Recent posts by Sonny Young:
Nigeria’s Iheanacho: From Small Poles to Four Goals
“I’ve scored four goals in a game many times, but only in the streets with my friends. But never in an international match, never for my country. The feeling is amazing,” said Kelechi Iheanacho, after an impressive performance in Nigeria’s opening match of the Under 17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Kelechi gave […]
The Olympic Torch Takes a Spacewalk
Yes you read right! The Sochi 2014 Olympic torch will make a historic appearance in space as part of its relay from Greece to Russia for the Winter Olympics next year. I’m sure like me, some of you are wondering how this is going to work. I’m no rocket scientist, but the little Einstein in […]
Yaya Toure on Target for Man City and Ivory Coast
Will Yaya Toure win a third straight African Footballer of the Year award? Based on his recent performances, the 30-year-old Toure has to be considered a strong contender once again for the trophy. African football analyst David Legge in Johannesburg says the rugged midfielder for Manchester City and Ivory Coast is doing very well early […]
Parker and France Win First EuroBasket Title
French star Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs says the road to a first European basketball title was an unbelievable journey and he wouldn’t change anything in how the successful script was written. Parker and the French team won their first major basketball trophy Sunday with an 80-66 victory over Lithuania in the final […]
Jim Fixx and My Joy of Running
I thought of Jim Fixx during my 7-mile run this morning around the neighborhood. It was a beautiful fall day with brilliant blue skies and cool temperatures. Fixx, the author of the 1977 best-seller, The Complete Book of Running, died of a heart attack in 1984 during one of his daily runs in Vermont. He […]
Althea Gibson Stamp
The new Althea Gibson U.S. postage stamp gets the official Sonny Side of Sports seal of approval. The United States Postal Service says the stamp of the tennis champion, who died in 2003 at age 76, emphasizes two of her notable characteristics: grace and athleticism. The art is based on a photograph taken at Wimbledon, […]
FIFA Supports Somalia Football
World football’s governing body, FIFA, recently organized a five-day training program to help develop the sport in Somalia. The football festival in the capital, Mogadishu, was attended by more than 30 coaches and 300 children. During the clinic, local coaches learned basic training techniques with the hope of improving the skills of young Somali footballers. […]
USA Men’s Soccer Team Aims For Another World Cup Berth
The U.S. men’s national soccer team is on a record winning streak as it aims for its seventh consecutive World Cup berth next year in Brazil. The Americans beat Panama Sunday, 1-0, in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, which was played before almost 58,000 fans at Soldier Field in Chicago. Substitute Brek Shea, who plays […]
Somalia Basketball Bounces Back
I grew up playing basketball with my brothers on a cement court my father built in our backyard. It was a safe environment and we had lots of fun playing one of the world’s most popular sports. In Somalia, where there has been decades of war, basketball is being used as a peace-building tool in […]