West Virginia
W.Va. looks to lessen travel sports restrictions
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The West Virginia Standing Committee on Education met Monday to discuss House Bill 2355.
The bill’s sponsor, Del. Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, said it would get rid of restrictions for middle and high school students wanting to play on travel teams.
Jay Cipoletti, head coach of the girl’s soccer team for John Adams Middle School, said he’s seen the side effects of the current rules.
“Getting an opportunity to play in front of a college coach at 12 or 13 years old is a tremendous opportunity that we do not grant our athletes in West Virginia,” Cipoletti said.
The WVSSAC has restrictions on how many games and practices players can participate in. WVSSAC Executive Director David Price said that’s for a reason.
“The lack of oversight and the time that they get into that, the risk of injury does increase and we know that,” Price said.
Price also said giving school sports the priority is better for developing student athletes.
“I’m letting somebody down that I’ve committed to, so what are we teaching kids outside of that and I know that’s a philosophical thing, but that’s always in the back of my mind of how we honor that and how we do that and keep that an extension of the classroom,” he said.
Cipoletti told lawmakers that from his experience coaching, controlling the risk of injury and commitment can be done correctly.
“As long as it’s managed, it’s not an issue and more can be better as long as it’s managed with all the people involved.”
Cipoletti said he’s seen students struggle to make decisions when playing with teammates from bordering states without the same rules.
“They have players from Kentucky who can play both sports and from West Virginia who can only play their school sport or can only play their club sport during the fall. The unfortunate result is the West Virginia kids don’t play school, middle school in the fall.”
The sponsor of the bill, Del. Joe Statler, said if students have games with schedule conflicts, priority would be given to school sports.
Lawmakers say the bill goes to the mark up and passage stage at the next committee meeting where it would be voted on to amend or send to the House floor.
Copyright 2025 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
YSS offers West Virginia’s first transitional living recovery programs for young adults
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WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling is home to West Virginia’s first recovery program designed specifically for young adults, offering a new track aimed at people ages 18 to 24 who are working to overcome substance use disorders.
Youth Services System announced it will offer the recovery track at the McCrary Center in Wheeling for young adults dealing with opioid or stimulant use disorders. The program is designed to provide recovery-focused housing and support services, giving participants a safe, structured environment as they work toward long-term recovery and stability.
“Our transitional living program has been licensed by the Department of Human Services, as well as the Office of Health Facility Licensure. We also achieved the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residence certification so there will be a lot of oversight in this program. And we look forward to our continued work with them,” YSS CEO Jill Eddy said.
Youth Services System received a one-time grant through the West Virginia Bureau of Behavioral Health to help expand services and launch the new track in Wheeling.
“Research shows that the longer a person is provided a safe space while in recovery, the chances of their success in recovery and remaining sober is definitely increased,” Eddy said.
Services will include substance-free and MAT-friendly housing, peer recovery support, therapy, recovery planning, and overdose prevention education. The program also supports individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions and prioritizes high-risk and underserved populations.
More information about Youth Services System is available here.
BUCKHANNON, W.Va (WDTV) – WestCare West Virginia cut the ribbon for its Hope in the Mountains complex on 22 N. Locust Street. The new facility will treat men with substance abuse issues with the hopes of fighting the drug epidemic in West Virginia.
Each room in the complex includes 56 beds, a television set and clean bathroom. Stephen Wright spoke ahead of the ribbon cutting along with Buckhannon officials. He said this facility differs from others on how they approach treatment.
“We really focus on the individual and the individual needs and focus on their progress in the program versus a number of days that a person is in treatment. So it’s really individualized,” said Stephen Wright, chief operating officer of WestCare Appalachia. “So we still need aftercare, outpatient counseling, and those things. But this really gives an opportunity for an intervention to break that cycle for individuals struggling with addiction. Because lots of times they must be separated from the living circumstances that they’re in at that time.”
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
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