South Dakota
Vikings Support Minnesota & South Dakota Athletes by Providing USA Football Coach Certification
EAGAN & INDIANAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings will provide more than 1,650 youth football coaches in Minnesota and South Dakota with USA Football’s Coach Certification in 2024, benefiting thousands of youth football athletes, their families and communities across the two states. With this latest commitment, the Vikings have paved the way for 3,500 coach certifications to be certified for free since the start of 2022.
The Vikings and USA Football, the sport’s governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), continue to work together to support grassroots football by preparing dedicated coaches with the knowledge and tools to provide athletes and their families with memorable experiences.
“Playing team sports provides young athletes with many benefits, including life lessons and camaraderie,” said Vikings Vice President of Social Impact Brett Taber. “The Vikings are proud to partner with USA Football to grow the game and assist youth coaches and their programs with Coach Certification. Their comprehensive curriculum helps coaches teach young athletes the right football and life skills to be successful on and off the field.”
Minnesota and South Dakota youth coaches working with leagues that enroll with USA Football are eligible to receive support from the Vikings and get certified at no charge. USA Football enrollment is free and open to all youth football organizations at usafootball.com.
USA Football’s Coach Certification encompasses the Football Development Model (FDM), which focuses on progressive skill instruction, developing the whole athlete and building age-appropriate skills. The FDM was developed in partnership with a council of medical, child development, long-term athlete development and football subject matter experts drawn from the youth, high school, collegiate and professional ranks.
“USA Football is grateful to the Vikings for their continued trust and partnership,” said USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck. “By providing coaches with USA Football’s best-in-class Coach Certification, the Vikings will impact hundreds of communities and thousands of athletes.”
Since 2012, USA Football has certified more than 1.1 million coaches in 50 states and numerous foreign countries across six continents. USA Football’s Coach Certification is the only certification for youth football coaches accredited by the United States Center for Coaching Excellence’s (USCCE) National Committee for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE).
About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American football in the United States, the sole US member of the International Federation of American Football, and a recognized sports organization of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Its non-profit mission includes designing and delivering premier educational, development, and competitive programs for American football, including tackle and flag football. USA Football is the only organization that selects and organizes men’s and women’s US National Teams in federation-sanctioned international competition.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Governor Rhoden officially signed HB 1082 into law on Friday, March 27.
HB 1082 is a bill that establishes parameters for reimbursing school districts that provide free or reduced-price meals to students.
Representative Kadyn Wittman, who has worked to pass the bill for several years, expressed excitement and gratitude in a post to Facebook on Friday.
“10,000 kids across our state will now have access to free school meals. No stigma. No barriers. Just the support they need to learn and grow,” wrote Wittman.
“So incredibly grateful to everyone who made this happen. This is a big win for South Dakota families!”
You can see the full bill and its sponsors here.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Students at South Dakota Mines heard Wednesday from retired four-star general Maryanne Miller about her journey to the highest ranks of the U.S. military.
Miller is a retired four-star U.S. Air Force general. She is the only member of the Air Force Reserve ever to be promoted to this level.
She spoke about finding greatness and living a life of fulfillment. Her stories came from her time in the Air Force and as a volunteer for Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity.
“We so much get focused on what is our next step in life, what’s the next career move, how do we make ourselves better in our career, and we forget about how do we make ourselves better as a human being,” Miller said. “Because they have to go tandem. If it’s not tandem, you’re going to get off track.”
Miller was commissioned in 1981 and rose through the ranks before becoming a four-star general in 2018. She was the only woman serving as a four-star officer in the military at the time. She retired in 2020 after serving for almost 40 years.
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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
USDA to offer distaster assistance to South Dakota agriculture producers impacted by winter storms
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering financial and technical assistance to South Dakota farmers and livestock producers who may have been impacted by the recent winter storms.
“I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.” said Richard Fordyce, Production and Conservation Under Secretary.
FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners with financial assistance to restore damaged land and conservation structures or forests.
“Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop methods that focus on effective recovery of the land.” said Jessica Michalski, Acting NRCS State Conservationist in South Dakota.
For more information about the disaster assistance program, click here.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
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