A Philly youth sports organization is creating an award named for Dawn Staley
The award's first winners are the women's basketball coaches of the Big 5: Diane Richardson, Mountain MacGillivray, Denise Dillon, Cindy Griffin, Mike McLaughlin, and Amy Mallon.
North Philly native Dawn Staley is getting a little more love from her hometown.
The Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative this week announced the creation of the Dawn Staley Legacy Award.
The award was created to honor those who have shown strong leadership and have made an impact on expanding basketball within the community, especially for women and girls, according to a news release. The award is meant to showcase Staley’s impact on women’s basketball on the court and in the community.
It will be presented at the Philadelphia Sports Legacy Honors on May 20 at the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center. The inaugural winners of the award are the head coaches of the Big 5 women’s basketball teams: Diane Richardson (Temple), Mountain MacGillivray (La Salle), Denise Dillon (Villanova), Cindy Griffin (St. Joseph’s), Mike McLaughlin (Penn), and Amy Mallon (Drexel).
“Dawn Staley’s impact goes far beyond wins and championships,” Beth Devine, executive director of the PYSC, said in the release. “She has changed what is possible for women in sports and continues to inspire the next generation. It is only fitting that the first recipients of this award are the coaches who are carrying that work forward right here in Philadelphia.”
Staley coached the Temple women from 2000-08, leading the program to six NCAA Tournament appearances. She has coached at South Carolina since 2009 and has won three national championships.
Philly wants more community sports programs for kids. What’s lacking? Dedicated coaches.
As more kids increasingly flock to for-profit programs, community coaches are disappearing. A trend the city hopes to reverse by partnering with programs training teens to become the next generation.
The Octavius Catto Baseball League was founded in 2025 to provide entry-level baseball opportunities for youth ages 6-12. The city says it needs more coaches in leagues like this to combat kids going to for-profit organizations.
Jordan Mailata wins first Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award, which now bears the name of the late Phillies chairman
After 65 years of honoring athletes, organizations, and teams for their on-field success, the John Wanamaker Athletic Award is entering its next chapter — and it’s bringing a new legacy with it.
The newly renamed Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award pays tribute to both Wanamaker and former Phillies president, the late David Montgomery.
As part of the change, the award — which was previously presented to “the athlete, team or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel” — will now focus more on athletes’ off-field accomplishments. It will honor recipients’ work in their communities and their love for the city.
This year, that’s Jordan Mailata. The Eagles offensive tackle will be the first to receive the Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award, in recognition of his work with The Philly Specials.
New study finds access to youth sports is unequal in Philadelphia. The city looks to change that.
Before the first pitch is thrown, Tyrone Young arrives early to the baseball field at Hunting Park to pick up trash in both dugouts where teenagers gather to play in North Philadelphia’s Heritage Baseball League.
The trash is what he can control. What he can’t fix are the deep holes on the base paths that make it nearly impossible to play when it rains. He believes race has something to do with the condition of his field.
“Certain fields you might go in the Northeast ... their fields are immaculate, but why do ours not look like that?” said Young, who founded the league in 2008.
New Study shows inequality in funding of city recreation programs
A new study has found that sports facilities in Philadelphia neighborhoods with higher percentages of white residents tend to be of higher quality than those in areas with fewer white residents.
The study, conducted by Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, began in 2023 and observed 1,400 sports facilities across the city that are managed by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.
Its findings were stark: White neighborhoods had better quality sports facilities, more sports fields, and more permitted sports.
“Moving forward, we know that a larger investment is needed.” said Dontae Privette, the Director of Community Engagement, at Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative. He says that in affluent neighborhoods, recreation programs rely on volunteer support and resources but in lower income neighborhoods working parents may not have the time.
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Local university basketball teams gather to show how 'Philly Girls Got Game'
These basketball teams from local universities were brought together for one purpose today.
As part of the "Philly Girls Got Game" event, young kids were inspired by their older peers and learned athletic skills.
It's thanks to the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC) and their efforts to bring programming to local kids.
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Get ready for the 2025 Youth Football and Cheer Conference
Dontae Privette, of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative and Cherita Merricks, of Uptown Warriors Cheer join NBC10’s Erin Coleman to discuss the upcoming 2025 Youth Football and Cheer Conference that will be held on July 19, 2025 at the Creese Student Center at Drexel University.
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Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative Awarded Grant from ESPN’s “Take Back Sports” Initiative
The Initiative, Powered by Disney, Includes a $5 Million Investment and Increases Access to Play for Young Athletes
ESPN and Disney Jr. Also Announce Collaboration with Every Kid Sports to Get Preschoolers in the Game
Today, ESPN’s new youth sports initiative Take Back Sports — created to expand access to sport for youth — launched its official website (www.TakeBackSports.org), debuted a new animated video, and announced the recipients of its inaugural Innovation Challenge grants. It was also announced that Take Back Sports and the ‘Disney Jr. Let’s Play!’ campaign have collaborated with national non-profit Every Kid Sports on a new preschool-focused initiative.
Innovation Challenge Grant Recipients
Building upon the $5 million charitable investment that ESPN has invested in to reimagine youth sports, ESPN announced the Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge at the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit. Through strategic investments in cutting-edge training models, inclusive programming and community-rooted solutions, the Innovation Challenge spotlights bold approaches that reimagine how kids engage with sports — fostering a more accessible and positive youth sports experience for all. ESPN doubled its original investment from $50,000 to $100,000 in response to more than 150 compelling applications from across the country. This year’s Take Back Sports Innovation Challenge recipients include:
- Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC) earned a grant for its transformative Game On Philly! initiative, which places trained community coaches and AmeriCorps members directly into neighborhood recreation centers to deliver high-quality, trauma-informed sports programming. The program’s innovative partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation ensures scalable, sustainable recreation for youth ages 6–14 where they live, play and grow.