Sports

From Bench Player to Superstar: The Rise of Jalen Brunson

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 14

Jalen Brunson is one of the most influential young players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started off as a rookie on the bench and became one of the greatest players in our generation.

Jalen Brunson was born to Rick Brunson and Sandra Brunson. Rick Brunson was an NBA player for the Trail Blazers, Knicks, Celtics, Bulls, Raptors, Clippers, Supersonics, and Rockets. After his career, he became an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets, Hartford College, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats, Minnesota Timberwolves, and, currently, the New York Knicks. His mother, Sandra, is a former college volleyball player, playing for Temple University. Jalen grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with his brother. Growing up, like most dads, Rick trained his son early and mentored him. His dad taught him a saying: “The magic is in the work.”

Brunson attended Adlai E. Stevenson High School and made an impact on the court. In his senior year, he scored 30 points to help Adlai Stevenson High School win its first Illinois High School Association Class 4A state championship. During that year, he was named “Illinois’s Mr. Basketball,” which is given to the best player in every state. Brunson also played on the U.S national team for the 2014 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship and the 2015 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. Brunson was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the latter tournament, averaging 14 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. [Read More]

Before the NBA, Black Athletes Shined in the Black Fives Era

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

In the era of segregation, before Black and white athletes played on the same basketball teams, Black athletes took the spot and made it into a cultural sensation. Although the invention of basketball evolved, teams were initially called “fives” to reference the starting five players on the court and were racially segregated.

From 1904, when basketball caught the eye of African American players, Black teams were often called “colored quints,” “Negro cagers,” or “black fives.” The game of basketball remained segregated until the 1950s. The period between 1904 and the racial integration of the National Basketball League and the National Basketball Association, was known as the Black Fives Era. During this time, dozens of all-African-American teams were able to flourish and blossom into dynamic franchises.

Teams sponsored by churches, “Colored” YMCA businesses, athletic and social clubs, and newspapers had very few places to play. Due to segregation, athletic clubs and gymnasiums were whites-only. When the phonograph, an instrument for reproducing sounds, arose in the 1900s, Black music like jazz, blues, and ragtime became outrageously popular. This paved the way for more dance halls and ballrooms, which were welcoming to Black people. This gave the Black Fives a place to play and belong. It also fused music and basketball. The music would feature the top Black musicians, and after games, dancing took place. These venues were organized by African American sports promoters. [Read More]

The Science Behind the Spin: How Aerodynamics Control Baseball

by Max Moreno, age 13

As a baseball flies through the air, it is governed by Newton's laws of motion. Newton's first law tells us that a moving object, such as a baseball, will continue moving in a straight line unless another force acts upon it.

A force can be thought of as a push or pull in a certain direction. Three main forces affect a baseball: weight, drag, and lift. Weight is the pull of gravity that makes the ball fall toward the Earth. Drag is the air pushing against the ball, slowing it down. Lift is a force caused by differences in air pressure above and below the ball, which can make it move in different directions.

Most baseballs weigh about five ounces and are made of a solid cork-and-rubber center wrapped in yarn. A white leather cover is stitched on the outside. Because of how the ball is built, the weight is spread evenly. The way the ball spins affects its movement, as spin alters the air pressure on each side of the ball. This effect is called the Magnus effect. For example, if you give a baseball a side-spin, it will curve to the side. This doesn’t just happen with baseballs; it can also occur with soccer balls, tennis balls, and golf balls, which also curve and affect how they spin. [Read More]

Madison’s Pro Volleyball Team Completes its First Season

by Allison Torres, age 16

There is a new pro women’s volleyball team in Madison called LOVB Madison. They recently completed their inaugural season with a roster of star players from across the world.

The LOVB team stands for “League One Volleyball” and is pronounced “Love.” According to the team's website, LOVB is a nationwide volleyball program with several skill levels, starting from a club team and going all the way up to the professional level. Their goal is to champion the sport of volleyball.

Led by head coach Matt Fuerbringer, LOVB Madison is one of six professional level teams, which also include LOVB Atlanta, LOVB Austin, LOVB Houston, LOVB Salt Lake, and LOVB Omaha. The LOVB Madison team roster was assembled with players from around the world for its first season. [Read More]

Wisconsin Para Dancers Make History at World Competition

By Camila Cruz, age 17

Four talented dancers from Wisconsin made history in early 2024 by competing at the World Para Dance Sport competition in Detroit, marking the first time the event has been held in the United States.

Para dancing, also referred to as wheelchair dancing, allows athletes with disabilities in their lower limbs to participate in competitive dance. The sport started in Sweden in the 1960s and has since grown into an international sport with competitions normally held in Europe. The 2024 World Para Dance Sport championship was a significant milestone for the sport in North America.

One notable Wisconsin representative was Martha Siravo, the founder of Madison-based Wheels & Heels, Inc. This organization is dedicated to supporting para dancers in the Badger state. Siravo was introduced to para dancing after being crowned Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin in 2020. She founded Wheels & Heels, Inc. in 2022 to provide resources and training for para dancers of all ages and abilities. [Read More]

The Life and Legacy of Diego Maradona

by Shalom Harimana, age 15

Within the debate regarding the greatest soccer player of all time, it is guaranteed that Diego Maradona will be brought into the conversation.

Maradona was born on October 30, 1960. He grew up in Villa Fiorito, Argentina, in poverty. However, that did not stop him from achieving his dreams. To name a few of his accomplishments, he played for the Argentina National Team, competed in four World Cups, played for eight clubs, and was named FIFA Player of the Century, a title he shared with Pelé in 2000.

At the age of three, his love for soccer began when he received a ball from his cousin as a birthday present. From then on, it became his constant companion. At eight years old, he tried out for Argentinos Juniors. The coaches were amazed by his talent and initially couldn’t believe his age. After checking his ID, they welcomed him and helped him develop his skills. Although too young to join the senior team, Maradona became a halftime entertainer, performing tricks with a ball and even an orange. He soon gained national attention and appeared on television. [Read More]

The AAGPBL Changed the Game for Women in Baseball

by Max Moreno, age 12

In 1943, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) began in Wisconsin, with over 500 women participating. World War II influenced the AAGPBL. At the time, baseball was America's pastime and people were worried that the sport would come to a halt due to men being drafted to fight in the war.

Women were already playing a similar sport: softball. This sport was created in 1887 for indoor play and had the same rules as baseball, just with a smaller field, a bigger ball, and an underhand pitch. During the war, many people turned to softball as their main form of entertainment. Many thought of softball as a “women's sport” and baseball as a “men’s sport” but the AAGPBL proved otherwise.

The AAGPBL consisted of six teams, with three of them being established in Wisconsin: the Milwaukee Chicks, the Kenosha Comets, and the Racine Belles. The AAGPBL Chicks played for Milwaukee, but fans referred to the team as the “Brewerettes” after the city’s Minor League Baseball team, the Brewers. Player salaries were $40 to $80 per week compared to the average salary of $45 per week. Players were also required to wear skirts with shorts underneath in an attempt to portray a feminine image. Skirts didn't prevent players from sliding into bases, and many players would get badly scraped knees, or “strawberries” as these injuries were commonly known. [Read More]

Dragon Boat Racing Has Become a Wisconsin Tradition

by Chelsea Zheng, age 12

Dragon Boat festivals are held all over the world. Teams that participate can be medical organizations, pan-Asian groups, or just ordinary people who want to try the sport. These races are held because they bring communities together and keep long-held traditions alive. It’s also fun and accessible for all!

The dragon boat festival honors a respected figure named Qu Yuan. Due to the corrupt government in the kingdom of Chu, Qu Yuan was falsely accused of disloyalty by his political rivals, leading to his exile from the kingdom. As a final act of declaration against the government, he drowned himself in the Mi Lo River. The Chinese people deemed this as an honorary act, prompting fishermen to row swiftly in an attempt to retrieve the body. To ensure that the fish did not consume the body, they beat drums and threw rice dumplings to divert their attention. This practice became a long-standing tradition that persists to this day.

The dragon boat is a very technical design, specifically built to continue the tradition while maintaining speed during a race. This tradition was founded in Southern China. A dragon boat is typically eight to 18 meters long and can hold between ten to 20 people. It is made of teak wood and is embellished with painted dragon scales and a gong in the middle of the boat. Besides the rowers, there is also a steersperson and drummer. The steersperson uses the long steering oar to guide the boat while the drummer hits the drum to keep everyone in rhythm. [Read More]

Shohei Ohtani Shatters MLB Records as Dodgers Push to the World Series

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

Shohei Ohtani is one of, if not the best, Major League Baseball player. Now he’s put another record in the history books.

This is not your average record. Ohtani is the first-ever player in Major League Baseball history to reach the 50/50 club, which means 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The accomplishment is legendary and might not ever be matched.

Before Ohtani created the new 50/50 club, he joined the 40/40 club during the 2023 season. Ohtani continues to show fans why he might be the greatest baseball player of all time. He holds multiple records. And of course, part of what makes him unique is that he’s both a feared hitter and an effective pitcher – almost unheard of in MLB since the days of Babe Ruth. Ohtani's performances throughout his career have been amazing. [Read More]

Willie Davis: Hall of Famer and Captain of the Lombardi Packers

by Owen Ayite Atayi, age 16

Willie Davis was a five-time NFL champion for the Green Bay Packers. He won three straight NFL championships with the Packers and also won the first two Super Bowls.

Willie Davis was born July 24, 1934 in Lisbon, Louisiana to Nadie Bell and David Davis. He attended the University of Grambling, located in Louisiana, and one of the top historical Black universities.

Coming out of college, Davis played two positions, guard on defense and linebacker on offense. In 1956, he was selected as the 181st pick in the NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. But he didn’t start his career right away due to military service. He officially began his career in 1958. [Read More]

The Milwaukee Bucks' Historic Victory Over the U.S.S.R

by Zayn Khalid, age 13

The United States and the Soviet National team (U.S.S.R.) had one of the biggest basketball rivalries of the '70s and '80s, especially when the U.S. lost to the U.S.S.R. in the 1972 Olympic finals. Then 15 years later, the Milwaukee Bucks played the U.S.S.R., and the game was not even close.

In 1987, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the U.S.S.R. at the McDonald’s Basketball Open. The final score of the game was 127-100 with the Bucks leading by 50 points at some parts of the game. The win was the second of a three-day tournament.

The Bucks still dominated with three of their better players out, including Sydney Moncrief, who had just received knee surgery, John Lucas, and Rickey Pierce. The U.S.S.R. was also missing players like their dominant 7 '2 center Arvidas Sabonis, due to an Achilles injury, and his backup, Aleksandr Belosteni, who suffered a sprained left ankle. [Read More]

The History Football: A Rough and Thrilling U.S. Tradition

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 8

Football is a very interesting sport and fun to play! Lots of people like football and you might like playing football too. However, let me warn you, it is a very rough game. Football's first-ever game was in 1865. Rules for college football were made two years later and the very first NFL game was played in 1895.

When a match is played, it starts with a kickoff. The kickoff team kicks the football to the receiving team. One player from the receiving team catches the ball and must run it to the other side of the field – but here is where the game can get physical. The kickoff team can do anything they want. They can tackle, throw down, or push the ball carrier out of the sidelines. When the football goes out of the sidelines, it is called out of bounds.

The grassy football field is in the shape of a rectangle and is 120 yards long. For a team to score a touchdown, they must bring the football to their opponent’s endzone on the other side of the field, where they score six points. But while going down the field they have four tries, known as “downs”, to move the ball at least ten yards. Both offense and defense teams have 11 players on the field. [Read More]

The Journey of Pelé, Brazil's Soccer Maestro

by Edwin Torres, age 12

Pelé has been considered one of the best soccer players in the world by many. He has been the only player to win three World Cups. How did he get the title “Best Soccer Player”? Well, we are going to have to go all the way back to his early life in Brazil.

Pelé, whose actual name was Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, was born in Três Corações, Brazil, on October 23, 1940. Pelé grew up in poverty, and was really passionate about soccer. Since he could not afford a good ball to practice with, he kicked a rolled-up sock stuffed with rags around his neighborhood. The kids in his neighborhood called him “Pele” for no specific reason. He did not like it, but the name stuck to him.

When he was a young teenager, he joined a youth team managed by a former player from Brazil’s soccer team. At age 15, Pelé left his home to join the Santos professional club, which was five hours away. A few months after he joined the club, he scored the first goal of his professional soccer career. The Brazilian national team spotted his spectacular skills on the field, and recruited him to play for the team at the early age of 16. [Read More]

Remembering Jim Brown: NFL Legend's Impact Beyond Sports, from Athletics to Activism

by Katina Maclin, age 17

Jim Brown, two-time NFL champion and four-time league MVP, recently passed away. Although he was well-known for his achievements in the NFL, his impact reached far beyond the world of sports.

Jim Brown was born in 1936 in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Growing up, he was an athletic and versatile young man. He attended the University of Syracuse in New York, where he was a star football and lacrosse athlete. He shined both on the field and in the classroom, as he was deemed an excellent student.

Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round, Brown prospered in the NFL, quickly becoming a Star. He gained many awards and was named All-Pro eight times. He made himself a well-known name in pro football. [Read More]

Packers Legend LeRoy Butler Inducted in Hall of Fame

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

The Green Bay Packers are a National Football League (NFL) team in the National Football Conference (NFC). Wisconsin, home of the Packers, has had a great amount of talent come through the state throughout the years, with athletic players like LeRoy Butler.

In 1990, the Packers drafted a safety named LeRoy Butler who was born in Jacksonville, Florida on July 19, 1968. Butler would continue his football journey and attend Florida State University in 1986. In 1990, he went second overall in the NFL Draft, being drafted by the Packers.

Butler played 12 healthy seasons in the NFL, being selected by fans and coaches to play in the Pro Bowl four times. The Pro Bowl is an annual NFL All-Star game with the best players in the league competing against each other. Butler was voted All-Pro four times by sportswriters and analytics. With the help of Butler, the Green Bay Packers would win their third Super Bowl championship in 1997 against the New England Patriots by a final score of 35-21 in a thrilling game. [Read More]

Olympic Speedskater Returns to Milwaukee for Training Camp

by Jules Da Costa, age 14

Erin Jackson is a skater for the U.S. national team. Her feats are incredible and she continues to impress many more with her skills on the ice.

Jackson, a 30-year-old speedskater from Ocala, Florida, returns to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the U.S. Championships. The U.S. team had previously gone to Milwaukee for a training camp in September 2022. Jackson has represented the U.S. on their national team in Olympic inline speedskating, roller derby, and long-track speedskating. Upon returning to Milwaukee, Jackson said she enjoyed being back, this time with a very different experience from the last due to the lack of COVID-19 restrictions.

During the Olympic trials, Jackson made a mistake that cost her a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Thankfully, her friend Brittany Bowe gave up her spot so that Jackson could compete in the Olympics. This gave Jackson the opportunity to make Bowe proud by winning gold in the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. However, this was not Jackson’s first time participating in the Olympic games. Two years after her graduation from the University of Florida Honors Program in 2015, she switched from inline speedskating to speedskating on ice. Shortly after this switch, she qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics. [Read More]

The End of Brazil's Soccer "Golden Age"

by Moore Vang, age 14

Brazil’s national team has had many achievements, beginning with winning their first-ever World Cup in 1958. Illustrator John Mulliken from Sports Illustrated wrote about their win saying, “Brazil itself went wild.” Brazil may have looked impressive, but in some people's eyes that was not the case. The French leader by the name of Charles de Gaulle in 1963 stated, “Brazil, that is not a serious country.” During this time many people doubted Brazil, but Brazil was very ambitious about soccer.

The sport first came to Brazil in 1894. The game originally came from Britain but spread to people of the lower class. A breakthrough came in 1923, when a club founded by Portuguese bankers in 1898 allowed poor black players to join their club. They went on to win a city championship that same year.

From 1938 to the 1990’s, Brazil experienced a golden era of soccer. In that time, it strengthened Brazil’s national identity. It even hosted the 1950 World Cup at the Rio Stadium, which was the world’s largest at the time. Even with the team’s great soccer skills, the country was still criticized as an underdeveloped nation. The sport of soccer elevated Brazil to a high level in the second half of the 20th century. [Read More]

More than Just a Basketball Star, Bill Russell Helped Change America

by Makya Rodriguez, age 17

Bill Russell was a huge representation of the Black community, a good friend of Martin Luther King Jr., and a great leader in basketball. Russell was able to show respect for the sport in and out of the court. At a young age, he was able to outshine others in basketball.

Bill Russell was tall, fast, and smart. He played basketball in high school, and college and even led his team in the Olympics of 1956, right before he joined the NBA to play with the Boston Celtics. Bill Russell attended and played at the University of San Francisco during his time there. He didn't stand out at first until his senior year when scouts were looking to draft him. Before that, Bill Russell had one initial goal in mind: to play for the U.S. Olympics in basketball. Russell played in the summer of 1956 in Australia for the U.S team, going 8-0 winning the Gold Medal.

To many, Russel stood out mostly due to his unique playing style. Russell played a central position in the sport. He was not as big and strong as other centers, but his success came from his teamwork, rebounding, and other skills. He also learned to have a different defensive play style than other centers. Instead of focusing on defending the other team's centers, he would utilize his speed advantage and height to defend the other team's forwards and block their shots. [Read More]

WNBA Basketball Might be Coming to Milwaukee

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

LeRoy Butler is a former Green Bay Packers player and is very well known in Wisconsin. Butler played for the Packers for 12 years and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a phenomenal player and helped the Packers win the Super Bowl in 1996.

After Butler finished his football career, he wanted to make a leading effort to try to establish a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team in Wisconsin. The WNBA currently has 12 teams and is looking to add on more as seasons continue. The league was established on April 14, 1996, by David Stern, the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). According to The Athletic, Milwaukee is one of many cities that is in consideration to add to the WNBA.

A group that is controlled by Butler is trying to raise 100 million to prove to the WNBA that Milwaukee is dedicated to starting a new and healthy WNBA franchise. [Read More]

Star-Studded U.S. Basketball Teams Set to Shine in Paris 2024 Olympics

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

The 2024 U.S. men's Olympic basketball teams have made their way to Paris, France. The U.S.A. is ready to dominate, creating one of the best basketball rosters in a long time. The five-on-five men's Olympic basketball team has superstars such as four-time NBA champion Lebron James, recent champion Jayson Tatum, and many more NBA stars.

The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris, France, and the basketball section will have a newer three-on-three tournament. This section was first introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. will participate for the first time in this tournament. The three-on-three tournament will be held from July 30 to August 5, and the five-on-five tournament will occur from July 28 to August 11.

The rules for the three-on-three style tournament are a lot different than the five-on-five rules. Three-on-three will be played on half a court, unlike fullcourt five-on-five. The three-on-three tournament has teams competing multiple times against each other, with each team playing seven games. Then, when all games end, the teams will be ranked based on the records of their games. After the teams have been ranked, the top two teams will play for gold. The bottom-ranked teams compete against each other for silver and bronze. These games will all be played to 21 points; at the end of 10 minutes, the team with the most points wins. [Read More]

HBCU Makes History With New Ice Hockey Program

by Moore Vang, age 15

Tennessee State University (TSU) is one of the largest HBCU colleges in the U.S. and is widely known for its athletics. This includes sports such as basketball, football, tennis, and more. It has established the careers of many athletes such as Wilma Rudolph and Tiger Belle who both made track history. The university has also produced Super Bowl champion Ed Jones. TSU has established many sports for its athletes, however, they’re looking to make a huge change by becoming the first-ever historically black college to introduce ice hockey.

Earlier this year, Tennessee State collaborated with the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Hockey League Player’s Association, and one of the most well-known hockey teams in the United States: the Nashville Predators. Before this partnership occurred, the NHL, along with the players’ union, sponsored feasibility studies for U.S. colleges and universities interested in the addition of Division Ⅰ men’s and women’s programs since 2017. This idea for ice hockey came to fruition when Sean Henry, the president of the Nashville Predators, said there were discussions of helping raise $1 million in scholarship funds in a month. This turned into the idea of bringing up the subject of ice hockey in January 2020.

“The announcement gives him goosebumps thinking of how this could change hockey,” Henry states. Not only will this change the landscape of ice hockey, but also of HBCUs all around the U.S. For decades, HBCUs have mainly been recognized by their popular sports such as basketball and football. However, with the addition of ice hockey, it adds to the preexisting sports. The athletic director of TSU, Mikki Allen, expressed that the program will help diversify hockey and embrace inclusivity. [Read More]

Jordan Love: Green Bay Packers' Rising Star and First African-American Starting Quarterback

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

Jordan Love is currently the starting NFL quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, stepping in for Aaron Rodgers. He holds the distinction of being the first African-American quarterback to start for the Packers.

Born on November 2, 1998, in Bakersfield, California, Love faced a significant loss at the age of 14 when his father, Orbin Love, passed away. He attended Liberty High School in Bakersfield, where he made a mark in high school football. Love led the Liberty Lions to their first-ever Central Section Division I title, showcasing his skills by completing 114 of 224 passes, accumulating 2,148 passing yards, and scoring 24 touchdowns. He also demonstrated his versatility by rushing for 806 yards.

During his high school career, Jordan Love received multiple college offers from institutions such as Eastern Michigan, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, and Utah State. He ultimately committed to the Utah State Aggies, signing with them on December 16, 2015. Love completed four years of college and earned a degree in human movement science. In 2017, he took a redshirt year after his freshman season to focus on improving his physical condition and overall performance. Love graduated from college with the distinction of ranking second in Aggies history in passing yards, having thrown an impressive total of 8,600 yards during his college football career. [Read More]

The Last Championship of the Homestead Grays

by Jules Da Costa, age 14

The Homestead Grays were one of the most popular and triumphant teams in the Negro League Baseball. It cultivated the best and most well-known Black baseball players, such as Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard.

The Homestead Grays formed in 1912 in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with many steel manufacturers. They started as a little-known team and lasted less than 50 years but left a huge legacy on the history of Negro League Baseball. They went into business after Major League Baseball (MLB) quit signing Black players. The Homestead Grays played in the Negro Leagues for 38 seasons until 1948. Homestead Grays players Buck Leonard and Josh Gibson were both inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame even though neither had played in the MLB.

Many people were drawn in to see this team play. In 1948, which was their final season under a league, they defeated the Baltimore Elite Giant in the Championship Series to win their ninth league pennant. In the 1948 Negro League World Series they beat the Birmingham Black Barons to win their third World Series title. [Read More]

The Greatness of Hank Aaron

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 14

Hank Louis Aaron was one of the greatest African-American Major League Baseball (MLB) players. Hank was known for breaking Babe Ruth’s Hall Of Fame and Most Valuable Player (MVP) home run record. He hit 755 career home runs, to Ruth who racked up 714 hits for the Boston Red Sox.

Hank Aaron was a phenomenal MLB player, who went on with his MLB career to have 2,297 runs batted and 3,000 hits. In the 1970 season, Hank became the first player to hit 500 home runs and top it off with 3,000 hits in a single career. He won 3 Golden Glove awards for his outstanding out-fielding. In Hank’s 1957 season, he led the Milwaukee Braves to a World Series and took the victory in a thrilling game against the New York Yankees. Hank won the MLB’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1957 and was an outstanding player for the following seasons.

After Hank’s Milwaukee Braves' 1965 MLB season, he switched teams to play for the Atlanta Braves located in Atlanta, Georgia. Hank was having an outstanding season as usual, but once he relocated, many people began to hate Hank because he broke so many all-time records in the MLB. Racist people began to threaten Hank with harmful letters. Hank overcame all the hate and pressure and broke a record to end off his season by hitting 755 home runs. [Read More]

Learn About Real Madrid's Century Long Soccer Success

by Juanes Palma, age 11

Real Madrid is a professional soccer team that has dominated European soccer at a level that exceeds many other teams. The complete name is Real Madrid Club de Futbol. They are also called Los Blancos, meaning “the whites” in English.

Real Madrid branched off from another team founded in 1897 in Madrid, Spain. It wasn't until 1902 that Real Madrid was officially founded. The team has had countless achievements since then. When the European Cup was first held in 1955-56, Real Madrid was the tournament’s first winner and continued to dominate the scene yearly.

On their team, they have had superstar players like Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo di Estefano, Paco Gento, Hector Rial, Miguel Muñoz, David Beckham, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Zidane, Kaka’, and Cristiano Ronaldo, to name a few. They won five European Cups in a row. One of the teams they played against was Germany, winning 7-3 in 1960. [Read More]

Former Badger Troy Vincent Selected to College Football Hall of Fame

by Zayn Khalid, age 13

Former defensive back Troy Vincent was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He is the 12th Wisconsin Badger to win this award.

Vincent was a former defensive back for the Wisconsin Badgers. He had 192 tackles, four interceptions, and 31 defended passes. Additionally, he was a punt returner, with 66 punt returns for 773 yards. He holds the record for the longest punt return in Badger history.

Once his college career ended, Vincent was selected as the seventh pick in the 1992 draft by the Miami Dolphins. He played 207 games in 15 seasons for four different teams: the Miami Dolphins, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills, and the Washington Redskins. After retiring, he became president of the NFL Player Association from 2004 to 2008. Now, he is serving as the executive vice president of football operations for the NFL. [Read More]

Innovative Coach “Air Coryell” Changed the Way Football Is Played in the Modern NFL

by Giovanni Tecuatl Lopez, age 17

When you think of the greatest football coaches of all time, Donald David Coryell might not make your list. However, as former coach of the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers, his legendary “Air Coryell” offense has made its way into every team's playbook. Donald David Coryell’s wide range of offensive plays greatly influenced the sport and changed how the modern NFL stands today.

Coryell first started gaining recognition during his time at San Diego State University (SDSU) from 1961-72. Here, he led the Aztecs to a 104-12-2 record using a then-rare pass-heavy offense. The Aztecs had three undefeated seasons, making them well-known and placing them into Division I. Working alongside Coryell were famous individuals like John Madden and Joe Gibbs, who served as assistants at SDSU.

Coryell developed his unique style while studying the philosophies of head football coach Dutch Meyer who developed Spread Formation Football, a technique where the defenders are spread horizontally. In addition, Coryell analyzed Sid Gillman, head coach of the Rams and Chargers, who innovated the downfield vertical attack. With this information, Coryell was bold enough to transition his efficient I-formation, a formation that leaves a balance between passing and running plays, into a new playing style, changing the way of the game for his future career. [Read More]

Olympic Medalist, Ralph Metcalfe, Left his Mark on Wisconsin and the World

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

The Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the Olympiad, are a series of multi-sport events that are usually held every four years. The Olympics include track and field, archery, gymnastics, and swimming , among other events.

The late Olympic African-American athlete Ralph Metcalfe left his mark on Wisconsin, nearly winning a gold medal in the 1932 Olympics. Metcalfe was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 29, 1910, and moved to Chicago, Illinois, with his family at a young age. He attended Tilden High School in Chicago, where his interest in track and field erupted. He later pursued a collegiate track and field career at Marquette University as a sprinter.

During Metcalfe’s career at Marquette University, he was America’s leading sprinter from 1932 to 1934. In his sophomore year, he ran a 10.3 in the 100-meter dash and a 20.6 in the 200-meter dash, tying world-record times in both events. In 1932, Metcalfe won three of the first National College Athletic Association (NCAA) championships. [Read More]

Brewers Rising Star Jacob Misiorowski Takes the League by Storm

by Max Moreno, age 14

Jacob Misiorowski is a young, right-handed starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. On May 8, 2026, pitching against the New York Yankees, Misiorowski threw the seven fastest pitches by a starting pitcher since 2008, and it looks like he is not slowing down.

Misiorowski was born on April 3, 2002, in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he attended Grain Valley High School. Afterward, he attended Crowder College, a junior college in Neosho, Missouri. In 2014, Misiorowski’s father, Tom, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease. Jacob Misiorowski often wears special cleats featuring illustrations to honor his father. In 2022, Misiorowski got drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and quickly became one of their top pitching prospects.

During the 2025 season, Misiorowski posted a 4.36 ERA with 116 strikeouts; however, it looks like it will be even better for him this year. Misiorowski's average fastball is around 99.9 miles per hour, which is 5.7 miles per hour faster than the MLB average. In an interview, Misiorowski was asked how fast he could really throw, and he responded, “I think 104, 105. I think I could touch 105.” Although his fastball is mostly talked about, he frequently throws a slider at about 94 to 97 miles per hour, which is what a hitter rarely expects. He also throws a changeup, curveball, and a cutter. In the 2026 season, Misiorowski leads the league with strikeouts and continues to push the team forward. [Read More]

Rally Madison FC: Madison's Newest Soccer Team

by Brooklynn Miller, age 12

“Rally Madison FC.” is the name of Madison’s very own women’s pre-professional soccer team. The team was started just a few months ago and recently played their first game. Both the team name and logo are inspired by the Woman’s Suffrage Movement throughout Wisconsin and the United States in the 1900s.

Rally Madison FC director of retail, Alyssa Bruce, described the name as a pledge to inspire and enliven women's soccer in Madison. She also stated that she strongly believed in creating an uplifting, inclusive, and passionate fanbase that shows up for every match to support the team.

A fun fact about Wisconsin, is that along with heavy support of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, it was also the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment on June 10, 1919. Rally Madison FC acts as a pioneer for women in the state, both in name and in the capital city’s first USL W League team. [Read More]

Will the Detroit Lions Reach the Super Bowl this Season?

by Andrea T, grade 6

The Detroit Lions have turned into a winning franchise under their head coach, Dan Campbell. However, they were not always a successful team.

The Lions have had some tough seasons where they lost many games. At one point, they went 31 years in a row without making the playoffs. They have also never won a Super Bowl, let alone played in one. Hopefully, with the new players they’ve drafted, the Lions will make the Super Bowl this year.

In the past, the Lions have had players who have made history, which includes Bobby Layne, Earl “Dutch” Clark, Doak Walker, Calvin Johnson, and the all-time rushing record holder, Barry Sanders. All of these players have set records and are all-stars. [Read More]

Milos Kerkez: A Rising Star in the Soccer World

by Oliver Zink, age 15

Milos Kerkez made headlines when he signed for Liverpool F.C. this past June. He has been called one of the brightest young prospects in world soccer, and his career up to now shows a lot of promise.

At the young age of 15, he had a hard-core work ethic. He was constantly in the gym and spent as much time as he could practicing on the field. He had some shortcomings, like criticizing his teammates when it was not his place, but when the issue was brought up by coaches, he fixed his attitude.

Milos Kerkez started his career at FC Gyor in Hungary. What stood out was his personality. Trainers and coaches said he was energetic, would play aggressively, and worked towards getting better. He was eventually paired with a mentor, and he refined his technique. He had and has a lot of potential: his courage, his explosiveness and agility, and most importantly, his strong will to win made him a game changer on the field. He loved to win and selfishly wanted the game to be about him. He eventually grew out of that mindset, so it would not hold him back. [Read More]

Baseball’s Great Hank Aaron and His Ties to Wisconsin

by Max Moreno, age 13

When most people think of Hank Aaron, they think of a legendary baseball player for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers who broke Babe Ruth's home run record. However, his journey to success started in a small town in Wisconsin.

At just 18 years old, Aaron played 87 games for the Braves Minor League team in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was in this small Midwest city, far from his Alabama home, that Aaron started to feel accepted. By age 20, he was playing for the Milwaukee Braves and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1954. Over his career, Aaron made the All-Star team 25 times. He eventually broke Babe Ruth's home run record on April 8, 1974, and his 755 home runs stood unbroken for 43 years.

Wisconsin was where he spent some of his most important seasons. He helped lead the Milwaukee Braves to a World Series title in 1957. Aaron followed the Braves as they moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966. Nine seasons later, he returned to Milwaukee playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. Hank Aaron retired in 1976 after 23 seasons in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. [Read More]

Tricks and Freedom Shape the World of Freestyle Skiing

by Niko Sayu, age 11

When you think of skiing, you probably picture gliding smoothly down an icy slope, not words and phrases like “dub cork 10” or “switch blunt 9.” As made-up and crazy as these phrases might sound, they are very real and belong to a sport beloved by many: freestyle skiing.

Freestyle skiing, or freeskiing, is a relatively young sport with roots in the 1960s, a time of social change that created a demand for freedom, even in sports. Freestyle skiing was first known as “hot-dogging,” and consisted of combinations of aerial and acrobatic movements to form tricks.

Flash forward to the 1980s: Fédération Internationale de Ski, or the International Ski Federation (FIS), recognized freestyle skiing as a sport. They hosted multiple events, such as aerials and moguls, which were distinct from the prior versions. In aerials, skiers are launched into the air by tall, steep ramps shaped at tight angles to launch the athlete into a flip and/or spin. In moguls, skiers must quickly navigate sharp and frequent bumps, as well as an additional two smaller mandatory aerial jumps in between sections. [Read More]

Yogi Berra’s Story, From D Day to the Yankees

by Oliver Zink, age 14

Yogi Berra was one of the most talented and most influential baseball players and an American icon. He was the child of Italian immigrants, a World War II gunner, a record-holding athlete, and a baseball manager. He had a long, successful life and baseball career that all started with playing baseball in sandlots as a kid.

Yogi was a first-generation Italian American who grew up in a St. Louis neighborhood called “The Hill.” While there, he was surrounded by fellow Italian immigrants, which helped him grow up with a sense of community and Italian traditions.

Yogi's father, Pietro, came to the United States by himself in 1909 from Malvaglio, a northern Italian town near Milan. He temporarily left his wife and two kids in Italy, but eventually settled in St. Louis and had his family follow soon after. While in St. Louis, Pietro had three more children – the second one was Yogi. [Read More]

Ace Bailey: a NBA Player with Star Potential

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 13

Ace Bailey is one of the most underrated basketball players in the NBA draft, according to media reports. He had a fantastic college career and got drafted to debut his NBA career.

Ace Bailey was born on August 13, 2006, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He first attended Boyd-Buchanan for his freshman year in high school, then transferred to McEachern in Georgia. With his impressive skills, Bailey was nicknamed “Mr. Georgia Basketball.” He earned the McDonald's All-American, Nike Hoop Summit, and Jordan Brand Classic honors.

Bailey was offered and committed to Rutgers University as one of the youngest players in his 2024 class. Bailey was listed at “6 '10" as a Rutgers, but at the NBA draft combine, he was measured at 6' 7.5 ". Bailey started in the majority of his games in his freshman season, leading the team with 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. His outstanding performances earned him a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and the All-Big Ten Third Team, which caught the attention of scouts. [Read More]

La habilidad y la comunicación en equipo de Vinícius Júnior lo colocan en la cima.

por Juan Esteban, edad 13

Vinicius Junior está en el rango global del 2024 de jugadores del mundo, lo cual lo hace uno de los mejores jugadores de todo el mundo. Su habilidad futbolística y comunicación con el equipo lo ha ayudado a mejorar y escalar a la cima.

Vini nació el 12 de julio del año 2000, en Sao Goncalo, Brasil. Sus padres son Jose Paixao de Oliveira y Tatiana Vinicius. Vini siempre ha sido una persona trabajadora que nunca se da por vencido. Antes de que se volviera uno de los mejores jugadores, su familia tuvo problemas económicos lo cual lo obligó a ayudar a su madre a cuidara a su hermana y sus dos hermanos.

Mientras Vinicius crecía, empezó a explorar su interés en el fútbol. El ha jugado en varios equipos famosos y valiosos. Su carrera realmente comenzó en el equipo Flamengo cuando tenía solo 6 años. Vini jugó en este equipo por 11 años, hasta que, en el 2017, se cambió al equipo profesional de adultos de Flamencos por un año. En 2018, se unió a uno de los equipos más reconocidos, el Real Madrid. Un año después, se unió al equipo nacional de Brasil. [Read More]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Rises From Cut Team to NBA MVP

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 13

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most influential and electrifying players in the NBA. He showcases his playstyle while supporting and showing love to his fans. Growing up in Toronto, Ontario, Shai developed his passion to play basketball.

Gilgeous-Alexander was born on July 12th, 1998, to parents Vaughn Alexander and Charmine Gilgeous. Most of Shai’s family came from an athletic background. His mom, Charmine, was a track athlete who participated in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. His dad, Vaughn, was one of Shai’s first basketball coaches and the main reason for Shai’s passion for basketball. Vaughn also played basketball and won a Toronto City High School Championship with the Georges Vanier Secondary School in the early 1990s. Shai’s younger brother, Thomasi Gilgeous-Alexander, also had some basketball background. He played for the University of Evansville and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

Shai grew up with his father in Toronto, Ontario, until he moved in with his mom in Hamilton, Ontario, at ten years old. He went to school at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School and was thrilled to try out for the basketball team. After the coaches analyzed the players, they gave Shai the devastating news that he was cut from the team. Shai was disappointed. He wanted to move back to Toronto with his dad, but his mom convinced him to stay with her and attend a different school. Shai transferred to Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School and officially made their basketball team. Shai led the team to the state championship and was named the most valuable player. [Read More]

Rafi Devers Continues His Rise With the Giants

by Eric Santiago, age 9

Rafael "Rafi " Devers is considered an exceptional baseball player by the sports community. Rafi is known for his team leadership and batting performance.

Rafi was born on October 24, 1996, in the Dominican Republic, a country known for having many great baseball players. Growing up, he showed impressive batting skills for his age, as he was hitting harder and farther than many older players.

Rafi started playing in the minor leagues. In 2013, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent. He played strategically and with power. Constantly praised by his coaches, in 2017, at just the age of 20, Rafi made his way to the major leagues. Rafi made his debut on July 25, 2017. He led the Red Sox to reach the playoffs with his energy, confidence, and skill. This helped him become a key player. The Red Sox fans were excited. They predicted he’d become a star as he continued to grow. Eventually, Rafi had a breakout season: he hit 32 home runs, 115 runs batted in, 201 hits, hitting 0.311 in the season. [Read More]

One of Manchester City’s Star Player Leaves After a Decade

by Lucas Abiy, age 8

The well-known Belgian soccer player Kevin De Bruyne is a top-performing midfielder recognized for his exceptional playmaking skills. Thanks to his talent, he gained fame as a star player for Manchester City, one of the Premier League's most popular teams. However, his time with the English club has ended, and he is now continuing his soccer journey in Italy.

De Bruyne started playing soccer in his senior year of high school for the Genk professional league. De Bruyne signed with his second team, Wolfsburg, in 2014. During his debut season with Wolfsburg, he became one of the best players in the league, scoring 16 goals and contributing to over 20 assists, breaking the Bundesliga record.

In 2015, a year playing with Wolfsburg, he signed with an English team called Manchester City. De Bruyne’s time at Manchester became one of his best-performing and most well-known years. He played for the team for 10 years and became a staple player for the team. In 2022, De Bruyne placed third in the Ballon d’Or award, one of the top awards in soccer. He represented Belgium at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, making his third appearance at the highly anticipated tournament. [Read More]

Yankees Stir Debate With Torpedo Bats in Blowout Win

by Max Moreno, age 13

The New York Yankees have sparked controversy with their use of “torpedo bats,” a futuristic-looking bat with a tapered end that can boost performance. The bats are raising questions about fairness, performance, and the future of the sport.

Playing against the Milwaukee Brewers, on March 29, 2025, Yankee first baseman Paul Goldschmidt stepped up to the plate and hit a home run on the first pitch he saw. The team followed this up with four more home runs in the same inning. Fans went crazy when they saw two back-to-back home runs. As the game went on, fans noticed that the Yankees were using torpedo bats. After the Brewers' devastating 20–9 loss, fans couldn't help but wonder if these bats were legal. It turns out they are. Under MLB rules, the maximum diameter for a baseball bat is 2.61 inches. Although the barrel of the torpedobats looks bigger, it is the same size as a typical bat, just the biggest part of the bat is moved down towards the handle.

These bats were designed by MIT graduate Aaron Leanhardt. Leanhardt was previously a physics professor at the University of Michigan before the Yankees hired him to help batters make more contact. He came up with making the barrel of the bat bigger, where baseballs get hit the most. Then, after examining swing data, Leanhardt decided to move the thickest part of the bat closer to the handle. [Read More]

Boston Celtics Franchise Sold for $6.1 Billion

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Bill Chisholm, a co-founder and managing partner of hedge fund Symphony Technology, is buying the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion, the largest amount paid for a sports franchise in North America.

“Growing up on the North Shore and attending college in New England, I have been a die-hard Celtics fan my entire life,” Chisholm said. “I understand how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston. The team's role in the community is different from any other city in the country. I also understand that there is a responsibility as a leader of the organization to the people of Boston and I am up for this challenge.”

The sale surpasses the sale of the Washington Commanders for $6.05 billion in 2023. The Grousbeck family, which currently owns the Celtics, put the team on the market after the Celtics won the NBA championship last year. The first part of the sale will be for 51%, with the remaining portion completing the deal in 2028. Additional incoming co-owners include businessman Rob Hale and Bruce Beal Jr., president of Related Companies, a New York-based real estate firm. [Read More]

The Life and Career of Milwaukee’s Bob Uecker

by Max Moreno, age 12

Bob Uecker is a legendary name in Major League Baseball. He was an MLB hall-of-famer and voiced the Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcast. Unfortunately, he recently passed away on Jan. 16, 2025.

` Uecker was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Jan. 26, 1934. He was a natural athlete and excelled in baseball. His baseball career started at a technical high school in Milwaukee. After high school, he enlisted in the Army and then signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1961. He left the Braves in 1964 and played catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves.

In 1967, Uecker retired from baseball and began his broadcasting career with the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the primary broadcaster for their radio shows in 1971. He became known for his humor and earned the nickname “Mr. Baseball.” He appeared in many commercials and movies like “Major League.” In 2003, he got into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and received the Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting excellence. [Read More]

The Greek Freak’s Incredible Rise to Fame

by Lucas Abiy, age 7

Milwaukee Bucks star player Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Greece on December 6, 1994. Giannis has always been very close to his family. Giannis has four brothers, Francis, Thanasis, Kotas, and Alex. Giannis’ mom gave him and his brothers both Greek and Nigerian names. Giannis’ Nigerian name is Ougko.

In Lagos, Nigeria, Giannis’ family was poor. His parents, Charles and Veronica, decided to move from their home country to Athens, Greece, in search of other opportunities. During his early life, Giannis and his siblings worked to contribute to their family. Giannis sold purses and sunglasses on the streets of his neighborhood in Athens.

Since they arrived in Greece without proper documentation, Giannis’s family lived in a constant state of fear and uncertainty. Basketball served as an escape for Giannis’ life. Giannis was scouted by Spiros Velliniatis while playing basketball with his brothers and began playing professional basketball in Greece shortly after. [Read More]

Wisconsin High School Player and Duke Star Projects as First Round NBA Pick

by Owen Ayite Atayi, age 17

Milwaukee native and Duke Blue Devils college freshman Kon Knueppel recently declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. Most draft projections show he will go high in the first round.

Knueppel was destined to play basketball at a high level because of his parents, Kon and Chari Nordgaard Knueppel. Knueppel’s father scored 2,064 points at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. For three seasons, from 1995-98, he was named an All-Lake Michigan Conference selection.

Knueppel’s mother was a leading scorer at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay with 1,964 points over four seasons. She was also named the Horizon League Player of the Year in 1999. [Read More]

Juan Soto Makes History With Record-Breaking MLB Deal

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

Juan Soto, a Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar, has redefined financial success in professional sports. Soto changed history when he finalized his record-breaking MLB contract for $765 million over a span of 15 years with the New York Mets. This deal is the largest in all of sports history and includes a $75 million signing bonus and $51 million annual salary for the next 15 years. This contract solidifies Soto's status as the most valuable player in history.

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Soto signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in 2015. He did not make his MLB debut until 2018 when he was 19 years old. Juan Soto was instrumental in the Nationals’ success as he helped lead them to their first World Series championship. Juan Soto’s career is still going, but he already has many achievements, including five Silver Slugger awards, a batting title, a World Series title, and four All-Star selections. This incredible resume led the Mets to give him the largest MLB contract ever.

Sotos career is inspirational to many foreign athletes as he is not U.S.-born, but is still breaking records as the highest paid athlete of all time. Soto’s career is just rising and is not expected to end anytime soon. He has made a positive impact on every team he has played for. He made three straight All-Star appearances for three different teams. Soto also has 769 career walks, the second most by a player before turning 27, right behind Mickey Mantle's 797 career walks. [Read More]

Over 100 Years of Competition, The Packers and Bears Keep Battling

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears is one of the most well-known in the NFL. The Packers currently lead with the more-than-100-year rivalry with 108 wins to the Bears’ 96, with six ties. The Packers previously held an 11-game winning streak, which ended with the Bears’ first win since 2018 on January 5, 2025. These two teams have the oldest rivalry in the league. They hold the number one and two spots in all-time wins.

The rivalry began in 1921 when the two teams first went head-to-head. The Bears, known at the time as the Staleys, beat the Packers 20-0, which sparked a rivalry for the ages. The Staleys went on to win the championship that year, their first and the league’s second world championship ever. In 1922, the Staleys officially changed their team name to the Chicago Bears. It was also one of the only two years in which the Bears and the Packers didn’t face off; the Packers didn't play that year because they were temporarily kicked out of the league for illegally using college players.

The rivalry quickly turned heated, with tensions flaring in these early days. In 1924, the teams made history when Packers end Tillie Voss and Bears end Frank Hanny was ejected for fighting, marking the first ejections in NFL history. The Packers earned their first win against the Bears in 1925, but in their next matchup of the season, the Bears shut out the Packers 21-0. The Packers won their first World Championship in 1929 after going undefeated 12-0 that season and went on to win three consecutive championships. The lowest-scoring game between the two teams was in 1932 with a 0-0 tie. The highest-scoring game was when the Bears beat the Packers 52-31 in 1955. [Read More]

Wisconsin Women Basketball Program Hires New Coach

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The University of Wisconsin’s women's basketball coach Marissa Moseley resigned as head coach after their fourth consecutive losing season. Former Missouri coach Robin Pingeton will take her place as head coach.

The Badgers went 13-16 this past season and in the first round of the Big Ten tournament they lost 81-54 to Iowa. The UW women’s basketball team had been struggling since before 2021, when athletic director Chris McIntosh brought in Moseley to turn the program around. She had previously posted a 45-29 record in three seasons at Boston University. That didn’t seem to be the case for Wisconsin though, as the team posted a 47-75 overall record in four seasons.

Moseley decided to step down for “personal reasons,” as she said in a press release by the university. “It has been a privilege to lead the program at Wisconsin. I am grateful for the student-athletes, coaches, and staff in our program who have put in so much time and effort. I am appreciative, also of the Badger fans who supported us at the Kohl Center and around the country.” [Read More]

Green and Gold: A New Film Explores Family, Community, and the Green Bay Packers

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

Anders and Davin Lindwall’s “Green and Gold” film is a tribute to family, community, and Midwestern life.

It is set on a Wisconsin dairy farm in the 1990s. The movie follows Buck, played by Craig T. Nelson, a fourth-generation farmer struggling to keep his land out of the bank's hands. His granddaughter Jenny, played by Madison Lawlor, works alongside him while pursuing her singing dreams. As the Packer's football season unfolds, so does their story of family, perseverance, and faith in the Green Bay Packers.

The film begins in Door County, with Buck and his granddaughter, Jenny, running the farm alongside his wife Margaret, played by Annabel Armour, and a family friend named Aaron, played by Ashton Moio. [Read More]

Lamine Yamal Is Making Soccer History at Just 17 Years Old

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 9

Lamine Yamal is the youngest professional soccer player in the Union European Football Association (UEFA). He plays for the Spanish team FC Barcelona, in an offensive passing position called right wing.

Lamine Yamal, is the son of Mounir Nasroui and Sheila Ebana, who immigrated from Morocco to Spain. Yamal’s parents got divorced when he was only three years old, however, they parented him together.

Lamine Yamal was born on July 16, 2007. He first joined FC Barcelona at the very young age of seven, after playing for a local club, CF La Torreta. While he was at both clubs, he surprisingly surpassed the age categories faster than anybody else in his whole generation. [Read More]

The Career of Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahome

by Gerard Sanchez Ramirez, age 10

Patrick Levon Mahomes is a 29-year-old football player who recently became the second highest-paid player in the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes was drafted in 2017 as a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and has won not one, not two, but three Super Bowls!Mahomes was born to Pat Mahomes Sr. and Randi Mahomes on September 17, 1995, in Tyler, Texas. His father is Black, and his mother is White. His younger brother, Jackson Mahomes, is a social media star with over 1 million followers on TikTok. Patrick is not the only athlete in his family. His dad, Pat Mahomes Sr., was a professional Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, playing for 11 years with teams such as the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates. The family would often live in hotels or apartments while traveling with his dad during the MLB seasons.

By his junior year of high school at Whitehouse High School, Mahomes excelled in multiple sports, including football, baseball, and basketball. He threw for 50 passing touchdowns and was also a standout baseball pitcher. Many people thought he would follow in his father’s footsteps and play professional baseball. In fact, he was even drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2014 MLB Draft but chose not to sign.

During his sophomore year at Texas Tech University, Mahomes initially played both baseball and football. However, he decided to quit baseball to focus solely on football, a decision that ultimately led him to NFL stardom. [Read More]

The “Hail Mary” Pass Is One of Football’s Most Exciting Plays

by Oliver Zink, age 14

One of the most iconic plays in football is the “Hail Mary.” It is usually used by a team at the end of a game out of desperation when they are down eight or fewer points.

To do this play, the quarterback receives the ball and drops back, trying to buy time for the receivers to run down the field. Then the quarterback throws the ball as hard as he can, hoping that a teammate catches it.

The term "Hail Mary pass" was first used in a 1975 game between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys’ quarterback, Roger Staubach, threw a Hail Mary for a touchdown which would win the game for the Cowboys. Afterward in a post-game interview, he said, “Right before I threw it, I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary then threw it. “ [Read More]

Green Bay Packers' Icon Brett Favre Opens Up About Parkinson’s Diagnosis

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Green Bay Packers NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He shared this news in front of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee in September 2024.

Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative brain condition that can trigger symptoms such as tremors, slowness of movement, muscle stiffness, and impaired coordination. People who have suffered a singular concussion during their lifetime have a 57% greater chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease. In 2018 Favre was asked how many concussions he has suffered and answered three to four, but he believes that he suffered more than 1,000 concussions in his 20th NFL season. Favre spoke about his diagnosis saying, “I'm sure you’ll understand why it's too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

Brett Favre was born on October 10, 1969, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He grew up loving to fish and hunt with his two other brothers Jeff Favre and Scott Favre. Favre also has a sister named Brandi Favre. Favre attended Hancock North Central High School and showcased his talents throughout the years as the quarterback for the school. His father, Irvin Favre, was a down-to-earth football coach, who worked for the school. Favre drew little praise or notice from college coaches and scouts, but the University of Mississippi showed interest in him and offered Favre a full-ride scholarship. He set several school records at the University of Mississippi that paved the way for him to dominate his NFL career. [Read More]

Wisconsin’s Famous Joe “Unser Choe” Hauser Set Baseball Home Run Records

by Max Moreno, age 12

Joe Hauser was born and raised in Wisconsin and played baseball against legendary players, such as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. Babe Ruth was known as the home-run king in the major leagues. However, things were different for Hauser, who excelled in the minor leagues.

Hauser started his minor league career in 1918. He played on the same team that Babe Ruth started on when he was in the minors. Hauser played in the highest level of the minor leagues in Milwaukee, and earned the name “Unser Choe" since fans would chant “das ist unser choe,’’ which in German translates to “this is our Joe.” Hauser would then go on to play in the majors for the Philadelphia Athletics for five seasons. In 1924, Hauser played his best season in the major leagues, with 27 home runs second only to Ruth.

His success in the major leagues was cut short in April 1925 when he snapped his right kneecap, which needed surgery. At the time, surgeons used silver wire to mend his kneecap back together. In 1929, he went back to the minors and played for the Baltimore Orioles International minor league team. He hit 63 home runs and was the first professional player to hit 60 or more home runs in a season. Despite the injuries, he proved himself in 1933. While playing for the Minneapolis Millers he hit 69 home runs and remained the only player to hit 60 or more twice in his career until Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa did so in 1998 and 1999, respectively. [Read More]

Simone Biles Leads Team USA to Victory and Continues Her Legacy

by Nae McNeail, age 13

Simone Biles is one of the most gifted gymnasts in the world. She is an extraordinary athlete with iconic gymnastic moves! Biles can do flips that no one else can do. She has become an inspiration for many, but especially for women of color, as she is the first African American woman to earn multiple medals in national events.

In her first Olympic Games in Ri, in 2016, she won four gold medals and one bronze medal in vault, floor exercise, team segments, and all-around. At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she participated in Team USA’s winnings, earning a silver medal. Biles also earned a bronze medal in the balance beam event. Simone’s achievements go beyond the beam, in 2022, Biles was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

Biles was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. Her love for gymnastics started at the age of six, and she mastered it very quickly, making her first national debut in 2013 at the young age of 16. [Read More]

Packers, Batteries Plus Partnership to Collect and Recycle Used Batteries

by Dayanara Flores Gonzalez, age 17

The Green Bay Packers recently entered a partnership with Wisconsin-based retailer Batteries Plus. Through this partnership, Batteries Plus is trying hopes to increase the recycling of batteries. They say putting batteries in the trash is easy, but recycling is a far better idea.

Wisconsin-based Batteries Plus stores will be accepting used batteries free of charge. These batteries will be deconstructed, and all the minerals will be recycled and used again. The Green Bay Packers will be encouraging fans to promote this program and donate used batteries.

This program will be paid for in part with $7 million from the Department of Energy. Wisconsin schools are eligible to participate in the battery contest to encourage battery recycling. The winners will get to visit Lambeau Field. [Read More]

Sunisa Lee’s Comeback Story Inspires Fans Worldwide

by Semaia Zerezghi, age 9

Sunisa Lee is a talented gymnast who has endured many challenges to reach the status she has today. She participated most recently in the 2024 Paris Olympics as a part of Team U.S.A.’s women’s gymnastics team along with Simone Biles.

Sunisa Lee grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Once her father noticed that she loved moving and tumbling around, he decided to build a wooden balance beam in their backyard for her to practice.

When Sunisa was six years old, she joined the Midwest Gymnastics Centre in Little Canada, Minnesota, to start her formal training. At seven years old, in her second competition, Suni won an all-around competition at the state meet. The next year, she advanced through three different skill levels. As the years passed, Sunisa’s skills improved. At the age of 11, she qualified for the elite program, allowing her to represent the United States in international competitions. Sunisa participated in both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lee became the first Asian American woman to win the gold medal in the women’s all-around event. She also secured a silver medal in the team event and a bronze medal in the uneven bars. [Read More]

Documentary Reveals Giannis’s Inspiring Rise in The Marvelous Journey

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

A new documentary tells the little-known story of NBA great Giannis Antetokounmpo’s inspiring journey to the basketball world. “The Marvelous Journey” delves into the decisions the Antetokounmpo family had to make as they left a life of poverty in Nigeria, in search of a better life.

Before he was the Milwaukee Bucks power forward, Giannis grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he and his family sold items on the street. It was hard for his parents to meet the needs of Giannis and his four siblings due to the lack of job opportunities in Lagos.

Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo decided it was best for their family to migrate to Athens, Greece, where Giannis and his brothers played soccer, but his brother Thanasis had set his sights on basketball. Thanasis played in a professional Greek league called the Greek Basket League (GBL). He later introduced Giannis to basketball because he was the only other brother who was interested. At first, Giannis wasn’t the best at basketball and would get made fun of while playing pickup games. Nonetheless, Giannis was so dedicated to getting better at basketball that some nights he slept in the gym where his brother played. [Read More]

Forward Theater Review: “King James” Is a Play About Basketball and Friendship

by Jacob Dunn and Jules Da Costa

We recently attended Forward Theater’s “King James” written by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Michael Burke. While the run has ended, the Wisconsin premier of this two-man show captured audience attention with its exploration of friendship, conflict, maturation, and fandom.

“King James” gets its title from basketball legend LeBron James, whose career is the foundation of the story. Set in four quarters, like a basketball game, the comedy follows the relationship of two young men from Cleveland. Both love basketball and LeBron James.

Shawn, played by Marques Causey, is a thoughtful and reserved young Black man with ambitions of being a writer. Matt, played by Greg Pragel, is a young white man who wants independence and success but finds himself indebted to his parents. [Read More]

Mike Trout Overcomes Injuries While Setting Records

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 12

Mike Trout, one of the best 21st-century baseball players, was born in the small town of Vineland, New Jersey, on Aug. 7th, 1991.

Trout attended Millville High School, where he was scouted by the minor leagues. He was the 25th overall pick to the Los Angeles Angels in 2009. In 2010, he got the J.G Taylor Spink Award which is given to the best players in the minors. In 2012, he made his first major league season appearance with the Los Angeles Angels.

Trout had an amazing rookie season, leading the American League with 129 home runs, 49 steals, with a 0.326 batting average. Unfortunately, he came in second in the 2012 MVP under Miguel Cabrera. Despite that, Trout managed to win the 2012 Rookie of the Year trophy. In 2013, Trout led the American League with 109 runs and 110 walks but got second in MVP, beaten by Cabrera again. In 2014, Trout had a career-high of 36 home runs. In the same season, Trout managed to dethrone Cabrera and earned his first MVP award. [Read More]

Cristiano Ronaldo: Breaking Records and Shining on the World Stage

by Gerardo Ramirez, age 10

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, most commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a famous soccer player born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Ronaldo was given his name in honor of his father’s favorite movie actor Ronald Reagan, who was the US president at the time.

Ronaldo is six feet and one inch tall, and he started as a right-winger before transitioning into a forward. At the age of 15, Ronaldo was diagnosed with a heart condition, which required medical treatment that allowed him to continue playing soccer. He first joined Clube Desportivo Nacional de Madeira and later transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal, where he made his senior debut.

Ronaldo made his professional debut in 2003 when he signed with the English powerhouse Manchester United. This is where he became world-famous, helping the team win the Premier League and the Champions League in the 2007-08 season. During that season, Ronaldo scored 42 goals and won the Ballon d'Or in 2008. [Read More]

Football’s European Origins Make It One of It’s Most Popular Sports

by Edwin Torres, age 13

Football, also referred to as soccer, is the world’s most popular sport. Just a ball, field, and goal markers are enough to play this fun game.

Evidence of ball games played with feet can be linked back to the third century BC in Rome and ancient Greece. Since its establishment, the sport has spread across different parts of the world. The sport’s family consists of American football, rugby, and Gaelic football.

Modern soccer comes from the United Kingdom, where villages competed in violent matches over vast areas. At that time, rules were not established, therefore, one could play however they wanted. In 1863, the first soccer rules were established. [Read More]

Injuries Cloud Kawhi Leonard’s Basketball Future

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

NBA star Kawhi Leonard is reported to be out indefinitely just as his Los Angeles Clippers teammates start the 2024-25 season.

Leonard is out due to inflammation in his right knee. Kawhi Leonard is a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-star, and has twice been named finals MVP. He has won two defensive player-of-the-year awards. Kawhi is a beloved player among basketball fans for his determined, no-smile look.

Kawhi Leonard learned the game of basketball in Riverside, California, where he played at Martin Luther King High School. In the 2009 college basketball recruiting class, experts ranked him as one of the top small forwards in the country and the 48th-best overall player. During his senior season, Leonard averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3 blocks per game. [Read More]

Baseball History in Wisconsin: The Story of the Milwaukee Brewers

by Max Moreno, age 12

The Milwaukee Brewers were not always called the Brewers, and the story of the team's origin stretches back more than 100 years. The history of the Brewers name is a fascinating chapter in American sports history.

Baseball appeared in Milwaukee around the 1840s, and the first team was known as The Cream City Club. They obtained this name from the light-colored bricks used in many of Milwaukee's city structures. Milwaukee's first professional team, the Grays, started in 1878 in the National League. The name had been thrown around before but it wasn't until around the 1900s that the name Milwaukee Brewers was associated with Major League Baseball (MLB) with the name stemming from the rich brewing history of Milwaukee. In the year 1900, they were one of the eight charter members of the American League.

The Grays franchise moved to St. Louis, where they played as the Browns for 53 years before moving again to Baltimore to become the Orioles. After the Grays moved locations another team with the name the Milwaukee Brewers took their place. This team would prove to be more enduring. The club began to play in 1902 and was a Minor League team that found a home in Borchert Field along Chambers Street. The team attracted lots of young fans including the future owner of the Brewers and MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig. [Read More]

Injury Ends WNBA Star’s Stellar Rookie Year

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

WNBA star Angel Reese, also known as the Double-Double Barbie and the Bayou Barbie, is out for the rest of her rookie season. Reese hurt her wrist in September during a Chicago Sky win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Angel Reese was having one of the best rookie seasons ever. She averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds over 34 games this season.

Even before Reese came to the WNBA, she was a star. Drafted in the first round, basketball fans in Chicago knew she won a national championship with the Louisiana State University. Reese became known for her double-doubles, meaning she regularly had games with 10 or more points and 10 or more rebounds. [Read More]

Chris McIntosh to Lead UW Athletics Through 2029

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, 16

The University of Wisconsin Madison is announcing that Chris McIntosh, UW’s athletic director, is agreeing to stay with the UW Athletics program for a few more years.

McIntosh is from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and was a former Badgers offensive lineman. He played just two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and wanted to be an athletic director. He joined the department in 2014 as the director of development and later was promoted to the athletic director.

McIntosh’s contract increases his base salary to $1.45 million yearly with a $50,000 increase each year. With this new contract extension, he will continue to work for UW Athletics until 2029, where his contract expires. Jennifer L. Mnookin, the chancellor of UW, said in a press release, “Chris is an extremely effective leader at a time of unprecedented change across the collegiate athletics landscape. He continues to position the Badgers for long-term success in the top tier of college sports.” [Read More]

Madison Night Mares Softball Team Enjoys Successful First Season

by Aria, age 13

Madison’s new collegiate women’s softball team, the Madison Night Mares, completed their first season this summer. The team is part of the Northwoods League Softball Summer Collegiate League, which also includes teams from La Crosse, Wisconsin, Minot, North Dakota, and Mankato, Minnesota.

The Madison Mallards announced the formation of the Night Mares in a statement earlier this year. At that time, the team was referred to as “Madison Softball.” The team’s general manager, Samantha Rubin, is also the first female general manager of the Madison Mallards Baseball Club.

Through a “Name Your Team” contest, softball enthusiasts around Madison were able to pick the name of the team. The new name was shared with the public during a April event at the Orpheum Theater in Madison. [Read More]

Overtime Elite A New Pathway to the NBA

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The Overtime Elite (OTE) basketball league is paving a new pathway to the NBA, separate from that of the NBA G-League and college ball.

OTE is a professional basketball league for 16-to-19-year-old prospects, who have the chance to make at least six-figure salaries. The league provides the athletes with an annual base salary of $100,000 or a scholarship contract if the athletes want to play in college. The league, founded in 2021 by Dan Porter and Zack Weiner, was created for fans of popular and highly rated high-school players. They decided to build a business around the millions of fans who would enjoy watching these athletes compete against each other.

Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson were the faces of OTE. The 6’7” brothers skipped their senior year of high school to play for OTE. They then became the first players from the program to be drafted into the NBA and in the top five too. Amen was drafted by the Houston Rockets as the fourth overall pick, while Ausar was chosen by the Detroit Pistons as the fifth overall pick. This year's second-overall pick, Alex Sarr, also played for OTE and was selected by the Washington Wizards. [Read More]

The Green Bay Packers, From Bankruptcy to Community-Owned NFL Legacy

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 11

You may have heard of the Green Bay Packers, but did you know that this successful NFL team once faced bankruptcy? It's true!

Back in the early days, Green Bay, the smallest city in Wisconsin to join the NFL, had a relatively small fan base and limited financial resources. This situation left the Packers in precarious financial shape during the 1920s. In 1935, they hit a critical point, ultimately going bankrupt. To navigate this financial crisis, they established a new company known as Green Bay Packers Inc. and raised $15,000 by selling stock shares of the team to the public.

The team's founding fathers, Ed "Curly" Lambeau, after whom the stadium was named, and George Calhoun, played pivotal roles in the Packers' history. The name "Packers" itself has an interesting historical connection. It was inspired by Lambeau's affiliation with the Indian Packing Corporation, a meatpacking company. This choice resonated with the working-class residents who made up the core of the Green Bay community during that era. [Read More]

Doc Rivers Says Bucks 2024 Draft Adds Two “Intriguing” Players

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

The Milwaukee Bucks recently introduced new draft picks, AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith. The NBA team hopes the unproven rookies can prove themselves to be hidden gems.

Coincidently, guard AJ Johnson and forward Tyler Smith were Athletic Amateur Union (AAU) teammates in ninth grade and now they are teammates on the Bucks.

“We knew each other for a minute so it should be pretty easy to get along,” Smith said in a press conference. [Read More]

New Golf Complex Proposed in Monona

By Ayelen Flores Ruiz, age 14

Topgolf, a sports entertainment company, has revealed plans to build a driving range and golf center in Monona. It will be located just off the Beltline on West Broadway. The site is between WPS Health Solutions and South Towne Mall.

Topgolf is a Dallas-based company which has over 90 golf complexes across the U.S. and locations in 10 other countries. There are two located in the suburbs of Chicago and another near Minneapolis. There is also a planned golf complex in West Des Moines, Iowa. That facility will open this fall.

Finding a location was not easy. The company has been looking in the Madison market for five years. In Monona, the company plans a project worth $30 million that would replace five current buildings. The location was discussed with the city plan commission in June. The company's real estate development director Todd Waldo said, “We feel that we have found the right spot.” [Read More]

Jackie Robinson, The Legend Who Changed Baseball

by Max Moreno, age 11

Jack Roosevelt Robinson, also known as Jackie Robinson was a legendary baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball by becoming the first Black American to be in the MLB. However, Robinson wasn't just any ordinary baseball player.

Robinson was born on Jan. 31, 1919, and grew up in Cairo, Georgia. During high school he played many sports like baseball, basketball, football and track. He was also named the state's MVP in 1938. He attended UCLA, where he was the university's first student to win varsity letters in four sports. In the 1940s Robinson met his future wife, Rachel Isum, when they were attending UCLA and got married in 1946. However he had to drop out of UCLA just shy of graduation because he didn't have enough money. After moving to Honolulu Hawaii, Robinson played football for the semi-professional league but his season was cut short as the United States entered WWII. He was drafted to the war from 1942 to 1944 and served as a second lieutenant but never fought in combat. After he was discharged from the army, Robinson began to play baseball but at that time baseball was segregated and white and Black people played in different leagues. [Read More]

Bucks Hire Darvin Ham as Lead Assistant

By Jules Da Costa, age 16

Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham is set to return to the Milwaukee Bucks as the lead assistant to coach Doc Rivers.

Ham was let go by the Lakers after the team went 90-74 during the last two seasons. Prior to coaching the Lakers, he spent four seasons with the Bucks franchise and helped lead them to their 2021 championship. Ham is also a former Bucks player.

This off-season, Ham was highly sought after as he had been one of the top assistant coaches in the NBA prior to taking the Lakers job. Ham ultimately decided to go with the Bucks because he already has relationships with staff and several key players. [Read More]

Wisconsin Basketball Adds Two Talented Recruits

By Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball program added several important assets to their roster during the offseason. Losing key players like AJ Storr, Connor Essegian, and Chucky Hepburn, the Badgers responded and recruited several talented players through the transfer portal. Now, they have picked up another 6'11 player Andrija Vukovic from Serbia.

Badger basketball coach Greg Gard made the following statement about Andrija Vukovic: “We are excited to announce the addition of Andrija to our program. We were fortunate to find such a tremendous player and person that will fit in perfectly with our program.”

Vukovic is a 6 '11 center who recently played basketball for KK Vršac in Serbia. He averaged 6.1 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while playing about 13 minutes a game. Overall, he shot 66% from the field. Vukovic provides skills the Badgers need in terms of roster depth at the inside positions. [Read More]

Shohei Ohtani: MLB's Rising Superstar and Record-Breaker

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese player in Major League Baseball (MLB), is making a big name for himself. Ohtani is breaking all types of baseball records and could be the next greatest player in the MLB.

Shohei Ohtani, born in Oshu, Japan, was brought into baseball early as his family loved the sport. Both his parents were impressive athletes themselves: his father played semi-professional baseball while his mother was a badminton player. By the time Ohtani was in high school, he was a two-way athlete, playing as a designated hitter and pitching. At 17, he was on the field throwing pitches as fast as 99 miles per hour. His talents had professional scouts looking to draft him. Ohtani dreamed of being in the MLB, but there was still a long way to go.

In 2012, his professional career started when he entered the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league draft. Shohei Ohtani was the first pick overall and was drafted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. For four years, he made a name for himself as a two-way player. [Read More]

Doc Rivers Seeks to Revitalize the Milwaukee Bucks Amid Coaching Slump

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

Doc Rivers, the new head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, is facing a slump in his coaching career. However, he is continuing to find ways to improve the team.

The Bucks replaced Adrian Griffin with Doc Rivers. Although Rivers accepted the coaching opportunity, he is currently in a coaching slump. After the Bucks lost three straight games to the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, and Toronto Raptors, Damian Lillard said in a post-game interview, "I just feel like we're a lot better than that. We're a more mature and responsible team than we've shown by allowing these games to get to the points they've gotten to and then putting ourselves in a dogfight and giving it a chance to end this way. But it's part of the game." Doc Rivers also responded similarly to Damian Lillard, saying, "The last three were against three bad teams. To me, that's inexcusable. For all of us. As I told them, this is on me. I gotta figure out what we gotta do to play at a higher pace." Rivers has noticed how disjointed the offense and defense have been during the last season.

Glenn Anton Rivers, known as Doc Rivers, was born on October 13, 1961. He was nicknamed "Doc" because he attended a summer basketball camp at Marquette University while wearing a "Dr. J" T-shirt of Philadelphia 76ers player Julius Erving. Rivers began his coaching career in 1996 after retiring as a player for the NBA. Rivers played for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and the Boston Celtics. He started off coaching the Orlando Magic from 1999-2003. Rivers expanded his coaching opportunities throughout the years by coaching for numerous teams. He led the 76ers to a third seed in the playoffs and fell short against the Boston Celtics in the 2022-23 playoffs. During the 2023-24 season, the Milwaukee Bucks organization fired Adrian Griffin after just 43 games with the Bucks, despite having one of the top records in the league. [Read More]

Meet Victor Wembanyama: The 7-Foot-4 Basketball Phenom

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 12

Victor Wembanyama is one of the best rookies this year, according to National Basketball Association (NBA) commentators. He gained popularity for his tremendous height reaching 7 feet 4 inches at just 20 years old. He was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick of the NBA draft.

Wembanyama was born on January 4, 2004, in Le Chesnay, France. He was greatly known for his height, at the age of nine he was 5 feet 11 inches tall. At ten years old, he joined the Nanterre basketball team and gained gained skills on the court and enhanced his abilities to shoot, pass and defend. According to Wembanyama, it was during these times that he developed his desire to play basketball at a professional level. Over time, he taught himself English as he knew it was the language of the NBA, and he continued to practice his skills.

In 2019 at the age of 15, Wembanyama made his professional debut by appearing in the European professional basketball competition EuroCup with Nanterre's senior team. They were able to win a silver medal in the tournament. In 2020, Wembanyama played in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament and helped the Nanterres win second place. [Read More]

Team USA Fires Men's Soccer Coach

by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

Gregg Berhalter, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team coach, was fired recently after the team’s July loss against Uruguay in the Copa America league.

Before hiring Berhalter, the U.S. Men's National Team’s goal was to ensure the team was able to qualify for that year’s World Cup. As the U.S. Men's National Team was selected to co-host the 2026 World Cup, Berhalter’s job became to establish a young core of American players and develop them into future contenders.

After disappointing results from team U.S.A., Berhalter was already expected to be fired. The last straw was when Colombia beat the U.S. in a pre-Copa exhibition game 5-1. [Read More]

How FC Bayern Munich Became a Soccer Powerhouse

by Oliver Zink, age 13

FC Bayern Munich is one of the most prestigious and classic teams in the world of soccer. They have won almost every trophy in the world.

The team was founded in 1900 in Munich, Germany. Their first 31 years were slow, but gained momentum and eventually won their first title. They were the only club to accept Jewish players in the 30s which gave them the nickname “The Jew’s Club.”

In the 40s, many young men were fighting in the World War, so soccer was not as important and it waned in popularity. In 1955, they narrowly avoided bankruptcy because of their poor performance. The five years before 1955 yielded no titles and they slowly lost support and money. [Read More]

Milwaukee's Mistake: Jrue Holiday Leads Celtics to 2024 NBA Title

by Owen Ayite Atayi, age 16

It looks like Trading Jrue Holiday was a huge mistake for the Milwaukee Bucks. During the 2023-24 season, the move certainly disrupted the team’s previous defensive prowess and team chemistry. This lack of defense jeopardized the Bucks’ chances of another championship. Ultimately, when Giannis Antetokounmpo got injured, the team’s defense didn’t hold up.

Regardless of the trade, Jrue Holiday remained an excellent player. In fact, after being traded to the Boston Celtics, he was again a key contributor. Not only has he been a steady player, but he guided his new team to the 2024 NBA championship.

One person who has questioned the trade is Philadelphia 76ers Most Valuable Player (MVP) Joel Embiid. He recently tweeted on social media, “Did the Bucks give them the championship?” Embiid was implying “them” as the Boston Celtics. He tweeted this late Wednesday as the Celtics had gone up 3-0 in the series. [Read More]

Wisconsin Basketball Team Loses Some Key Players, then Adds New Talent from the Transfer Portal

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The Wisconsin men’s basketball team lost several key players to the transfer portal this spring. But more recently, the team has responded with three intriguing additions of their own.

The transfer portal was brutal to the Badgers after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, with eight players choosing to transfer. Two starters, AJ Storr and Chucky Hepburn, were key contributors last season and a third, Connor Essegian, made the Big Ten’s all-freshman team in 2023.

The departures left gaps to fill in the 2024-25 roster. Losing some of the team’s star players highlighted for Badger fans how new transfer rules in college sports and the modern “play for pay” environment will affect Wisconsin’s basketball program. With the old transfer rules, players who wanted to transfer had to wait a year to play and coaches could restrict where you could go. [Read More]

Ja Morant's Journey from Small Town to Big League Success

by Kaleab Afeworki, age 12

Ja Morant was selected in the 2019 NBA draft as the second overall pick to the Memphis Grizzlies. He is also one of the most athletic players in the NBA, which includes being one of the most precious point guards in the NBA.

Morant’s net worth is now exactly known. In his first season as a professional basketball player, he earned $8.7 million. Morant currently has a two-year $17.9 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He also signed a multi-year deal with Nike.

Morant was born on Aug. 10, 1999, in Dalzell, South Carolina. Morant’s parents are Tee and Jamie Morant, and he also has a younger sister named Teniya. Morant always wanted to be an NBA player, and he would train daily with his father and sister in their backyard. [Read More]

NCAA Faces Legal Battle Over Name, Image, and Likeness Regulations

by Jules Da Costa, age 15

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been involved in legal battles regarding its name, image, and likeness (NIL) guidelines.

In the ongoing case Tennessee and Virginia v. NCAA, the states want to remove rules regulating players' compensation for their name, image, and likeness. The NCAA is the largest college sports governing body in the US. They earn billions from the revenue their player's NIL brings them. College athletes receive several benefits but are not being compensated for their NIL. The suit claims the NCAA has violated the antitrust laws by denying athletes the ability to earn total compensation. They seek an injunction to do away with the NCAA's NIL rules. Florida-based sports attorney Darren Heitner claims there has been misclassification of athletes and that they should be referred to as employees rather than student-athletes. This lawsuit brings the total number of antitrust lawsuits the NCAA is defending to at least five, three of which also seek employment status for college athletes.

In a statement, the NCAA claims that taking this legal action and suspending the NIL regulations would further encourage what they consider a "wild west atmosphere." The NCAA worries about uneven playing fields between neighboring states and student-athletes being vulnerable to exploitation without the proper safeguards. According to the statement, the association does want to protect NIL rules but is also open to expanding NIL rights and opportunities for its athletes. [Read More]

Mohamed Salah's Journey to Soccer Stardom in Liverpool

by Ermiyas Abiy, age 8

Mohamed Salah is a professional soccer player who has played for multiple teams over the years. He is one of the best forwards and a serial winner with Liverpool Football Club (FC) since his arrival in 2017.

Salah was born on June 15, 1992, in Basyoun, Egypt, a city north of Cairo. When he was young, he admired professional soccer players such as Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima and tried to imitate their moves on the field. At age 14, he joined the Egyptian club, El Mokawloon’s youth team. His amazing speed caught the attention of Swiss club FC Basel, which led him to a contract in 2012. He helped lead the team to the Swiss Super League title and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Europa League semifinals in 2012. During that season he earned the Swiss Golden Player award for being an outstanding player.

Salah transferred to Chelsea FC of the Premier League in January 2014, where he struggled and only had six Premier League matches before he was loaned to Italy’s top league, Series A in 2015. Salah’s performance improved during his time in the Italian league, and later he was loaned to another Serie A team, AS Roma. He completed a permanent transfer to AS Roma and soon achieved 19 goals and 13 assists in the 2016-17 season. This gave him recognition as AS Roma’s player of the year. [Read More]

Regular Season to Championship, How the NBA Playoffs Work

by Jacob Dunn, age 15

The biggest annual tournament in basketball is the NBA playoffs, where the best teams in the league battle it out in a quest for the title of the nation's best team. Each year, before the playoffs begin, the regular season determines the seeding for each team.

Based on their win-loss record, the top eight teams from both conferences, Eastern and Western, qualify for the playoffs. The team with the best record in each conference earns the top seed, the second-best team earns the second seed, and so on. The NBA playoffs consist of four rounds with each matchup being a best-of-seven series. The higher seeds host games one, two, five, and seven, while the lower-seeded teams host games three, four, and six. Out of the 16 teams that play each other, the team that wins four out of seven games first advances to the next round.

The first round is often referred to as the conference quarterfinals, putting the top seed versus the eighth seed, the second seed versus the seventh seed, and so forth. The first round is very suspenseful and many upsets happen in this round as lower-ranked teams can beat higher-ranked teams. After teams make it past the first round, they advance to the conference semifinals. Here, the remaining eight matchups play to make it to the conference final. The conference finals take two teams from each conference who have made it through the tournament. The winners from the two games are named their conference champions. The champions of each conference face each other in a seven-game series to see who will be declared the best team in the nation. [Read More]

March Madness Is the Ultimate NCAA Basketball Showdown

By Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

March Madness is one of the most anticipated and most-watched sporting events there is. It is a high-stakes environment with a roaring atmosphere that keeps family, friends, and basketball fans on the edge of their seats.

For the uninitiated, March Madness is a college basketball tournament. It is sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and determines the national champion of college basketball.

The name “March Madness” comes from the annual Illinois High School tournament, the first that used the term “March Madness” to describe its annual championship event. Henry V. Porter, a coach and educator, established the phrase in a 1939 essay for the Illinois Interscholastic magazine. His article was called “March Madness”. [Read More]

Virgil Van Dijk Shines as Liverpool's Star Defensive Player — by Oliver Zink, age 13

Virgil Van Dijk has shown that he is a world class defender and can compete at the highest levels in competitive soccer. He proved that by joining Liverpool in 2018 to play at a higher level after playing on smaller teams, such as Willem 11, FC Groningen, and Celtic. [Read More]

Golden State Valkyries Announced as Bay Area's New WNBA Team — by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The Bay Area is now officially part of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), with the unveiling of the Golden State Valkyries. [Read More]

La Follette eSports Team Wins the High School State Championship — by Amare Smith, age 19

Similar to traditional sports, eSport involves players who like to compete and play games – except, eSport involves video games! The LaFollette eSports team has been at the school for a little over two years. The Lancers eSports team competed in the high school state championship and recently won the competition. The game played was Super Smash Bros, a video game where players pick a character and fight against each other. Matthew Wright, the team captain, made a last-minute decision to choose a character other than his favorite, Captain Falcon, for the sudden death battle [Read More]

Marquette's Oso Ighodaro Named BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete — by Jules Da Costa, age 15

Marquette University basketball player Oso Ighodaro has recently been named the Big East conference’s scholar-athlete, a first in Marquette history. [Read More]

Women’s Volleyball: Wisconsin and Marquette to Meet at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

The Fiserv Forum is the NBA (National Basketball Association) stadium for the Milwaukee Bucks. Although a vast majority of games at this stadium have been basketball, college volleyball will be making their debut at the Fiserv Forum. [Read More]

Embiid's MVP Pursuit, Playing for His Late Brother's Memory — by Jacob Dunn, age 14

Joel Embiid, the 2022-2023 NBA MVP, is doing amazing things this 2023-2024 season, and it's all for his brother. [Read More]

UW Madison Basketball Sensation A.J. Storr Leaves Mark On and Off the Court — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

Wisconsin Badgers basketball player A.J. Storr has become a key contributor to the Badgers’ 2023-24 lineup. Not only does Storr have an impact on the court, but he also has an impact on the community. [Read More]

How the Carlisle Indians Became a College Football Powerhouse — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

Richard Henry Pratt, an abolitionist, created a college football powerhouse team called the Carlisle Indians that dominated in the 20th century. Pratt believed that Native Americans should be included in American society. [Read More]

Muhammad Ali: The Unmatched Legacy of a Boxing Legend — by Iliyan Hoskins, age 10

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., more commonly known as Muhammad Ali, was a professional boxer who achieved many accomplishments, including an olympic gold medal in 1960 in Rome and a world heavyweight championship title. Throughout Ali’s career, he faced much success and controversy that would make him a household name. [Read More]

Nikola Jokic's Journey to Double MVP Triumph — by Kaleab Afeworki, age 11

Many people believe Nikola Jokic to be one of the best NBA players. Jokic is placed over LeBron James and Jason Kidd on the triple-double list in the NBA – a status given to a player when they get at least 10 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. [Read More]

Why the Milwaukee Bucks Traded Jrue Holiday — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 16

Although the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA finals, the organization has faced loads of criticism, backlash, and mixed emotions on the trading of Jrue Holiday, who will now play for the Boston Celtics. [Read More]

Young Soccer Prodigy Jude Bellingham's Rise to Glory — by Oliver Zink, age 13

In the world of professional soccer, young English player Jude Bellingham is playing for Real Madrid and is a powerhouse for soccer. Bellingham started his rise at Birmingham where he achieved multiple records. He was the youngest player to play for Birmingham, along with being the youngest goalscorer at Birmingham. [Read More]

Inside the NFL Turf Debate for Player Safety and Finances — By Jacob Dunn, age 14

The ongoing nationwide debate surrounding whether football players should compete on turf or real grass has sparked arguments from various perspectives, encompassing players' health and cost considerations. [Read More]

Team USA's Quest for Redemption: Building the 2024 Olympic Basketball Roster — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, 16

The unexpected loss of the USA men’s basketball team in the 2023 Federal International Basketball Association(FIBA) semifinals set the stage for building the 2024 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team. [Read More]

NBA's Stricter Player Participation Policy Spurs Concerns Among Teams — by Jules Da Costa, age 15

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Lionel Messi Leads Inter Miami to Historic Victory — by Moore Vang, age 14

Lionel Messi has made his presence known in Major League Soccer since joining Inter Miami in July. He has scored 11 goals and has played in 11 games in which his team has won them all. Due to these wins, they advanced to the Leagues Cup tournament finals on Aug 20 and defeated Nashville. [Read More]

Kylian Mbappé, A Rising Star in World Soccer — by Iliyan Hoskins, age 10

At the young age of 24, Kylian Mbappé is one of the best soccer players in the world. [Read More]

BIG3 Basketball League Faces NBA Obstacles but Thrives in Its Own Right — by Jules Da Costa, age 15

The BIG3 basketball league has been facing challenges due to the NBA’s influence. Despite this, the league is still thriving. [Read More]

Aaron Rodgers Injured, Zach Wilson Takes Over as Jets Quarterback — by Jacob Dunn, age 14

In a tragic event for Jets fans, Aaron Rodgers was injured and carried out of the stadium during the team’s first regular-season game on Sept. 11. Now, he will be replaced by 2021 number two overall pick, Zach Wilson. Wilson will be the new QB1, with a 14-21 record, averaging only 168 yards per game in the 2022 season. To compare his average passing yards, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes almost doubled that in last year's season with 303 passing yards per game. When signing Rodgers, the Jets had a 60% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to SportsLine. Now with Wilson, the Jets only have a staggering 0.2 % chance of making the playoffs. [Read More]

Johnny Davis: A Rising Star's Journey from La Crosse to the NBA — by Jules Da Costa, age 15

Wisconsin basketball standout, Johnny Davis, recently finished his rookie season and it has been a rollercoaster. [Read More]

Rising Star: The Journey and Achievements of NBA Player Tyrese Haliburton — by Owen Atayi, age 15

Tyrese Haliburton is a National Basketball Association (NBA) player who is currently playing for the Indiana Pacers. He is northeast Wisconsin’s first NBA All-Star. [Read More]

Milwaukee Bucks' New Head Coach, Adrian Griffin — by Owen Ayite-Atayi , age 15

Adrian Griffin, the new NBA head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, went through many ups and downs in his basketball career and coaching career. [Read More]

Lionel Messi's Journey to Inter Miami: A Decision Beyond Soccer — by Moore Vang, age 14

One of the greatest soccer players in the world, Lionel Messi, has signed a deal with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. [Read More]

From Wisconsin to NBA Stardom, Devin Harris' Remarkable Journey as a Basketball Sensation — by Jules Da Costa, age 15

Wisconsin has produced many basketball players throughout the years and Devin Harris is definitely among the best. Harris is a former National Basketball Association (NBA) player. He played for 15 years professionally and ran a pretty impressive career in college and the NBA. [Read More]

Tony Bennett's Remarkable Basketball Journey from Player to NCAA Championship Coach — by Owen Atayi, age 15

Tony Bennett is currently a National College Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball head coach for the Virginia Cavaliers. However, Bennett isn’t simply just a coach; he was first a great basketball player. [Read More]

Exploring the Global Phenomenon of Soccer — by Bruno Torres, age 7

Soccer is played all over the world, but depending on where you are, this game might have different names like football or futbol. [Read More]

Neymar Jr. and His Rise to a Becoming a Soccer Legend — by Moore Vang, age 14

Neymar Jr. is one of the most famous athletes in the world and one of the greatest soccer players in Brazilian history. He is famously known for playing as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil. Although when he first started playing, he mainly played as a winger. Neymar is also known for his quick agility, dribbling, and shooting accuracy. His skills on the field have even been compared to some of the greatest soccer and Brazilian players of all time such as Pele and Ronaldinho, Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior, famously known as Neymar Jr. was born in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil on February 5, 1992. He began playing soccer at a young age in the streets of Brazil where he was in a youth soccer team called Sao Vicente. He was mentored by his dad, Neymar Santos Sr., who was a professional soccer player at the time. His dad, along with playing in the streets, was a huge influence on Neymar’s professional soccer career later on. [Read More]

Participation in Girl's High School Basketball Declines — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

Enthusiasm for girls' high school basketball peaked two decades ago. Almost all seats were filled with families and students. All the girls’ basketball teams had full freshman, junior varsity and varsity players. [Read More]

Lessons From a Soccer Superstar — by Shalmat Shalom, age 14

Ronaldinho is known as one of the greatest fútbol or soccer players of all time. Growing up in Brazil, Ronaldinho was always surrounded with soccer players: his father, brother, and uncles all played the game. Like all professional players, he had both achievements and challenges. [Read More]

How the Milwaukee Bucks Won Their First Championship — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 14

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Wisconsin Basketball Team Will Play Oklahoma in Milwaukee — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 17

Badgers fans will get their first look at the team’s new lineup when they face off in a rare matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners this fall at the Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks. The first preseason conference game will take place Friday, Oct. 24. [Read More]

Kevin Durant’s Journey from Maryland to Basketball Greatness — by Kaleab Afeworkia, age 12

Kevin Durant, one of the best National Basketball Association (NBA) players of all-time, has played with many great superstars, but many might not know where his story began. [Read More]

Badger Basketball to Host Games at American Family Field in Milwaukee — by Jules Da Costa, age 14

For the first time in Wisconsin, college basketball will be played on a baseball field. The University of Wisconsin men’s and women’s basketball games will be played at American Family Field, (formerly known as Miller Park) home to the Milwaukee Brewers. [Read More]

Zlatan Ibrahimović, A Soccer Legend's Remarkable Career and Colorful Persona — by Shalom Harimana, age 14

Zlatan Ibrahimović is known to have been one the best soccer players in history. Zlatan was considered a fascinating person both on and off the field. [Read More]

Dominik Szoboszlai, A $76 Million Sensation at Liverpool — by Oliver Zink, age 13

Hungarian soccer player Dominik Szoboszlai was bought by Liverpool in 2023 for $76 million. Szoboszlai gave his opinion on the team by saying it has "... outstanding players, good coach, everything is good. For me, it is perfect." Szoboszlai will leave the Leipzig team, where he did well between 2021 and 2023. His jersey number will change to number eight at Liverpool. [Read More]

The Life and Career of the Great Bill Russell — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 15

Bill Russell was the pillar of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Boston Celtics. Russell was not just a once-in-a-lifetime player, he was also an activist and spoke about racial injustice [Read More]

UW Field House, a Madison Landmark — by Owen Ayite-Atayi, age 14

The UW Field House is a landmark building initially built in 1930. It serves as the home to the UW volleyball and wrestling teams. Other UW teams are included as a part of the Field House family, such as the basketball, boxing, and track and field teams. [Read More]

On His Way to the Hall of Fame, Wayne Embry Helped Build a Winner in Milwaukee — by Jules Da Costa , age 14

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Play Ball! New Youth Baseball League Launches in Madison — by Josepha Da Costa, age 17

On a sunny Saturday in early July, several Simpson Street reporters headed to Elver Park to watch a baseball game. It wasn’t just any game though; it was a little league game played by kids from all over Madison, including one of our own staff writers, Max Moreno! [Read More]

From Seattle Pilots to Milwaukee Brewers — by Julian Medina, age 14

Where did the present-day Milwaukee Brewers originate? The Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, formerly known as the Seattle Pilots, was established in Seattle, Washington, in the 1960s. [Read More]

Lisa Byington Makes History as Basketball's First Female Play-by-Play Announcer — by Josepha Da Costa, age 17

While the Milwaukee Bucks came up short in this year’s playoffs, it was still a great season. The team won its division, defeated the Chicago Bulls in a five-game playoff series, and once again excited Wisconsin basketball fans. [Read More]

The Rich Basketball History of Madison La Follette High School — by Josepha Da Costa, age 16

The 2021-22 Madison La Follette High School basketball team had a very successful season. But this isn’t the first time La Follette has had an excellent team. In fact, the school has a rich basketball history and the Lancers have won three state championships. Many La Follette players have gone on to play college basketball for major programs like the University of Wisconsin and Creighton University. [Read More]

Michael Jordan's 1995 Return is One of the Greatest Comebacks in Sports History — by Zayn Khalid, age 12

Michael Jordan stands as one of the greatest athletes of all time, and is considered basketball's most renowned players. Jordan is one of the fastest players to adjust from different sports. [Read More]

El largo camino de los Milwaukee Bucks hacia el campeonato — por Zayn Khalid, 11 años de edad; traducido por Yoanna Hoskins, 17 años de edad

Durante los 50 años anteriores a la temporada 2020-21, los Milwaukee Bucks no habían ganado un campeonato de NBA. Los playoffs de los Bucks en 2021 y la victoria en el campeonato fue uno de los años más emocionantes de la NBA. [Read More]

Oscar Robertson: the Milwaukee Bucks' Superstar — by Amare Smith, age 18

Oscar Robertson grew up in a poor family. By the age of two, he and his family had moved to Indiana, a state where basketball was beloved as a very popular and growing sport in the 1950s. Oscar made tennis balls and rags into basketballs and used peach baskets as basketball hoops to practice. [Read More]

Greatest Game in Football History? The 1967 Ice Bowl! — by Jacob Dunn, age 12

The “Ice Bowl” was a Green Bay Packers football game that forever left its imprint on NFL history. It is also one of the most important sporting events in Wisconsin history. [Read More]

New Baseball Stadium Opens in Wisconsin — by Max Moreno, age 10

A new baseball stadium built for the Lake Country DockHounds opened this summer in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. [Read More]

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