CANFIELD SOFTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 2) WITH MIKE KERNAN

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CANFIELD OH- The Cardinals have pushed their way to a state semifinal. A season after winning a district championship and being bumped out of the tournament in regionals the Cardinals have taken the next step and worked their way to Firestone Stadium in Akron.  The Cardinals are led by Mike Kernan who has returned to the area for his first year as the Canfield head coach. The culture he has set is one of the big reasons why the Cardinals have earned a trip to state.

Canfield plays in the state semifinal on Thursday at Akron Firestone Stadium against Steubenville.  The first pitch is slated for 3:00

Mike Kernan joined DJ Yokley live at Cocca’s Pizza to talk about this fantastic run the softball team is on.  Coach Kernan talks about what he wanted to instill in the roster, what have been the keys to success, and much more. Check out Episode 2 of Coach’s Corner with Mike Kernan.

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WE ARE YOUNGSTOWN; YOUTH BEING PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES THANKS TO STELLAR LEADERSHIP

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- When the location “Youngstown” commands different emotions and reactions based on your experiences and what you’ve heard throughout your life.  For some, they picture violence and crime, for others, it’s championship-caliber athleticism, for even more it’s incredible food and family.

One group of great leaders, they’ve chosen to take any negative stereotypes associated with the city, and look to rewrite the narrative on what people come to expect from their city.

As far as the youth is concerned, valley leaders are creating camps for sports that help provide events to look forward to, as well as provide activities to build character, build relationships and create a love for sports along the way.

This past week a football camp was held in the city that generated interest from over 250 young people between the ages of first and eighth grades.

We sat down with Pastor Kenneth Donaldson and Nick Sferra to discuss what’s being done now, as well as potential game plans for future activities and plans to keep the youth in Youngstown on the rise on and off the field.

PAVKOVICH RECEIVES AWARD FOR ETHICS AND INTEGRITY

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EAST PALESTINE, OH- Each year, at their annual Spring Conference on April 24, 2023 at the Spire Institute, the Executive Committee of the NEOIAAA honors various athletic administrators and other professionals who have contributed outstanding service to interscholastic athletics in Northeast Ohio.

The recipients of the award are nominated by association members, and honorees are selected by the awards committee made up of NEOIAAA executive committee members. Congratulations to Director of Athletics at East Palestine City Schools, Dwayne Pavkovich, for being selected to receive the NEOIAAA Sportsmanship Ethics & Integrity Award, which “is presented to an association member who has shown Sportsmanship, Ethics, & Integrity in his or her decision making or handling of event(s) or situation(s) to help student-athletes gain valuable experiences or lessons.

EDGEWOOD WARRIORS BASEBALL COACHES CORNER JEFF BARGER

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East Palestine, OH-Every coach strives to get their players to play up to their potential and the Edgewood Warriors 4th year head coach Jeff Barger did just that. With a 2022 season that resulted in a final record of 18-5 and a CVC conference championship coach Barger now has his sights set on continuing further into the OHSAA tournament after falling to Lakeview in the first round.

 

Coach Barger dives into losing team leaders and contributors from the class of 2022 but returning 8 of 9 starters from last year’s team including the CVC player of the year Logan Kray who finished with an in-conference ERA of 0. Coach also talks about how the addition of some special freshman this year and underclassman stepping up will change the look of the team this year. The roles of each player will serve as the biggest difference for the Warriors team this year.  Coach says that the Edgewood Warriors will live by the mantras of “know your role and do your job” and trying to go 1-0 in every situation.

HAKE’S TAKE (4/23)

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- The only thing that is guaranteed in life is change, and at Valley Christian, things are changing rapidly- and for the better.  Over the Easter break in 2023, a group of coaches and administrators decided that they wanted a better home for strengthening the foundation of the Eagle programs.  The Valley Christian programs currently call a two-car garage just down the street from the High School home base for their lifting needs.

As of mid-April, they are excited about the transformations that had taken place thanks to the generosity of great people.

Head Coach, Andy Hake never shies away from adversity, and proves once again alongside the administration and staff- he’s here for the student-athletes.  We sat down with the Head Ball Coach to talk about his new digs and his upcoming squad.

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COACHES CORNER ST. JOHN HERALDS ALVIN RODRIGUEZ

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East Palestine, OH- The stresses and expectations of being a head coach at any school are expected by those who answer the call. Those pressures are often increased when the head coach is returning to the school they graduated from. St. John’s Alvin Rodriguez, a 2004 St. John graduate, returns for his third year as the Heralds skipper. After a successful 2022 season that included a 10-10 record and sectional championship he is looking to build and continue the success at Ashtabula county’s smallest school.

With a nice mix of youth and experience the Heralds will try to advance further into the OHSAA tournament than last year after their season ended with a loss to Bristol. The Heralds also have the new challenge of chasing after a conference title as they become the newest member of the NAC. Increased numbers in participation have Rodriguez excited about the 2023 season with 18 players on the roster this year being a huge jump from the 11 that suited up for the 2022 season.

 

VALLEY CHRISTIAN COACH’S CORNER WITH AARON AGRESTA

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YOUNGSTOWN, OH- The only thing that is guaranteed in life is change, and at Valley Christian, things are changing rapidly- and for the better.  Over the Easter break in 2023, a group of coaches and administrators decided that they wanted a better home for strengthening the foundation of the Eagle programs.  The Valley Christian programs currently call a two-car garage just down the street from the High School home base for their lifting needs.

As of mid-April, they are excited about the transformations that had taken place thanks to the generosity of great people.

Defensive Coordinator, and girls’ head hoops coach, Aaron Agresta sat down with YSN to discuss the importance of the new weight room and the pride he hopes it delivers when his team takes the field this Fall.

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WESTERN RESERVE SOFTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH KATIE SERENSKY

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BERLIN CENTER OH- It’s a brand new era of softball in Western Reserve as Katie Serensky takes her first year as head coach in stride.  In talking to her you can tell this was a dream job in her mind, and one she’s been wanting for a while. Coaching comes second nature in the Serensky household. Joe Serensky is the head coach of the boys basketball team, and he’ll be an assistant to Katie in softball. As for the Blue Devils roster, it is filled with talent, and most importantly speed. They might be the fastest team in the YSN family.  As they embark on a new season with a new coach, we are so excited to see what they will accomplish.

Coach Serensky was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to discuss the season. They chat about the speed the Devils feature in the lineup, the leaders she will lean on this season, and much more. Check out Episode 1 of Coach’s Corner With Katie Serensky exclusively on YSN!

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CANFIELD BASEBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH GARY KNITTLE

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CANFIELD, OH- After a tough loss to end the 2022 campaign, the Cardinals are loaded up and are on a mission in 2023.  Leading the way once again is veteran Coach, Gary Knittle and a great staff of stickball experts alongside of the skipper.

With some high-end returners making their way back into the lineup this year, Coach Knittle is optimistic about this team and their goals in the year ahead.

YSN’s DJ Yokley sat down with Coach Knits for a 1 on 1 to talk about the Cards in 2023 on the opening day episode of Canfield Coach’s Corner with Gary Knittle.

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HOBAN SOFTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP 1) WITH KEVIN YUN

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AKRON OH- It’s officially softball season and the Hoban Knights are hungry! They were one step away from a trip to Firestone a year ago. Bringing back a ton of players that have been through that makes the Knights devoted to success this year. They know exactly what the expectations are for a team as high of caliber as them.  That makes coaching them an easy job for Kevin Yun.  He doesn’t have to stay on them about goals and standards.  They know all too well what it takes. The Knights will test themselves a lot with their independent schedule to prepare them for the division 1 District bracket.

Coach Yun was kind enough to take the time to chat with YSN’s Anthony Hartwig to give us our first interview from Hoban softball.  He talks about managing the expectations of Hoban athletics, the hunger to get back to regionals this season, and much more. Check out Episode 1 of Coach’s Corner With Kevin Yun exclusively on YSN.

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