OKC PAL Youth League – Hoops! Week 1

Jan 23, 2016

Fields & Futures is excited to report the OKC PAL Youth League had their first basketball games of the season on January 23. After a successful program launch with flag football and volleyball in the fall, the league has expanded to include schools that feed into Webster, Jefferson and Roosevelt Middle School. With greater numbers of students and teams, the games will now be played at Jefferson AND Webster!  We hope the two locations will make it easier for kids and their parents to attend games.

Many of the coaches have returned so they can keep working with their same students. They are truly investing in the students, their schools and their community.  In addition to the police officer coaches from the Police Athletic League, we have three Oklahoma City firefighters who have signed up to coach. We also have several ex-college athletes who are coaching our teams.  It’s exciting to have such qualified, positive role models working with our student athletes!

We love to see the continued participation from the various partners who are involved in this league. This league wouldn’t happen without the collaborative efforts of Oklahoma City Public Schools Athletics, OKC Department of Parks and Recreation, OKC Police Athletic League, Fields & Futures and many other community partners and volunteers. Thank you to Cleats for Kids for supplying basketball shoes!

Game, Set, Impact: A Q&A With Our New Development Director, Emmy Hufnagel

Emmy Hufnagel is an avid tennis player, former triathlete, and the newest addition to the Fields & Futures team. As our Development Director, Emmy brings a wealth of experience in youth sports advocacy and nonprofit leadership. Having seen firsthand the impact of sports on young lives, Emmy is dedicated to helping us take the next big step—from building fields to filling them with kids.

Meet Cody Laurendi, Fields & Futures’ New Director of Soccer

Cody Laurendi is a former OKC Energy FC goalkeeper and the newest member of the Fields & Futures team. As Director of Soccer & Youth Sports Advocate, Cody has shifted his focus from playing the game to growing it. With his passion for the game and vision for increasing youth participation in Oklahoma City, Cody is a key player in helping us keep our goal of creating more opportunities on and off the pitch.

What Drives Capitol Hill and U.S. Grant Football?

U.S. Grant and Capitol Hill may be rivals, but their football programs have more in common than their annual "Southside Bedlam" rivalry game. From 2014-2020, the OSSAA allowed both programs to play as independents so they could create their own schedules and rebuild their programs. Now playing in Class 6A, neither team has found success in district play, but they also know the scoreboard isn't the only standard of success.

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