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MLB Kansas City Urban Youth Academy aims to bring more diversity to baseball

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MLB Kansas City Urban Youth Academy aims to bring more diversity to baseball


KANSAS CITY, Mo — After faculty 14-year-old Thomas Smith may be seen chasing his greatest dream on the MLB City Youth Academy, a spot he frequents along with his household not less than six instances every week.

“It is fairly enjoyable, they they’ve a number of alternatives, even at my age,” Smith defined. “You get to journey world wide and play the sport that you simply actually love.”

Thomas’ aim is to in the future turn out to be a baseball participant, a sport wealthy in Black historical past. In 1947, it turned one of many first sports activities to interrupt the colour line when former KC Monarch participant, Jackie Robinson turned the primary Black participant to play in Main League Baseball.

Nonetheless, many years later, America’s favourite previous time tells a distinct story.

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“I simply see primarily see white youngsters enjoying and barely see any those who appear to be me,” Smith stated.

Based on a 2022 report by the Institute for Variety and Ethics in Sport, range on the sector is hanging out. In 2022, 7.2% of gamers on opening day rosters had been Black, that is down from 19% in 1995.

This previous World Sequence was the primary time in 72 years had been no American born Black gamers had been included within the roster.

Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro League Baseball Museum believes value is among the main components contributing to the decline in black-American gamers which can be seen on the youth stage.

“This is a sport that was as soon as a blue collar sport, that’s now a rustic membership sport and it pains me to say the times of sandlot baseball are a factor prior to now,” Kendrick stated.

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The Smith household gave KSHB 41 Information a ballpark concept of how a lot they spend on Thomas’ baseball gear. Ted Smith, Thomas’ father, says high quality helmets begin at $80. Cleats which should be purchased each couple of years are $125, uniform packages begin at $250 and gloves and bats fluctuate however can value lots of of {dollars} every. Ted says that is on prime of the prices related to journey, event charges and time spent driving Thomas and his siblings to apply or video games.

“It isn’t low-cost, however you make it you make it work,” Ted Smith stated. “There are some sacrifices as a dad or mum it’s important to make.”

The MLB Kansas Metropolis City Youth Academy is conscious of the issue and is stepping as much as the plate by introducing baseball to extra kids inside the metropolis’s city core. Phillip Hannon, Senior Supervisor at UYA believes it’s everybody’s finest curiosity to make sure baseball is accessible, saying the teachings realized on the sector play a much bigger position in life.

“It’s the camaraderie, the chemistry that youngsters construct, the management and teamwork that is being taught, that is why baseball has to proceed and we’ve got to achieve success at UYA,” Hannon stated.

UYA affords free coaching to youth gamers and over the previous yr, the variety of Black and brown gamers within the academy has elevated by 37%. Hannon believes the rise in minority participation is a direct results of their efforts to rent and recruit a various workers and volunteer base like former MLB participant, Willie Akins.

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In 2020, MLB introduced a partnership with the Main League Baseball Gamers Affiliation and the Gamers Alliance in committing $10 million to assist enhance illustration of black individuals in all ranges of baseball.

“We wish to ensure each baby has the chance to afford to play this sport, however I do not need them to simply dream about playin Main League,” Kendrick stated. “I need them to dream concerning the different prospects which are additionally a part of this sport each on and off the sector.”

Thomas says regardless of obstacles, now greater than ever it is necessary catch his greatest dream.

“It provides me extra of a problem to truly be be capable to play at that stage, particularly as a result of I am Black,” Thomas Smith stated.





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How to watch Iowa State basketball vs. Kansas City: TV channel, live stream

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How to watch Iowa State basketball vs. Kansas City: TV channel, live stream


For now, the competition will remain the same for the Iowa State men’s basketball team. After rolling through Mississippi Valley State in their season opener, the Cyclones now prepare for Kansas City on Monday night in Ames from Hilton Coliseum.

It was a complete team effort by Iowa State, as the defense held Mississippi Valley State down throughout as the offense worked out some kinks. Led by Tamin Lipsey, who was an honorable mention All-American last year, expectations around the program are high. 

Lipsey scored 16 points on 5 of 7 shooting, dishing out four assists with three steals and two blocked shots in just 24 minutes of game action. Keshon Gilbert, Josh Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic joined him in double figures. 

The Roos have a pair of games under their belts, including a 91-68 victory in their opener over Hannibal-LaGrange. They went 16-16 a year ago and finished 10-6 in the Summit League, earning a runner-up finish thanks to a season-ending six-game win streak.

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Here are details on how to watch Iowa State’s contest vs. Kansas City on Monday, Nov. 11:

Who: Kansas City at Iowa State in men’s basketball action

When: 7 p.m. CT | Monday, November 11

Where: Hilton Coliseum | Ames, Iowa

Live Stream: Stream Kansas City at Iowa State live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)

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TV Channel: ESPN+

Our Prediction: Iowa State 78, Kansas City 55

Live Updates, Highlights: Follow the game on Iowa State on SI for live updates, in-game analysis and big-play highlights throughout Monday’s matchup.

* Lipsey among those named to preseason watch list



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Army’s long-range assault aircraft fuselages to be built in Kansas

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Army’s long-range assault aircraft fuselages to be built in Kansas


Bell Textron will build the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, fuselages in Wichita, Kansas, the company announced this week.

The company won the Army’s bid to build FLRAA in late 2022 following a competition in which it and a Sikorsky-Boeing team flew technology demonstrators for several years to evaluate aircraft capabilities and drive out risk to a future program of record.

Bell will use an existing facility near Textron Aviation Defense and plans to start work there “in the next several months,” according to a statement.

The company will also conduct supporting work at several of its advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, like its Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth. Final assembly will take place in Amarillo.

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The Army’s FLRAA program moved out of technology development and into the critical engineering and manufacturing development phase in August.

The FLRAA program is estimated to be worth approximately $70 billion across its lifespan, including foreign military sales, and is set to replace roughly 2,000 Black Hawk utility helicopters.

The future advanced tiltrotor will not serve as a one-for-one replacement for existing aircraft, but it is expected around 2030 to take over the roles of the Black Hawk, long the Army’s workhorse.

The FLRAA program’s initial unit has already been delayed by one year due to protests by Sikorsky’s parent company, Lockheed Martin, over the service’s choice of Textron Bell’s advanced tiltrotor design. Sikorsky and Boeing’s design featured coaxial rotor blades.

The Government Accountability Office rejected Lockheed’s protest in April 2023.

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The Army will now equip the first unit with the capability in fiscal 2031. A limited user test is expected sometime in FY27 to FY28.

The contract award in 2022 includes nine options — entering the engineering and manufacturing development phase means the Army will exercise the first option, under which Bell will deliver detailed aircraft design and build six prototypes.

The first aircraft in this phase is expected to fly in 2026, with low-rate initial production slated to begin in 2028.

“As Bell prepares for the next stage of FLRAA’s engineering and manufacturing development phase, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer, Lisa Atherton, Bell’s president and CEO, said in the statement.

“Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita,” she said, “and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility.”

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Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.



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No. 17 Iowa State faces Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium as Cyclones try to bounce back from first loss

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No. 17 Iowa State faces Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium as Cyclones try to bounce back from first loss


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The first message that made its way through the Iowa State locker room after Texas Tech ended its perfect start to the season, scoring in the final seconds last weekend to spring the upset and spoil homecoming for the Cyclones, was that nothing had changed.

“Hey,” Cyclones linebacker Kooper Ebel recalled his team saying, “all of our dreams, all our aspirations are still right in line.”

They will be if the No. 17 Cyclones (7-1, 4-1 Big 12, No. 17 CFP) can get back on track Saturday against Kansas.

Iowa State is only a game behind unbeaten BYU in the conference and tied with Colorado, neither of which Matt Campbell’s team would play until a potential Big 12 title showdown. But the top of the standings are a jumbled mess, and another slip-up against the desperate Jayhawks (2-6, 1-4) in their matchup at Arrowhead Stadium could be a crippling blow to not only the Cyclones’ title aspirations but also their hopes of landing in the College Football Playoff.

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“I would say there’s definitely a sense of urgency, like there has been all season, but even more prominent here at practice,” Ebel said. “There was a sense of urgency to row and get better. At times, we’re just inches off, and those inches really matter, and they showed up last Saturday. We’re honing in on those details — those little details.”

The Jayhawks, who had last week off, are just as in need of a win as the Cyclones. They have lost their six games by a combined 30 points, the latest the most gut-wrenching yet: a loss to rival Kansas State on a field goal in the closing minutes.

Now, the Jayhawks need to win out just to reach a third straight bowl game. They not only face the Cyclones, they also have games against No. 9 BYU and No. 21 Colorado in successive weeks.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (3) escapes the reach of Texas Tech defensive back Brenden Jordan (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Credit: AP/Bryon Houlgrave

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of this football team, of how they’ve stuck together, through frustration and disappointment,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “They continue to work hard and be coachable. They continue to see the margin is very small and own it, that we haven’t made the plays at the right opportunities. … But at the same time, they continue to work hard and see that winning football is not far from our grasp.”

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Bye, bye, bye

The Jayhawks have won four straight when they have at least an extra week to prepare, dating to the 2022 season, and a couple of them have been notable. They beat No. 18 Oklahoma State two years ago and No. 6 Oklahoma last season.

“Obviously we’ve had decent success off of it,” Leipold said, “and hopefully it can repeat itself.”

Strange surroundings

The Jayhawks won the first meeting of the schools 11-6 on Oct. 15, 1898, and the teams have played 103 times — with six ties — over the years. But this will be the first time they play anywhere other than Ames, Iowa, or Lawrence, Kansas, instead meeting at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, while the Jayhawks renovate their campus stadium.

Iowa State defensive back Malik Vernon (7) knocks a pass...

Iowa State defensive back Malik Vernon (7) knocks a pass away from Texas Tech wide receiver Josh Kelly, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Credit: AP/Bryon Houlgrave

“It will be really cool just to be able to play in a stadium like that,” said Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel, who grew up across the state line in Kansas City, Kansas, and was a standout at Park Hill High School. “I grew up going to games there and watching my favorite team there so, yeah, it’ll be pretty cool.”

Record watch

Kansas running back Devin Neal needs seven yards rushing to break June Henley’s school record of 3,841, which he set from 1993-96. The native of Lawrence, Kansas, also needs just one TD run to break Henley’s record of 41.

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“We all know in this room what kind of person he is, his contributions off the field,” Leipold said. “What I’ll always remember is the guy who walks in the building every day and you know, from where he was as a freshman to where he is now as a confident young adult is probably impresses me most.”

Better starts

Iowa State’s defense has struggled on the opening possession in each of its last four games. Texas Tech, UCF and West Virginia each drove 75 yards for a touchdown while Baylor needed to go just 59 yards for a score.

“Sometimes I think a little bit of it is we know who we are, our base defense, and some people scheme us up pretty well early in the game and we have to make some adjustments,” Campbell said. “What’s most impressive is when maybe it hasn’t gone well right away is our kids’ ability to hang in there, reverse the tide and give ourselves a best chance.”



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