As president and chairman of a private school, we might seem out of place commenting on public policy. But recent state legislation that would undermine a vital Pennsylvania program — one that thousands of families and students depend on — compels us to speak up.
Conversations about education often focus on learning loss and declining academic performance, but students at our school, Liguori Academy, are moving in the opposite direction. Our students often arrive several grade levels behind, but they quickly recover and often surpass their peers.
And we have the numbers to back that up. This year, between 67% and 72% of our students, depending on grade level, demonstrated measurable growth in reading, gaining one and a half to more than two grade levels in a single school year. Many are now reading at a college level. In mathematics, between 58% and 74% of students also improved, with our ninth graders posting the strongest gains.
Conversations about education often focus on learning loss and declining academic performance, but students at Liguori Academy are moving in the opposite direction, write Michael Marrone and Joseph Marano.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Watching those students, who were so far behind academically, gain confidence, earn industry certifications, secure internships, and prepare for college and careers is a reminder of what is possible when students are given the support and opportunities they deserve.
And what has made this educational growth possible? It’s simple, really: Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.
Unfortunately, state lawmakers may gut this life-changing program. The Pennsylvania House Education Committee passed legislation that would decimate the state’s wildly popular tax credit scholarship programs. Originally, House Bill 2632 proposed slashing $102 million from the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and robbing Pennsylvania kids of about 30,000 scholarships.
A committee amended the bill to avoid the cuts, but the updated bill still cuts tax credit levels, eliminates supplemental scholarships, hamstrings student eligibility, and imposes onerous taxes and regulations on scholarship organizations.
Critics of these programs — including many of the lawmakers sponsoring and supporting HB 2632 — will wrongly characterize this as a public vs. private issue. They claim the Educational Improvement Tax Credit “robs” funding from public education.
But nothing could be further from the truth. Although it may appear like a line item in the state budget, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit doesn’t use public funds. Instead, it relies on donations to scholarship organizations and the donors who receive a tax credit for their charity. Without the generosity of these donors, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit wouldn’t exist. If it went away, so would the philanthropy that funds it.
The timing of this bill is interesting, to say the very least. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, having served more than 101,000 scholarships to kids across the state in conjunction with its partner program, the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit. Over their lifetime, these programs have awarded more than one million scholarships.
Despite this volume, there aren’t enough scholarships to go around. Even after awarding a record-level number of scholarships last year, nearly 70,000 scholarships went unfulfilled. But this isn’t because the students weren’t eligible; rather, state-legislated caps limit the number of available scholarships.
State lawmakers should take note: Pennsylvania families are demanding more, not fewer, scholarships.
These scholarships change lives and fuel academic success. The Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia, one of the largest scholarship organizations in Pennsylvania, commissioned a report showing scholarship recipients from both programs outperforming their public and private school peers academically.
These scholarships provide equity for families struggling financially. The average household income for Liguori families, for example, is about $37,000, which is barely above the federal poverty line.
None of this happens without the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.
That is why what happened in Harrisburg recently should alarm every Pennsylvanian who believes every child — regardless of zip code or income — deserves a chance. This newly introduced legislation would take away much-needed scholarships not only from Liguori kids, but also from tens of thousands of Pennsylvania kids who worked hard to better themselves educationally.
As school leaders, we understand and welcome accountability. If scholarship programs are going to continue, schools must be prepared to demonstrate strong academic outcomes, sound financial stewardship, and compliance with program requirements.
But we have also seen the difference educational choice makes. We have watched students who arrived years behind their peers grow into young people ready for college and the workforce. That transformation is real — and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit made it possible.
Pennsylvania should be building more doors like ours, not slamming them shut.
Michael Marrone is the president and founder of Liguori Academy. Joseph Marano is chairman of the board of Liguori Academy.
The 76ers weren’t a lock to make a selection in the NBA draft, especially after former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made it clear that he traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the intention of flipping the first-round selection they received in return.
But the hiring of Mike Gansey in that same role brought a different philosophy, as the Sixers opted to keep their ears open to potential trades while also eyeing the best player available at No. 22. That turned out to be Labaron Philon Jr., an all-American at multiple levels who slipped on Tuesday night after previously being viewed as a lottery pick.
Philon, a 6-foot-3, 176-pound guard, will join a promising backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Both players FaceTimed Philon on draft night and welcomed him to the team before also posting him on their personal social media profiles.
His brand of basketball will be welcomed by a Sixers team that needed better ballhandling and outside shooting.
We have plenty of time to get to know Philon on the court. Let’s take a beat to learn what he’s like away from it.
After winning Alabama Mr. Basketball, Labaron Philon Jr. found his way to the Crimson Tide.Vasha Hunt
He’s an Alabama legend.
Philon was a three-year starter at Baker High School in Mobile, Ala., where he picked up every accolade possible. Philon averaged 35 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists as a junior, won Class 7A Player of the Year twice and was named Alabama Mr. Basketball.
He added a little spice to the Alabama-Auburn rivalry.
Philon’s recruitment was a big deal in the state of Alabama as he became the first Mr. Basketball to commit to Auburn. That changed shortly after, however, after changes to the staff led Philon to withdraw his commitment. He then signed with Kansas before reopening his recruitment one final time and joined the Crimson Tide. That, of course, added a little bit more juice to the legendary rivalry between Alabama and Auburn.
The Crimson Tide came out on top this time, though, as Philon played a large part in their Elite Eight appearance in 2025 and shifted to a starring role as they reached the Sweet 16 in 2026. Philon also had a 3-1 record against the Tigers in his two college seasons.
He made a big jump as a sophomore.
Philon has described himself as a “ball hawk” on defense, and that is the role he played as a freshman with Alabama. While star Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide during their Elite Eight run, Philon averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals.
That flipped in his sophomore season as Philon became the focal point of the offense. He made a big jump to 22 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 steals. A major part of Philon’s rise was his decision to endure the draft process, take feedback, and apply it in his sophomore season, during which he made a concerted effort to improve his three-point shooting and playmaking.
Sixers first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. poses with his family after he was introduced at the team practice facility on Thursday in Camden.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
He slipped on draft night.
Philon was considered a potential lottery pick and he appeared on mock drafts as early as No. 16. Yet he sat in the green room watching his peers get selected before him. When the Sixers’ pick came up at No. 22, they considered Philon the best player on the board, and his wait came to an end. The reaction from Philon made it clear that he either expected to be selected or was simply overcome with emotion as tears formed while he hugged family members.
He’s close to rapper NoCap, another Mobile native.
Philon opted for a classic look on draft night, sporting a black and white suit and black-rimmed glasses. One accessory stood out, however, as he sported a large “16″ chain over his chest. Rapper NoCap, a fellow Mobile native, lent him the piece a couple of weeks ago for his big night. So it was fitting that he played music from NoCap and rap artist Lucki to start his day as he prepared for the draft.
Amid rising inflation and business costs, many Philadelphia corner stores, bars, laundromats, and smoke shops have turned to skill games, the slot machine look-alikes, to help keep their slim margins afloat.
The machines, which shop owners say also encourage their customers to linger in stores and make additional purchases, are particularly profitable because theyare not taxed or regulated like slot machines — and they have been operating without state oversight in a legal gray area for more than a decade. But a recent state Supreme Court ruling may force that tochange.
Last week, Pennsylvania’s highest court handed down a decision deeming skill games the same as slot machines. That means the skill game terminals proliferating around the state will soon be illegal if not operated and taxed at 52%, and housed in a highly regulated casino or truck stop with a license to carry slot machines. Those terms will take effect in less than four months unless the state legislature intervenes.
Owners and clerks at several corner stores throughout Philadelphia that offer the games say they do not contribute a lot of revenue to their establishments directly, but they foster more of a lounge atmosphere in the shops that leads patrons tostay longer and purchase more snacks, drinks, lottery tickets, and other goods. Many of the business owners said they are willing to stomach a tax on skill games, but additional regulations would make them rethink keeping the machines.
José Pérez, who runs a corner store on Opal Street in South Philadelphia, said his store runs on incremental profits. And, he said, when people play the skill game machines and start feeling lucky, they often are inclined to make other purchases there.
“This business is about getting a little bit of money from every product, and the machines are a tiny source of income that adds up to that,” he said in Spanish between transactions at the store’s register. “While people play, they buy other stuff in the store. And if they win, they buy lottery tickets. Because when someone has one vice, they probably have two.”
Tax proposals from Harrisburg
Lawmakers in Harrisburg have for years failed to reach an agreement on how to tax and regulate the so-called skill games
The issue has proved to be tricky in Pennsylvania’s split legislature, where Democrats narrowly control the House and Republicans control the Senate. The skill games industry leader, Georgia-based Pace-O-Matic, long maintained a friendly relationship with the Senate GOP, and the Republican lawmakers appeared willing to support policies that benefited them. But last year, the goodwill began to sour after the company backed political campaigns against incumbent Republican state lawmakers who did not support its requested low tax rate on the machines.
State Rep. Danilo Burgos (D., Philadelphia) and State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D., Philadelphia) have introduced a bipartisan bill in their chambers to impose a $500-per-month fee on each skill game machine operated in Pennsylvania, with a 50,000-machine cap across the state. There are currently an estimated 70,000 skill game machines in Pennsylvania, according to the state attorney general’s office.
Skill games can be seen through the door of a mini mart on Kensington Avenue in the Kensington section of Philadelphia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The proposed legislation would split revenues among transit and infrastructure, local governments, and state police for enforcing the cap and fee. The bills also prohibit small businesses whose “primary source of net revenue” is from skill games, in an effort to prevent mini casinos in stop-and-go corner stores around the city. Burgos estimates the regulations would bring in $300 million in new revenue to the state in their first year.
The bill includes additional protections for Philadelphia, where City Council voted in 2024 to ban the machines. The ban never went into effect, after a lawsuit was filed seeking to block it. In the legislation before the General Assembly, Philadelphia has specific carve-outs that would allow city officials to block stop-and-go businesses or “chronic nuisance” businesses from getting a license to carry the games.
Surrounded by hundreds of skill games supporters at a news conference Wednesday on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg, Williams said rank-and-file lawmakers would hold up passing the state budget, due June 30, if there is not a deal to protect small businesses from losing their skill games altogether.
“In this time when everybody talks about affordability, I can’t afford a 52% tax,” Williams said.
The fee-per-machine option offered in the Democratic-sponsored bills is backed by Pace-O-Matic, which has spent millions of dollars on political campaigns and lobbying in the state, in addition to millions more spent by other parts of Pennsylvania’s booming gambling industry.
Meanwhile, a separate proposal backed by the Senate GOP and penned last year would set the tax at 35% on gross terminal revenue, in addition to annual license fees. A small portion of those fees would go toward the state’s resources for problem gambling.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a first-term Democrat, has proposed taxing the machines at the same rate as slot machines — a hefty 52% levy on each machine’s net revenue — in his last two budget proposals. As the machines have continued to proliferate around the state, Shapiro’s office estimated the newly regulated industry could bring in nearly $800 million in revenue in its first year.
Uncertain future with uncertain revenue
Philly store owners were divided on whether it would be worth keeping the machines if they needed to pay a lofty tax on either housing the devices or the profits they made on them.
Andrew Karki, who operates a laundromat near Pérez‘s store in South Philadelphia, said the machines occupy the customers while they wait for their laundry to finish and, as at Pérez‘s store, lead to purchases of candy and soda from the small bodega he runs inside the laundromat.
He estimated the machines make up 15% to 20% of his monthly revenue, and he said he would likely be willing to take on a tax on the games, even a rather large one, to keep them around.
“It’s hard, but we got to pay it. We got to pay it,” Karki said.
For others, like Diego Reyes, who runs a secondhand shop on Kensington Avenue with about a dozen skill machines inside, taxing the small businesses for the machines does not seem fair. The terminals are often owned by small amusement companies, and are largely operated by Pace-O-Matic. The business owners get a cut from the machine’s revenue for allowing the terminal in their building.
“They should tax the owner,” Reyes said in Spanish, wearing a Phillies cap and T-shirt with a size-medium sticker still stuck on the back, as three people played the machines.
Pérez agreed that any tax should be on skill games companies and not on the businesses that carry them.
It is frustrating to think another tax may be coming down the line,he said,when small-business owners already pay so many of them and see little return on the investment in the community.
“Look outside, that pothole has been there for six months. We have no safety,” Pérez said. “What do you want me to pay more taxes for if you are not doing anything to better the conditions with it?”
Staff writer Isabel Maney contributed to this article.
After the congratulatory hugs, picture posing and victory lap, Yan Diomande pointed to the sky.
It was unclear whether the Ivory Coast forward was thinking of his departed sister or just his country’s unprecedented accomplishment in the World Cup as he exited the field at Philadelphia Stadium following a 2-0 win over Curaçao on Thursday.
But surely it was a moment of emotion for the 19-year-old wunderkind.
Diomande’s arrival in the international consciousness of soccer took another step after the Ivory Coast advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time, ever. He might not have been Player of the Match — that honor was reserved for teammate Nicolas Pépé, who scored both goals — but Diomande assisted on the first and produced other chances.
The cutout of Yan Diomande (far right), is on display as (right to left) Yed Anikpo, of Ivory Coast, is with his family Jude, 13, Zeke, 9, and Eden, 14 at Thursday’s Ivory Coast-Curaçao match. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
He will get at least one more opportunity to represent his homeland when Ivory Coast faces Norway in the round of 32 on Tuesday in Dallas. Philly, though, will be remembered as where Diomande first launched his star in America, especially for casuals who haven’t followed his meteoric rise over the last two years.
Most hardcore fans have been aware of the former United States high school athlete for some time. He was Rookie of the Season in the German Bundesliga playing for RB Leipzig, where he scored 12 goals and had nine assists last season.
And he’s been one of the most sought-after signings this offseason with powerhouse European clubs like Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich reportedly in pursuit. Diomande might not be a household name here, but the New York-based Roc Nation is his agency.
Rapper Jay-Z, Roc Nation’s founder, attended Ivory Coast’s first fixture of group play at Philadelphia Stadium, normally known as Lincoln Financial Field, in support of his client. Diomande dominated that game — a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on June 14 — from both wings.
On Thursday, five days after Ivory Coast suffered a late, gut-punching 2-1 loss to Germany, the forward played exclusively on the left flank. Diomande needed only minutes to make his presence felt. Gifted a Curaçao turnover, he penetrated along the end line and found Pepe in front for a one-touch goal in the 7th minute.
Diomande continued to be problematic when he dribbled at defenders. His combination of speed, agility, and power forced Curaçao to send multiple defenders his way. And yet, he still created the most chances (3) by the half.
Pépé’s second goal came in the 64th minute when he received a pass just inside the box and ripped a left-footer past keeper Eloy Room. Three minutes later, Diomande was subbed off, likely to preserve him for next week.
Yan Diomande (left) has put on a show in his pair of appearances with the Ivory Coast in Philadelphia. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Diomande has been playing with a heavy heart. A year ago, his 15-year-old sister, Roxane, died back home after her drink was spiked. Diomande penned an emotional open letter to his sister in The Players’ Tribune upon his return to the U.S. for the World Cup.
“I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human,” he wrote. “Since you died, I’m just blank.”
Diomande has, if anything, been the opposite on the pitch. In fact, that’s exactly how Ivory Coast native Lucas Droh described him before the match as he and his older brother, Pacome, tailgated in the lot outside Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“He’s expressive,” Lucas, 32, said. “He plays happy and with an imagination.”
10/10 – 🇨🇮 Yan Diomande is the only player this century to do the following across his first three FIFA World Cup games:
The Drohs, along with cousin Kevin Gnako, traveled from Charleston, S.C., to watch Diomande and Les Éléphants play on Thursday. They are from Abidjan, the largest city in the West African nation, and emigrated to the United States 15 years ago after their mother married.
Diomande is also from Abidjan. He wrote about his impoverished childhood and how he wore plastic sandals to play because his family couldn’t afford cleats. When he was finally given proper footwear, he wore them to bed, although he said that he still dons the sandals when he’s home.
“He’s from the streets,” Lucas said. “He grew up poor, so he’s hungry.”
At 15, Diomande relocated to the U.S. and ended up at DME Sports Academy in Florida. He had a short stint in the United Premier Soccer League and drew attention from MLS clubs, but Europe beckoned.
English Premier League teams like Chelsea, Bournemouth, and Crystal Palace, along with clubs in other countries, tried Diomande out. But it was Leganes in Spain that signed him in 2024. Just before he made his debut against Real Madrid, the former squad of his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, he found out Roxane had died.
Côte D’Ivoire supporters take pictures with 19 year-old Yan Diomandé in stands after the match in Philadelphia, the shining star of the tournament so far for Les Éléphants 🐘🇨🇮 pic.twitter.com/9OfhcfOcIw
“I never got any answers. I don’t know if I want to know why,” Diomande wrote in the letter to his sister. “Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it’s just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don’t know.”
Diomande said that he doesn’t care about playing for money, and that he wants to use his success “to show the whole world” what Roxane saw in him, and that every time he scores, “I’ll make sure everybody knows your name.”
He has yet to score here, but goals are forthcoming, just like fame and fortune. While Liverpool reportedly balked at Leipzig’s initial price tag, Diomande could ultimately fetch close to €100 million.
In the meantime, he’s focused on the World Cup. Ivory Coast failed to qualify in 2022 and 2018, but it’s trying to recapture the glow of the early-to-mid 2000s when Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Touré wore the orange in three appearances. As talented as those lineups were, they never got out of the group stage.
The Droh brothers and Gnako touted this version of Les Éléphants, which had knocked off France, 2-1, in a tune-up friendly earlier this month.
“We didn’t lose a friendly coming in,” Pacome said. “The Elephant is going to do some stomping.”
Ivory Coast will likely have to ride Diomande if they are to advance. Pépé (Villareal), forward Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), and midfielder Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest) are formidable and among many on the roster who play for European clubs.
But Diomande has been dubbed the second coming for his country.
“That’s the next Drogba. Everybody wants him now,” Pacome Droh said. “But he’ll always be ours.”
A nascent property tax relief program for New Jersey seniors has been at the center of budget negotiations between Gov. Mikie Sherrill and lawmakers as the state’sbudget deadline quickly approaches.
That program, called Stay NJ, is expected to undergo changes that would slice the income eligibility by more than half, kicking off seniors that made hundreds of thousands of dollars and started reaping the benefit this year.
The benefit is currently available to seniors making less than $500,000, but that cap would be lowered to $200,000 under an agreement between the governor and legislative leaders, according to reports of closed-door budget talks. Those making less money would be eligible for a larger refund under the arrangement.
The proposal is a compromise between Sherrill, who pushed for cuts to the program, and House Speaker Craig Coughlin (D., Middlesex), a key player in budget negotiations who has championed Stay NJ.
As the name suggests, Stay NJ was created in 2023 to incentivize New Jerseyans to remain in the Garden State by providing refunds to eligible seniorhomeowners. The program was designed to start payments in 2026, so the very first checks had just begun going out when the first term governor presented her early March budget proposal.
Here’s what to know about the status of the Stay NJ program.
Is there a budget deal?
Sherrill, Coughlin, and State Sen. President Nicholas Scutari (D., Union) announced Tuesday that they came to a budget “agreement.” The closed-door deal wasn’t made public, and legislators continue to iron out the details ahead of the deadline this coming Tuesday.
They said the budget agreement totals $60.7 billion, the same total Sherrill proposed in March. The governor has touted her proposal as “fiscally responsible,” though it’s still the highest price tag in the state’s history.
The joint statement mentioned few details but cited a handful of measures, including Stay NJ.
The state leaderssaid their agreement ensures the program “is a sustainable benefit retirees can count on.”
The propertytax relief program issues refund payments to eligible seniors in quarterly installments. The first Stay NJ payments were issued in February with an average of $600 each, according to the state treasurer’s office.
Under the current policy, eligible homeowners over 65 years old who make under $500,000 a year are eligible to get refunds for as much as half their property tax bills. The refunds are capped at $6,500 in a year.
What did Gov. Sherrill want to change about Stay NJ?
Sherrill wanted to slice the eligibility cap in half so only seniors with an annual household income below $250,000 would qualify.
She also wanted to lower the maximum benefit to $4,000.
“That’s a fairer, more efficient use of taxpayer money,” she said in her budget address in early March.
Stephen Sigmund, a spokesperson for Sherrill, said at the time of her proposal that 90% of Stay NJ recipients would keep their benefits.
The AARP expressed outrage at her proposal as New Jersey seniors struggle with the cost of living. But critics of the program who believe it directs too much state money to higher earners praised her for wanting to rein it in.
So what’s actually changing?
According to reports of the budget agreement, Sherrill and legislators agreed on a compromise.
Sherrill agreed to steer an additional $100 million funding to the program, NJ.com reported.
Meanwhile, legislative leaders agreed to lower the income threshold to qualify for the program to $200,000, even lower than what Sherrill initially suggested.
And as part of the new plan, those earning the least would get bigger deductions, according to the report.
Seniors making $100,000 or less would qualify for up to $6,500; those making between $100,000 and $150,000 would be eligible for up to $5,000, and those making $150,000 to $200,000 would qualify for up to $4,000, according to the report.
Coughlin said at an AARP town hall that Sherrill’s proposed cap across the board of $4,000 was “too low,” and that he would “stand up for Stay NJ,” New Jersey Monitor reported earlier this month.
Spokespeople for the governor did not respond to a request asking for confirmation of the plan.
The first round of the 2026 NHL draft is just hours away, and the Flyers are scheduled to pick at No. 21.
Who will be there, before general manager Danny Brière’s turn to face the camera and announce the pick, is anyone’s guess. With the expectation that prospects like Wyatt Cullen, Ryan Lin, and Alexander Command — who really does scream Flyer more than anyone on this list — will be long gone, here are nine players (in alphabetical order) the team could take in the first round.
“He was a tremendous skater. He just loves playing hockey. He’s kind of a rink rat. I think it’s what he’s always wanted to do,” Tommy Bleyl’s coach at Mid Fairfield, Ryan Haggerty, told The Inquirer.Courtesy of Moncton
Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Moncton (QMJHL)
With Lin expected to be gone, Bleyl is the next man up among defensemen under 6-feet tall. He was labeled as the player not enough people are talking about by FloHockey’s NHL draft and prospects analyst Chris Peters on Flyers Gameday Central’s draft preview show. NHL.com’s Mike Morreale and USA Today have Bleyl as the pick at 21 for the Flyers.
Listed at 5-foot-11¼, 170 pounds, the 18-year-old just put up one of the best rookie seasons by a defenseman in Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League history with 81 points in 63 regular-season games — breaking a rookie scoring record for blueliners that stood for 48 years — led the “Q” in assists (68), was named the top defensive rookie, and finished third in playoff scoring (28 points).
A self-described two-way defenseman who has good feet, a pretty strong hockey IQ, and is feisty, the New York native came from the same Mid Fairfield program as Trevor Zegras and is headed to a Flyers favorite, Michigan State, in 2027 alongside 2025 draft pick Matthew Gard, who committed on Thursday.
Maddox Dagenais, RW, Québec (QMJHL)
Why is Dagenais potentially the guy?
The Flyers like Canadians, with 13 of Brière’s draft picks coming from Canada. He is over 6-feet — officially 6-3¾ and 198 pounds — and the Flyers have drafted 17 out of 26 players under the GM at that line of demarcation.
He has pedigree — his dad, Pierre, played in the NHL — and the Remparts forward can play center and wing, with versatility a trait Brière has stressed as important. Dagenais also skated alongside Flyers prospect Nathan Quinn. And his GM in Québec is none other than Simon Gagné, so you know the Flyers have checked in on him. Peters had Dagenais to the Flyers in his final mock draft on Friday.
Dagenais was No. 2 on the Remparts with 62 points (30 goals, 32 assists) in 62 regular-season games and tied for No. 1 in power-play points (25) with Quinn, the Flyers’ 2025 sixth-rounder. A lefty who played the right side, he’s a high-volume shot-taker, can win in the faceoff circle, and loves to throw reverse hits — Gagné said that area of Dagenais’ game reminds him of his ex-Flyers teammate, Peter Forsberg.
An Illinois native, Jack Hextall played for the same youth hockey program as Flyers assistant coach Todd Reirden.Courtesy of Jack Hextall
Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)
A distant cousin of former Flyers goalie and GM Ron Hextall, this Hextall is a 6-0½ inch, 195-pound right-shot centerman who netted 58 points in 59 games for the Youngstown Phantoms last season and is off to Michigan State to play with Flyers prospect Shane Vansaghi in the fall.
The 18-year-old from Illinois is known for his non-stop motor, high hockey IQ, attention to detail, being relentless, and his pro habits. Those are all attributes the Flyers typically value highly, and Philly has done its homework on Hextall, who was one of the best forwards for the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup-winning Americans with seven points, including three in the championship game.
“Jack has always cared about the whole ice in all three zones. He prides himself on being a trustworthy go-to guy for his coaches,” Youngstown coach Ryan Ward said. “He wants to thrive in all situations, whether that be a shutdown defensive situation or being on the ice when we need to score a goal. So he’s a very mature player for his age.”
JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)
The 6-0, 190-pound left winger, who can play center, is coming off an impressive season where he won the Rookie of the Year award in the Western Hockey League after posting 97 points (42 goals, 55 assists) in 68 regular-season games. Hurlbert wore an “A” for the Blazers and said at the NHL scouting combine that he is an offensive-minded forward who can anticipate plays, has an accurate and deceptive shot, can freeze defenders, and is “dangerous” whether at five-on-five or on the power play.
“JP is a super offensive hockey player, and he’s really focused on scoring, and he’s good at it,” Nick Fohr, his coach at the U.S. National Team Development Program two seasons ago, told The Inquirer. “ … He’s a really good hockey player, and he’s driven to score. He loves to score, he loves to be around things offensively, and that’s really where he thrives, and where he’s at his best.”
A native of Texas, the 18-year-old thought he had a good meeting with the Flyers and is off to the University of Michigan with prospect Jack Nesbitt in the fall.
Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)
Born in Florida and raised in Russia, Klepov posted 97 points in 67 games, with 38 points on the power play and three short-handed goals for Saginaw this past season. Bound for Michigan State in the fall, he was named the Ontario Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year and was the first newbie to lead the league in scoring since future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.
“You don’t lead the OHL in scoring by accident,” The Athletic’s NHL draft and prospects reporter Scott Wheeler told The Inquirer of Klepov, who represents the U.S. internationally and will turn 18 on Saturday. “Extremely, extremely talented player with the puck. He’ll work, too; he’ll go and get it back. He’s average size, so average-size wingers can often linger.
“ … And if you’re looking for a top six guy in the second half of the first round, there’s not going to be a lot of guys who you can say his projection is as a top six guy. Nikita is one of those guys with his playmaking. ”
Miami (Ohio) center Ilia Morozov won’t turn 18 until August.Lexie Cunningham/Miami Athletics
Ilia Morozov, C, Miami (OH) (NCAA)
TSN’s Craig Button, who has a pretty good knack for making picks, has the Flyers taking the 17-year-old Morozov in his latest mock draft.
Morozov, a two-way center at 6-2¾, 205 pounds who is smart, competitive, and physical, just wrapped up a freshman year at Miami (Ohio) in which he started as the youngest player in men’s college hockey. Morozov, who won’t turn 18 until August, started quickly but cooled off and finished with eight goals — three on the power play and one short-handed — and 20 points in 36 games, helping the school go from a three-win season to 18.
“Thought there was a maturity there, certainly the size and strength, but we still feel like he’s really scratching the surface, even strength-wise,” RedHawks coach Anthony Noreen told The Inquirer. “ … And I think, for me, that’s kind of what’s most exciting about him, this kid is just always taking a monumental leap every summer, and we really feel he’s going to continue to do that.”
Adam Novotný, LW, Peterborough (OHL)
Pro Hockey Group’s Jason Bukala has the Flyers picking Novotný at No. 21, citing his goal scoring abilities. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, the winger, who played the entire season in Peterborough, led his team in goals (34) and points (65) and finished second and tied for fourth in the OHL with 278 shots on goal and eight game-winners, respectively.
A standout at World Juniors, the power forward, who has speed and a strong work ethic, had three assists and a tournament-high 34 shots on goal in seven games for silver-medal-winning Czechia.
“Well-rounded. I think I am versatile, and I can play those different roles,” he said when asked to describe his game at the combine. “That’s maybe something that can help me in the future to make it to the NHL 100%. I think my speed is a weapon too. … And also one-on-one battles, I think I’m very strong in them.”
Maksim Sokolovskii first came to North America as a 16-year-old to play for Atlantic Coast Academy.Courtesy of Mike Taykor
Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, London (OHL)
ESPN, NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, Wheeler, and Sportsnet’s draft guru Sam Cosentino all have Sokolovskii as the guy for the Flyers. In Western New York at the combine, the word going around was that the Flyers were very high on him but it does make one stop and pause slightly as the Flyers are known to make unexpected picks, like Nesbitt or Jett Luchanko.
But there are several reasons why this makes sense, starting with the fact that he plays for London, the same team from which the Flyers drafted Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk. There’s the sheer size — 6-7¼, 240 pounds — that the Flyers also go for, having drafted fellow giants like the 6-5 Gard, Nesbitt, Carter Amico, and Luke Vlooswyk last year. Sokolovskii, who has a late birthday, is turning 18 in July.
And he’s raw and a project — the Flyers staff loves projects — who needs to work on his puck play. But he does not need to work on his skating and that’s the key here. “When you’re huge, and you can skate, that’s often all that you need for NHL scouts to sort of perk up and start to pay attention,” Wheeler said in Buffalo.
Despite turning 17 last Sept. 3 — quick reminder, players like Luchanko and Spencer Gill were later birthdays — Suvanto spent the majority of the past season skating for Tappara in Liiga, the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. He was a kid among men, skating in the middle-six, and notched two goals and 11 points in 48 games.
A 6-3, 213-pound two-way center, who draws comparisons to the Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov, the fellow Finn considers himself a “big guy who can battle, can win some battles, can protect the puck” and has “OK game-reading skills, [and] can predict plays before that happens.” Suvanto, who was Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson’s pick for the Flyers in his final mock draft, does want to work on his offensive game and be a bigger threat in the offensive zone.
Suvanto played with Flyers prospects Heikki Ruohonen and Max Westergård at World Juniors, where he played on a defensive-minded line. And the drum-playing, lefty-shooting center who hails from the same hometown as Rasmus Ristolainen, knows a thing or two about Philly: “Obviously, Rocky is from that city,” he said at the combine. “ … Big rivalry with the Penguins. … They got Trevor Zegras, good talented player, a lot of young great players so I think they’ve got a good future ahead of them.”
The night before Roy Halladay died, he was with his team. It was Nov. 6, 2017, and Calvary Christian High School was playing an exhibition game in Clearwater, Fla.
Halladay, a pitching coach, showed up in baseball pants and a batting practice jacket, with a clipboard beneath his arm. This would not have been unusual for March or April, but fall ball was much more relaxed.
The rest of the staff, which was dressed in shorts and T-shirts, erupted in laughter. Halladay didn’t hesitate to fire back. “Thanks for the heads up,” he said with a grin.
As the Warriors jogged onto the field, just past 7 p.m., the future Hall of Famer sat on the bench. After a few innings, infielder Christian Cairo joined him.
He liked watching games with Halladay. The former Phillie and Blue Jay brought the same intensity to coaching that he did to his 16-year MLB playing career, but with a newfound lightness.
He’d routinely crack jokes from the dugout. Months earlier, a hitter from a local high school walked up to the plate. He had straight, long hair, all the way down to his back. Halladay turned to the mound.
“Hey!” he yelled. “Look out for the bunt! This chick can run!”
The high schoolers loved it.
“Ridiculous stuff like that,” said Halladay’s 25-year-old son, Braden. “It was funny because he’s saying this to, like, 14-year-old kids.”
Coach Greg Olsen (seated) and pitching coach Roy Halladay during a Calvary Christian game in spring of 2017.Greg Olsen
Halladay was in prime form on Nov. 6. The game wouldn’t count toward Calvary Christian’s record, but he was still taking notes and videos on his iPad.
He was also razzing everyone in sight: his players, their players, umpires.
“We were talking crap with each other,” Cairo said. “It was a lot of fun.”
At 9:30 p.m., the two teams left the field. By the next afternoon, ominous rumors had started to spread. Braden, then 17, got a call from his mother. She told him to pick up his 13-year-old brother, Ryan, and drive them to their house.
Pitcher Nolan Hudi texted Braden while he was in the car. He sent a link to a Twitter post: a selfie of him and Roy in the cockpit of his plane, taken three days prior.
The photo had gone viral. People were commenting “RIP.”
Hudi asked if people on social media had ever tweeted such morbid things about his father.
“No,” Braden said.
That morning, at 11:47 a.m., Halladay had flown his Icon A5 out of Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport. A few minutes after taking off, he crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
The boys he coached are now men. Braden works in data analytics for the Texas Rangers. Cairo, 25, is a minor leaguer in the Phillies system. Some have played for other affiliates; Hudi spent a couple of years pitching at the University of South Florida.
They all cherish that 2017 season. Not just for what they learned (which was plenty) but for what they saw. As a big leaguer, Halladay was fierce and, at times, intimidating.
But as a coach, he was more laid back. He’d play pranks. He’d chirp. He’d try goofy things to help his team win, like flying a drone over a rival’s batting practice.
It was all refreshingly fun. What the players didn’t realize, though, was that they were giving Halladay something too.
“A way for him to enjoy baseball,” Braden said, “in a very pure form again.”
Roy Halladay won two Cy Young awards in his 16-year career, including in 2010 with the Phillies.Steven Falk
Roy being Roy
Halladay never liked the spectacle his success could bring. And it was difficult for him to escape.
His sons started playing travel ball in the early 2010s, at the height of his career. The Phillie would frequently be stopped for autographs at games and tournaments.
This attention got so bad that he started keeping a Groucho Marx-style disguise — black-rimmed glasses and a fake nose and mustache — in the back of his car.
“He thought it was hilarious,” Braden said, “because it’s the stupidest disguise you can come up with.”
But while Halladay didn’t enjoy the chaos, he did enjoy teaching. In 2011, Hudi played alongside Braden on a Florida team called the West Coast Warriors. Halladay, fresh off his second Cy Young Award, would stop by to help out.
One day, he approached Hudi during a bullpen session in Tarpon Springs. Halladay asked what pitches he threw. The 11-year-old’s answer was essentially “nothing.” He asked if he’d ever tried a cutter. Hudi shook his head.
Halladay grabbed a baseball and showed him a grip. Then he reached for a pen, and traced around Hudi’s hand, so the middle schooler could practice at home.
“He outlined where my fingers were,” Hudi said. “I thought that was so cool.”
Parents would ask Halladay if he’d be willing to coach, but he always demurred. The big leaguer wanted his son to carve out his own identity in the sport. Having a world-class athlete around would make that challenging.
But in 2014, he had a change of heart. Halladay had recently retired. Braden was only a year and a half removed from high school, and had experienced a few seasons on his own.
Roy Halladay talking to pitcher Nolan Hudi during a game in 2017.Nolan Hudi
The son encouraged his father to join the coaching staff of his travel ball team, the Dunedin Panthers. Halladay stayed through 2015, serving as pitching coach and later head coach.
He did not take this role lightly. Once, a baserunner bowled over Dunedin’s catcher at home plate. The league’s rules stated this should be an automatic out, but the umpires didn’t call it.
Halladay was furious. He explained to the crew that they’d made a mistake. One umpire, who didn’t recognize the eight-time All-Star, told him that he didn’t “know the rules of baseball.”
This set off Halladay even more. He was ejected. Braden, who wasn’t standing far away, overheard a conversation between the officials not long after.
“He goes, ‘Hey, dude, you know you just ejected Roy Halladay, right?’” Braden recalled. “And the umpire goes, ‘Oh my God.’”
Halladay decided to have himself a day. He went to the concession stand and bought three cheeseburgers. He filled his big Yeti tumbler with Diet Coke, got in his truck, and pulled it behind the left field fence.
He sat there for the rest of the game, scrutinizing the umpire’s every call. If he missed one, Halladay would let him know it, loudly proclaiming that the official didn’t “know the rules of baseball.”
Braden enrolled at Calvary Christian in 2016. He spent his freshman year playing junior varsity, without his father, and was promoted to varsity as a sophomore.
Halladay joined head coach Greg Olsen’s staff that year. Hudi transferred in from East Lake High School in Clearwater not long after. He and Braden were close friends; Hudi would sleep over at the Halladays’ house fairly often.
To Hudi, the 6-foot-6 Halladay was not a star pitcher. He was an eccentric parent. One time, when the boys were older, Hudi made the mistake of drinking Halladay’s last Dr Pepper.
Halladay barged into the game room, where Hudi and Braden were watching TV.
“Who drank the last [expletive] Dr Pepper?” he asked.
Hudi, holding the can with trepidation, said he didn’t know.
The pitcher stormed out. He returned 30 minutes later with two six-packs.
“He’s like, ‘This six-pack is yours,’” Hudi recalled. “And then he holds up another case, and he’s like, ‘Don’t [expletive] touch this. This is mine.’”
Roy Halladay had a 3.25 ERA in four seasons with the Phillies and tossed a perfect game in 2010.
Halladay brought the same attitude to the Warriors in 2017. Braden wasn’t used to seeing his father act this way on a baseball field.
“Whenever he was home, he was kind of a funny, not-take-things-too-serious kind of person,” he said. “It was more so that you’d notice at the field that he wasn’t doing that. And he actually was kind of a little bit scary.”
But at Calvary Christian, there was no pressure to uphold a persona.
“I think he just got to be himself,” Braden said.
A method to his madness
Olsen had been around a lot of coaches at this point, some of them former big leaguers. But he quickly learned that reaching the pinnacle of the sport didn’t necessarily translate to on-field instruction.
This was especially true when it came to resonating with kids. They could easily discern coaches who were sincere from those who were not. And if they deemed a coach insincere, it was over.
Halladay didn’t have this problem. He could explain grips and mechanical adjustments with ease (and without condescension).
Roy Halladay with his son Braden in 2017.Braden Halladay
He would go beyond telling a player what to do. He’d help them find their feel. That way, when the high schoolers were alone on the mound, they could throw a curveball or a splitter, or any other pitch, and make corrections in the moment.
The coach showed no favoritism, not even to his son. He studied like he was still in the big leagues, sitting on a bucket with his enormous iPad, scribbling notes during games and practices.
“It was like a 55-inch flat-screen TV,” Hudi said. “And he’s a big guy, so him holding that giant thing made it look even crazier. Nobody knew what he was writing down.”
He didn’t need to show them. Halladay routinely proved he’d done his homework. In 2017, he helped Hudi redesign his entire windup, from stepping sideways to stepping behind the rubber, with his hands overhead.
Halladay wanted the pitcher’s momentum going toward the plate; otherwise, his stride would be inconsistent.
“The wealth of knowledge was crazy,” Hudi said. “And it went so much further than pitch grips.”
Halladay helped his team with mental skills, too. Olsen would often see him talking to players between innings, to strategize for upcoming at-bats or guide them through a tough moment.
He’d tailor his mound visits to whatever was needed, no matter how unorthodox it looked.
Braden remembered one game when he was losing his command. Halladay walked out to the mound but didn’t say a word. He just stared.
After the inning was over, the pitcher approached his father.
“Hey man, what was that?” Braden said.
“Were you thinking about throwing strikes?” Halladay asked.
At his retirement news conference in 2013, Roy Halladay had a Dunedin Panthers hat among the caps for the teams he played for. John Raoux
“No,” Braden said. “I was thinking about how weird that was.”
His father smiled.
“Exactly!” he said.
This was just one of many instances when Halladay was validated for his quirky ideas. He and Olsen would stand next to each other in the dugout, signaling pitches to Calvary’s catcher.
They usually agreed. But every once in a while, Halladay would propose something unusual. In the district semifinal, a formidable Tampa Catholic hitter took his final at-bat. He’d struck out twice earlier in the game on sliders.
Halladay wanted a fastball down the middle.
“He was like, ‘Look, we gotta go off script at some point,’” Olsen recalled. “And he was right. We threw a ball right down the middle, and the hitter froze. That was his genius of pitch calling.”
Two weeks later, in the regional final, Halladay called for a splitter in the ninth inning with a runner on first and a one-run lead.
There was one problem: The pitcher had never thrown a splitter in a game before.
“In that moment, I felt like this is either going to work, or our season could be over,” Olsen said. “Because the kid’s gonna hit it out. But he made the right call. We jammed him, he grounded out, and we won the game.”
Cairo, who was sidelined with a hand injury, had a front-row seat to all of this. Sometimes, the infielder would sit next to Halladay on the bench and go through pitch sequencing.
Other times, they’d just talk crap.
“I remember this one pitcher was talking a lot after we scored like six runs on him,” Cairo said. “Roy told him to go sit in his truck or something like that. That was fun.”
Calvary Christian didn’t lose a game that year. The Warriors were perfect in the regular season — despite enduring injuries to multiple players — and made it to the state championship in Fort Myers in late May.
By now, everyone knew of Halladay’s idiosyncrasies. So no one was surprised when he was caught flying a drone over Pensacola Catholic’s practice.
The opposing coaches saw a metal device whizzing through the air. They told a security guard, who spotted Halladay in the dugout with a remote control and a grin.
The security guard was not as amused. Had anyone else pulled this stunt, they would’ve been kicked out of the game. But Halladay knew the tournament officials wouldn’t do that.
He got a slap on the wrist.
“The official was like, ‘Hey, dude, like, you can’t spy on the other team with aerial equipment,’” Braden said. “And he was like, ‘Ahhhh … sorry, sorry.’”
Roy Halladay and coach Greg Olsen after winning the state championship in 2017.Greg Olsen
‘I really felt him there’
The drone surveillance didn’t end up being necessary. Calvary Christian won the Class 4A state baseball title handily. By the sixth inning, they’d amassed an 11-1 lead over Pensacola Catholic. The game ended by mercy rule.
The high schoolers sprinted from the dugout, jumping into a dogpile. Halladay flitted around the group, giving bear hugs big enough to lift players off the ground.
He and assistant coach Mike White hoisted Olsen on their shoulders, as he carried a wooden trophy. The former Phillie beamed from ear to ear. This wasn’t a World Series. But it was sweet all the same.
Halladay couldn’t wait to do it again next season, which is why he arrived to an exhibition game in full baseball garb in early November. But that would be the last time he’d see his team.
Yes here are the HS kids and me with my son! Proud dad, Proud coach, Proud member of a coaching staff! #familypic.twitter.com/3WgoW0kwC6
Braden described the days after his father’s death as a blur. Teammates and coaches came by the house to express condolences. Cairo and Hudi barely left his side.
On Nov. 8, Olsen gave the younger Halladay a call. Calvary Christian had another exhibition game scheduled for Nov. 9, against East Lake.
Braden was supposed to start, but Olsen said they could cancel it altogether if he wanted. He told his coach he would think about it.
Less than 24 hours later, Braden was in his car, driving to the ballpark. As he warmed up in the bullpen, he heard a loud noise.
The high schooler looked toward the sky to find a small airplane flying overhead.
“It looked exactly like my dad’s,” he said. “That brought me closer to him in that moment.”
At 7 p.m., Braden stepped onto the mound, with his father’s Calvary jersey hanging in the dugout. A typical November game would draw about 30 to 40 people; on this night, there were four to five hundred.
Braden insisted that he’d take it one inning at a time, but once he started, he couldn’t stop. Four frames later — a long outing by fall ball standards — he’d allowed one hit and no runs.
The Calvary team gathers on the mound to say a prayer following Braden’s first start after his father’s passing in 2017.Braden Halladay
Braden told Olsen he was done. He walked off the mound, grabbed his father’s jersey, and began to cry.
“Obviously when he passed away, my thought was, ‘I lost my father,’” he said. “But that was my first moment of … he’s still with me. I still have him. I really felt him there.”
The players circled around the mound and said a prayer. Someone took a photo and sent it to Braden. Through the darkness, a ray of light shined down on his head.
Braden Halladay (left) accompanied by his brother Ryan, throws the first pitch to former Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, marking the 15th anniversary of their father Roy Halladay’s postseason no-hitter, ahead of an NLDS game against the Dodgers in 2025.Matt Rourke
A different side of Halladay
On Nov. 14, 2017, the Phillies held a celebration of life at their spring training complex. It was open to the public; thousands of people attended.
After the ceremony, Halladay’s friends and family moved to the batting cages beneath the stadium. Standing on bright green turf, with the nets pulled back, they grieved.
This was the first time many of his players had met his Phillies and Blue Jays teammates. And as the high schoolers traded stories with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard and Cliff Lee, it dawned on them that they’d seen a completely different person.
The former big leaguers painted a picture of a cutthroat competitor; a titan of the sport whose intensity seeped out. To the boys of Calvary Christian, he just was a goofy dad.
This is how they will remember him. They’ll never forget the perfect game, or the postseason no-hitter, or the countless shutouts. But for those 17 high schoolers, who are now 17 men, the coach they knew meant so much more.
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors pick the best sports images from the last seven days. This week, the World Cup craziness continues — but at least there were no more run-ins with the Rocky curse. On Monday, a powerful thunderstorm temporarily halted the fun in South Philly during the France-Iraq match, but fans — and even a French radio crew — weathered the storm and finished the game.
Across the street, the Phillies hosted the Mets before heading down to Washington for a couple of their craziest games of the season. And out in Amish country, we learned that volleyball is taken very seriously. Here’s a look back at some of our favorite photos from the week:
An Amish woman serves the ball during a volleyball match at the Heritage Days Co-ed 6’s Volleyball Tournament at Intercourse Community Park in Gordonville, Pa.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerTeams high five and shake hands after a volleyball match during day one of the Heritage Days Co-ed 6’s Volleyball Tournament at Intercourse Community Park.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies third baseman Alec Bohm backs off from a inside pitch from Mets reliever Austin Warren in the fifth inning of Sunday’s 6-2 win.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerBryce Harper celebrates his triple against the Mets Saturday that clinched the first cycle of his career. Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerKaamil Nelson (left), a strong safety and wide receiver at Pennwood High School, and Semaj Pridgen (second from left), a wide receiver and defensive back at Vaux Big Picture High School take part in a friendly tug of war. The two 17-year-old Philly natives were on hand for the Open Door Abuse and Prevention youth football clinic at Mastery Charter on Saturday.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerKamden Cintron, 11, ran the 40-yard dash in 6.3 seconds at the clinic, which featured an appearance from Eagles first-round pick Makai Lemon.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerOn the USS New Jersey, Pisey Tan (top), 46, of South Philadelphia, a sergeant in US Army, has James Mevoglioni, 26, of North Jersey in an arm lock during their Jiu Jitsu match at an event on Saturday for the We Defy Foundation in Camden.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerFrance star Kylian Mbappé walks off the field during a weather delay at the end of the first half of his team’s win over Iraq Monday. The delay lasted over two hours.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerPrior to the rain arriving, France took a 1-0 lead over Iraq, causing Jimmy Coilliot of Lille, France, to dance in celebration.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerBrazil fans Miguel Sosa and his son, Enzo, of Nebraska, were in Philly for the team’s win over Haiti on Friday night.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerFans cheer for Iraq from the stands before their team’s game against France.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerHaiti fans Roby and Mama Cristin, of New York, attended Friday’s game against Brazil in South Philly.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerBrazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker makes a save in the second half as Brazil beats Haiti, 3-0.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Two hundred and fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, nearly 50% of Philadelphians said the most important “new revolution” the city needs to lead is “closing the educational and economic wealth gap,” according to a new CityView poll by Suffolk University and The Inquirer.
The poll of 500 Philadelphians living in all 66 city wards was conducted between June 16 and June 20. The margin of error was 4.4 percentage points.
A majority of those who supported eliminating barriers to education and economic opportunity — 57% — were women, while respondents aged 18 to 24 supported the educational/wealth “new revolution” at the same percentage.
Mai Miksic, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Children First in Spring Garden, said she “loved” to see poll results like these, but was not surprised by them.
“From speaking with parents, I know that moms are incredibly aware of the gap between how kids are educated here and future prosperity,” she said. “Mobility and economic security really resonate with them.” As for young people, she said, “it’s important because this is directly about their lives.”
The poll’s other findings showed that 17% of Philadelphians felt that it was more important to support “revolutionizing community-led public safety”; 14% were behind making the city “the top hub for technology and medical innovation”; and 12% wanted to fight for “clean energy and green urban spaces.”
It makes sense that poll respondents linked education to increased prosperity. Philadelphia residents with a bachelor’s degree had an average annual income of $64,205 — more than twice the income of residents with less than a high school diploma, who earned about $29,000, according to estimates from the Census’s 2023 American Community Survey.
High school graduates in Philadelphia make an average salary of about $44,077, more than 30% less than a college graduate, according to Zip Recruiter.
Healthcare a right?
In another poll question connected to the theme of America’s creation, city residents were asked, “If the Framers of the U.S. Constitution rewrote the document in Philadelphia today, what right should be added first?”
Nearly 38% of respondents named “the right to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” as their first pick followed by ”secure, affordable housing for all” (24%); then — echoing the “new revolution” poll answer about schooling and wealth — “equitable, fully funded public education” (15%); and finally, “a safe, healthy environment and clean air” (nearly 13%).
Ann Marie Healy, executive director of Philadelphia Health Partnership, believes healthcare is very much a right. The foundation, located in Center City, is committed to improving the health and well-being of people in Philadelphia.
“Everyone, whether you’re a citizen or not, should have a right and opportunity to access quality healthcare in a manner aligned with their beliefs,” Healy said.
This is change “that could take generations,” Healy acknowledged. It will require a combination of harnessing new technologies and finding alternate, untraditional ways of administering healthcare, such as relying more on nurse practitioners and tools such as telehealth.
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Espousing the opposite view, Kevin Flynn, president of HealthCare Advocates Inc., a patient advocacy organization in Center City, had a succinct rebuttal.
“Health care is a privilege, not a right for most people,” he said.
“One has to work at a job to be able to obtain healthcare,” Flynn said. Beyond Medicaid and Medicare, it isn’t something “that’s bestowed,” he added.
Even a system like Obamacare, built to help people without traditional health insurance, has become expensive and difficult to manage, Flynn said.
While it sounds like a good idea to think of the ability to see a doctor as an inalienable right, Flynn said, “healthcare isn’t a life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness sort of thing.”
Whether healthcare is seen as a right or a privilege, says the nonpartisan Builders Movement, a nonprofit dedicated to finding common ground on knotty issues,there’s one clear takeaway: Healthcare isn’teasy to navigate, and so in the end, “what people really want is a system that works.”
Starting with Thursday’s World Cup game in Philadelphia and the late night United States men’s national team match with Turkey, where the U.S. allowed a last-second goal that cost them in a 3-2 loss in its World Cup group finale game.
There’s also the NHL draft tonight, with the Flyers on the clock with the 21st pick — and the MLB announced the first phase of fan voting for the All Star game. Can you guess which Phillies are in the running to start?
But before we get into all that, Alex Coffey delivered a powerful story on the late Hall of Famer Roy Halladay. Halladay, who won two Cy Young Awards in his 16-year career, including in 2010 with the Phillies, died of blunt force trauma and drowning after he crashed his Icon A5 into the Gulf of Mexico in 2017. The night before, he was with his team.
Halladay served as a pitching coach at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Fla. The boys he coached are now men, and they still cherish that 2017 season.
But what the players didn’t realize was that they were giving Halladay something too: “A way for him to enjoy baseball in a very pure form again.”
Alongside Sean Couturier and Luke Glendening, Garnet Hathaway was part of a formidable fourth line in the playoffs for the Flyers.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Flyers decided to make some moves ahead of the draft and traded veteran forward Garnet Hathaway to the Panthers, along with a 2026 sixth-round pick, for a fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder.
The Flyers now own four picks this weekend, but all eyes will be on Danny Brière and Co. in the first round. While they have quite a ways to go till their pick, here are nine players who could be there.
And if you missed our Reddit AMA, where Jackie Spiegel answered your questions, we’ve got all the highlights here.
What we’re …
🏀 Analyzing: How Labaron Philon Jr. will fit in with the Sixers backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Ngaly Camara, of Guinea, (center), holding up the Ivory Coast flag as they celebrate before the match against Curaçao on Thursday.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
In between the two dense blocks of orange and dark blue, fans came bearing jerseys and flags from any national team you could think of — even some Eagles jerseys — in the stands at Philadelphia Stadium on Thursday.
Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast was the least marquee matchup of Philly’s World Cup slate, which made it the easiest ticket for local and passionate soccer fans, as well as diehard supporters of both nations.
In the end, it was the fans in orange who went home happy, as Ivory Coast secured its first trip to the knockout rounds with a 2-0 win. For Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomande, the accomplishment was a triumph.
And check out what fans of all allegiances were saying after watching both Ivory Coast-Curaçao and Germany-Ecuador in Lemon Hill Park at the FIFA Fan Festival.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly will coach in an All-Star Game for the third time in his career.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Don Mattingly is officially the Phillies’ first All-Star. The interim manager will be on the National League’s staff as an honorary coach.
As for the players, Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh are each second at their respective positions after the first phase of fan voting. Surprisingly, Bryce Harper isn’t among them.
Another day, another ninth inning comeback for the Phillies, who were powered by Harper’s two-run homer to complete a third straight late-inning comeback win over the Nationals.
Riq Woolen has a chance to make major waves in the Eagles defense, with a potential big payday to follow.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
While the offseason focus was centered around the impending trade of A.J. Brown and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, the Eagles new cornerback Riq Woolen had plenty of buzz during spring workouts.
Woolen has an opportunity to flourish at a spot where the Eagles’ defense struggled last season. His skill also allows them to put All-Pro Cooper DeJean in position to be even more effective.
With that being said, let’s take a look his film from Seattle and see why the Eagles are excited about Woolen.
French fans arrived in Philly earlier in the week for their team’s group stage match against Iraq on Monday. France won, 3-0.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors pick the best sports images from the last seven days. This week, the World Cup craziness continues, despite thunderstorms attempting to put a damper on Philly’s celebration. Check out our best sports photos of the week.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Gabriela Carroll, Jackie Spiegel, DeAntae Prince, Matt Mullin, Gina Mizell, Jeff McLane, Devin Jackson, Ariel Simpson, Owen Hewitt, Mia Messina, and The Inquirer photography staff.
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And that’s it for me this week! Have a great weekend, we’ll be back in your inbox on Monday. — Bella
