DETROIT – Golf season is upon us, and this year, Detroit-area kids are invited to participate to learn golf and life skills with Bank of America’s “Golf with Us” clinic.

On Monday, June 16, 100 Metro Detroit youth will tee off at Bank of America’s free “Golf With Us” clinic located at Chandler Park Golf Course in Detroit.

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Participants from Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, First Tee of Greater Detroit College, Midnight Golf Program (MGP), and Detroit Pal, will be enjoying a fun golf introduction taught by First Tee coaches, members of University of Michigan golf team, and other student athletes.

The clinic will also feature special guests offering mentorship and advice on success in sports and life. The guest list includes former PGA of America President Suzy Whaley, serving as lead golf instructor, professional golfer Rachel Kuehn, and Eastside Golf apparel co-founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper.

Click here for more details about the program.

Registration is not open to the public.

Loh Kean Yew was a hit with the 30 primary school pupils as he interacted, warmed up and sparred with them. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

SINGAPORE – As the men’s singles world No. 10 and a father to a 10-month-old boy, Singapore badminton star Loh Kean Yew proved to be a natural when it comes to coaching kids.

On May 24, the 27-year-old led a coaching clinic organised by HSBC, in partnership with The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF), which supports children from low-income families with financial assistance to help them through school.

Throughout the 90-minute clinic at SBH East Coast @ EXPO, Loh was a hit with the 30 primary school pupils as he interacted, warmed up and sparred with them. He patiently taught the weaker players to “swing forward” their rackets, and reacted animatedly with a laugh whenever a kid smashed a shuttlecock past him.

He said: “I’m excited to share my passion for badminton with these young players and be part of this meaningful clinic with HSBC and The Straits Times.

“My journey in the sport began at a young age, and I understand how transformative these early experiences can be. I look forward to inspiring these children and perhaps discovering Singapore’s future badminton stars.”

For the kids, it was a rare opportunity to meet, play and learn from the 2021 world champion.

Aiden Leo, a 10-year-old from Ang Mo Kio Primary School who had just switched his co-curricular activity to badminton, said: “The clinic was super fun. I learnt new skills, got better at playing, and made some new friends. Now I feel more confident when I play.”

For HSBC, the clinic represents the bank’s ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for its global community.

Drawing on its rich portfolio of sports partnerships in badminton, rugby, golf, tennis and more, HSBC has benefited more than 550,000 children worldwide through its grassroots programmes.

Within Singapore, HSBC has a strong history of supporting youth sports development. They include the long-running HSBC Youth Golf Challenge in partnership with the Singapore Golf Association, which has nurtured professionals like Olympian Shannon Tan, Gregory Foo and James Leow.

The bank also conducted its first rugby coaching clinic in April, continuing its tradition of leveraging global sports partnerships to benefit local communities.

Wong Kee Joo, CEO of HSBC Singapore, said: “Aligned with Singapore’s Vision 2030 for sports development, we hope to leverage our international network in sport to inspire the next generation and contribute meaningfully to our community’s sporting ambitions.”

STSPMF general manager Lau Hui Ling added: “We are deeply appreciative of HSBC’s continued support for our cause by creating these unique experiences for our students. These opportunities expand their horizons and encourage them to pursue their dreams with confidence.”

National shuttler Loh Kean Yew with beneficiaries at the coaching clinic on May 24. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

In addition to the coaching clinic, the participants got to keep their rackets and each received a pair of tickets to the May 27-June 1 KFF Singapore Badminton Open, which features world champions such as Thailand’s men’s singles world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn and South Korea’s women’s singles world No. 1 An Se-young.

But there is no question who the top draw will be for Khairul Amri, a 12-year-old from East Spring Primary School.

He said: “I really look forward to seeing Loh Kean Yew, who is such an inspiration. His speed, power and fighting spirit make every match exciting to watch.

“Seeing him play live will be a big moment for me.”

Loh will be eyeing a deep run in the US$1 million (S$1.28 million) event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where he will open his campaign against European champion and world No. 9 Alex Lanier.

In their only previous encounter, the 20-year-old Frenchman edged out the Singaporean in three games in the 2024 Denmark Open quarter-finals.

Loh, who will meet either the 18th-ranked Frenchman Toma Junior Popov or Japan’s world No. 23 Yushi Tanaka if he progresses, said: “It’s going to be challenging, because we’re up against the very best in the world here.

“But playing at home in Singapore is always special.

“The cheers from the crowd lift me, and I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got.”

Meanwhile, the 22nd-ranked Jason Teh faces a daunting first-round test against defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi.

In the women’s singles, world No. 12 Yeo Jia Min is looking to break a 3-3 head-to-head deadlock with Thailand’s 10th-ranked Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the opening round, with the winner likely to meet Olympic champion An in the last 16.

In the mixed doubles, world No. 28 Terry Hee and Jin Yujia will take on Indonesia’s 27th-ranked Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja.

Following overwhelming demand, organisers released additional tickets earlier this week via Ticketmaster, with daily passes ranging from $40 to $330 and season passes priced from $100 to $450.

David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.

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Protein promotes healthy growth and development — so, of course, you want to make sure your kid is getting their fill.

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But is more always better? Or can too much protein be harmful? We talked with sports nutrition specialist Diana Schnee, RD, LD, about kids’ protein needs.

How much protein kids need

How much protein your kid needs depends on their age, and for teens, their sex matters, too.

Here’s how much protein kids need each day, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

Ages 1 to 3 : 13 grams

: 13 grams Ages 4 to 8 : 15 grams

: 15 grams Ages 9 to 13 : 34 grams

: 34 grams Females age 14 to 18 : 46 grams

: 46 grams Males age 14 to 18: 52 grams

NOTE: These are average values based on reference weights for children and are not meant to be an exact protein prescription based on age.

If you’re not measuring, don’t worry: Odds are your child is getting enough protein.

“In most Western countries, children already get two to three times the protein they need daily. It’s uncommon for a child to need extra,” Schnee notes.

Protein powders and kids

Should you use protein supplements to help ensure your kid is getting a little extra protein boost?

Probably not, Schnee says. “The focus should be more on adequate intake of whole foods as opposed to supplements.”

But taking in high amounts of protein is a popular trend among children, teens and their caregivers. That can be especially true for young athletes looking to bulk up and get bigger and stronger. They might turn to protein-packed supplements like:

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Supplements

Powders

Bars

Shakes

Smoothies

That can be a problem. It’s easy to go overboard with supplements. Because they’re so concentrated, they make it easy for kids (and adults) to slurp down way more protein and calories than they’d naturally eat.

For example, a high-protein shake can have 30 grams of protein per bottle — comparable to a whole grilled chicken breast. But the chicken will be more filling than the shake, keeping kids fuller longer and leaving less room for snacks, sweets and other not-so-nutritious foods.

The risk of kids getting too much protein

Too much protein can be unhealthy for kids (and adults, too). All that extra protein intake isn’t doing what you think it is.

Protein has a reputation for helping to build and repair muscles. And that’s true. But extra protein is simply that. Extra.

When kids get more protein than they need, it doesn’t mean they’ll grow more or build extra muscle. And it can lead to side effects.

“Excessive protein intake can put stress on the liver and kidneys, and it increases the risk for dehydration,” Schnee points out.

Let’s look at some of the potential side effects of excessive protein:

Kidney damage : A high-protein diet can cause kidney stones and make your kidneys work harder to filter out waste products.

: A high-protein diet can cause kidney stones and make your kidneys work harder to filter out waste products. Dehydration : Too much protein can wear the kidneys out over time and make it harder to stay hydrated.

: Too much protein can wear the kidneys out over time and make it harder to stay hydrated. Liver damage : Processing protein creates nitrogen in the liver. High levels of nitrogen make it harder for the liver to process waste and toxins. It can also make it harder for the liver to break down nutrients.

: Processing protein creates nitrogen in the liver. High levels of nitrogen make it harder for the liver to process waste and toxins. It can also make it harder for the liver to break down nutrients. Digestive issues : “Many protein powders contain substances that can take a toll on your child’s digestive system,” Schnee warns. That can leave your kid dealing with tummy troubles like constipation, diarrhea, bloating and more.

: “Many protein powders contain substances that can take a toll on your child’s digestive system,” Schnee warns. That can leave your kid dealing with tummy troubles like constipation, diarrhea, bloating and more. Weight gain : Eating way more protein than the body can use may lead to unwanted weight gain if it’s on top of an already complete diet.

: Eating way more protein than the body can use may lead to unwanted weight gain if it’s on top of an already complete diet. Excessive satiety: If a child is trying to gain weight and has a poor appetite to start with, too much protein is likely to leave them feeling full quickly, and not able to get in the rest of the nutrient-dense foods they need to grow.

Does your kid need more protein?

Kids and teens should get enough protein if they eat two servings of lean protein each day, give or take. Good sources include:

Lean beef

Pork

Chicken

Turkey

Fish

Greek yogurt

Soy

Meat alternatives

And while most kids are getting enough (or too much) protein, others could benefit from getting more to hit their daily intake goals. Your child may need extra protein if they:

Aren’t growing as expected or have been diagnosed with growth faltering

Follow a vegan or vegetarian diet

Have inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndrome or other conditions that keep them from absorbing nutrients in their diet

Even in these cases, Schnee reminds us that whole foods, rather than powders and supplements, are typically the best way for kids to get the protein they need.

“Whole protein sources like meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and soy give kids a host of nutrients, in addition to the protein their bodies need,” she emphasizes. “Real food should be the first choice.”

There may be times when a healthcare professional advises a protein-packed powder or supplement for children, but that’s not standard for most kids.

If you’re concerned about your child’s protein intake, talk with a children’s health professional, like a pediatrician or pediatric dietitian. They can help you make sure your kid is getting the proper nutrition they need to grow and excel.

School may be out for summer but there’s no rest for the dedicated. While some student-athletes participate in summer leagues, others continue to train for their fall sports, and they will do so by the millions.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, of the 46.5 million U.S. children who participate in team sports each year, one in three “is injured seriously enough to miss practice or games.” Safe Kids’ data notes that the most common sports-related injuries among children are sprains, muscle strains, bone or growth plate injuries, repetitive motion injuries and heat-related illness. Regular health check ups and sports physicals are means of injury prevention for young athletes.

Local student athletes are in luck. SouthCoast Health Pediatrics, 9 Interchange Drive, Suite B, Richmond Hill, will be offering a Sports Physical Clinic on Saturday, June 7 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

“The upcoming school year can easily sneak up on families, and our Sports Physical Clinic is a great chance for parents and students to check an important item off their summer to-do list,” SouthCoast Health CEO John Marrero said in a release promoting the event.

The clinic is available to new and current SouthCoast Health patients with parents present. Families can still opt to include a sports physical in annual well-child visits, too.

Patients are encouraged to register in advance for the Sports Physical Clinic by visiting SouthCoastHealth.com. Questions can be directed to the SouthCoast Richmond Hill campus at 912-527-5352.

If You Go >>

What: SouthCoast Health Sports Physical Clinic

When: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. Saturday, June 7

Where: 9 Interchange Drive, Suite B, Richmond Hill

Register: SouthCoastHealth.com

Cost: $30 per child

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com andJoeInTheKnow_SMN on Instagram.

MARSHALL — Continuing to see a dire need in the area for early intervention programs to support children diagnosed autism spectrum disorder, The Ready Clinic in Marshall is experiencing a wait-list of families looking for care. The clinic has seen developmental improvement among its clients, and is also seeking public support to continue its services over the region.

The Ready Clinic works with children from 18 months to 7 years old with autism in early intervention therapy and services to improve cognitive skills, before moving to their long-term school placement. The clinic is a part of the Minnesota Service Cooperative, and does not collect state or local tax dollars for its programs. Operating revenue is based from membership fees and grants.

In a public meeting held Tuesday morning, Marshall Ready Clinic staff gave updates about the work being provided, along with challenges they currently face.

“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) just came out with updated rates of the occurrence of autism,” Clinical Director Amber Bruns said. “Right now, 1 in 31 kids are identified as having autism. In Minnesota specifically, we are now at 1 in 28.”

The Ready Clinic stands on Main Street in Marshall, while also having a clinic in Montevideo and Cosmos. Montevideo was the first clinic to open in 2019 with Cosmos following, and Marshall opened in May 2023.

“Without our work in The Ready Clinic, these services do not exist in our region,” Southwest West Central Service Cooperative Executive Director Cliff Carmody said. “(My job) while I work here, is to make sure that our school districts and that our children have access to the same programs that someone in a larger metropolitan area would have access to … Oftentimes, I’ll say the programs and services in Minneota should be the same as the programs and services in Minnetonka.”

All of The Ready Clinics are currently at full capacity, along with a wait-list.

“For our three clinics right now, there are 35 families that are waiting for these services,” Behavior Analyst Clinical Lead Amy Sippl said. “There are 24 families that are waiting for evaluations from us.”

Specifically, the Marshall clinic has 23 families on a wait-list as of April.

The clinic conducts evaluations at the beginning of the program, and frequently throughout, to measure development. They are also put on an Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP).

“The first day that kids come to The Ready Clinic, they receive an evaluation we call the LAP, Learning Accomplishment Profile,” Sippl said. “It’s an assessment of development that gives us an average developmental month, or a score, that tells us about how many skills does this child administer month over month, as compared to their same-aged peers. It looks at things like language, cognition, emotions, social emotional skills, gross motor skills, those types of things.”

Sippl said that children, on average, begin services at the clinic around 46 months of age, and said they are typically demonstrating skills of 17 month-year-olds on day one.

“Every six months the child is in our program, we measure the same assessment again. In the first six months that they’re with us on average … That child has gained 7 1/2 months of development,” Sippl said. “That’s what this intervention is designed to do, to really accelerate their learning and start to gain those skills that are going to be most helpful to get them ready for their long-term educational placement.”

The clinic operates similar to a preschool, with various rooms, tools, toys and technology like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. AAC is a technology that allows children with autism to expand communication and social interaction, like working on a tablet to express dialogue for those who have limited verbal language.

“They (the kids) have to trust us, and (we’re showing) that we’re going to be an adult throughout their life that they can trust, so we get on the floor and we’ll play with them. We’re super engaged,” Melissa Andree, a behavioral analyst, said. “We take a lot of data to know if are our kids, what we call, happy, relaxed and engaged … We really individualize that on how that looks for every child.”

The clinic operates Monday to Friday, and Sippl said children will spend anywhere from 20 to 40 hours a week there.

“It’s a commitment for families … These kids are working harder than anybody,” Sippl said. “We are seeing tremendous progress.”

Both Bruns and Sippl spoke on the challenges the clinic is facing, including increased costs and staffing.

“We have already closed one in-person center (in Pipestone) due to our costs, and we do not want to continue to cut services because we aren’t able to financially make it work,” Bruns said. “If we are not providing this service, this service does not exist in this entire corner of the state, and I think it’s an incredible disservice to the kids who need it, and the families.”

“We are a first come, first serve provider. Regardless of a child’s insurance, we are not an in-network or out-of-network provider,” Sippl said. “We will figure out a way for your family to have services.”

Bruns also added that they often hear from families about the high expense of early prevention services, and noted that the current rates still don’t cover all of the clinic’s costs.

“We do everything that we can to make these services work for our families,” Bruns said. “If you know someone that might be interested in supporting us … We would welcome you to come in and tour, and see what we’re doing with kids.”

Those seeking more information, looking to support, or seeking early prevention care for a child, can reach out to the clinic at readyintake@swwc.org.

“Early intervention is really, really important. Catching our kids early (with a diagnosis), and getting started with intervention and really important therapy, means our kids get skills faster and sooner,” Bruns said. “It means we get them the skills they need, so they can be independent. They can play, they can be functional, they can do all of those skills that are important, and that brings a lot of value to their daily lives.”