Youth Sports

Ovet Gomez Regalado, a 15-year-old sophomore, is the fourth Shawnee Mission Northwest student to die in the past 14 months. A GoFundMe for his family has already raised more than $29,000.

Ella Messner set a time of 5:04.35 for the 1600-meter race — a personal record by 17 seconds — at the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis this spring. It cemented her status as one of the fastest 8th grade runners in the country.

Desde la década de 1950, el baloncesto masculino latino ha sido una tradición en el barrio de Westside. Un icónico torneo de baloncesto que le rinde homenaje a un antiguo entrenador de adolescentes del barrio, Tony Aguirre, se ha juntado con las celebraciones del fin de semana del Cinco de Mayo para recaudar fondos para los deportes en la comunidad latina.

Latino men's basketball has been a Westside tradition since the 1950s. An iconic basketball tournament that honors a former youth coach in the neighborhood, Tony Aguirre, has been paired with Cinco de Mayo weekend celebrations to raise money for local Latino sports.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum accepted on Thursday the remnants of the vandalized statue. The cleats will be added to an existing exhibit about the first Black American to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

Lifelong martial artist David Muhammad has used a background in karate to launch his kickboxing practice onto the global stage. The two disciplines have fed his thirst for competitive combat, and helped him build a diverse community in south Kansas City.

An estimated 70% of children quit organized sports by age 13. Filmed in the Kansas City metro, the new documentary "Not Good Enough" discusses the mental strain that young athletes feel from perfectionism and competition, and how adults can better approach the game.

After escaping civil war in their homeland, members of the Kunama ethnic group have found a home in Kansas City, Kansas. After seeing some youths get into trouble, Abraham Atu started a soccer team to steer them the right way.

The Urban Youth Academy helped plant the team's flag in the Historic 18th and Vine district, but many residents of nearby neighborhoods have only mustered lukewarm acceptance. Will the lack of enthusiasm affect the push for a new downtown ballpark?

One law bans minors and incarcerated Missourians from accessing puberty blockers, hormones or gender-affirming surgeries — all treatments that are widely supported by mainstream medical groups. Those under 18 who have already begun treatment may continue their regimens. The second law prohibits transgender athletes from competing in sports that align with their gender identity.

The bills now go to Gov. Mike Parson, who is expected to sign them. While they're less restrictive than other Republican-leaning states, they still provoked harsh criticism from Democrats who said they’re political ploys at the expense of a vulnerable part of Missouri’s LGBTQ community.

Under the legislation, schools would not be allowed to let students play on sports teams that don’t match the gender listed on their birth certificate or another government record. The bill would apply to public and charter schools from grade six through 12.