re involved over a life.

“You don’t see that in American football. No one wants to go out and get tackled and have to go to work the next day.”

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.