The Brackets are out!! After the brackets were released on Wednesday, Pittsburgh Soccer Now's John Krysinsky was joined on the Kids on the Pitch Podcast by some coaches to get their reaction to the seedings and talk about their chances and how the competition stacks up in the WPIAL Girls Playoffs. Among the coaches who joined John and Matt include …

The WPIAL Boys Soccer Playoff Bracket are out! After the brackets were released on Wednesday, Pittsburgh Soccer Now's John Krysinsky was joined on the Kids on the Pitch Podcast by coaches to get their reaction to the seedings and talk about their chances and how the competition stacks up in the WPIAL Boys Playoffs. Class 4A top seed Plum's Head Coa…

In honor of Hispanic/Latiné Heritage Month, we’ve invited Francisco X. Stork to talk about his latest young adult novel, One Last Chance to Live. Francisco, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of nine with his mother and adoptive father, is the author of several award-winning novels, including Marcelo in the Real World, Disap…

The high school soccer season got off to a running start with a weekend of opening season tournaments and non-conference action, then kept going through this week as section play has begun in some classifications. Pittsburgh Soccer Now's John Krysinsky and Matt Popchock discuss some of what they saw this weekend at the JRK Memorial Classic, then we…

The Kids on the Pitch Podcast, returns for a special opening weekend of the High School soccer season edition, as PSN’s John Krysinsky is joined by Pine-Richland Boys Head Coach Jordan Wiegand. This year, at the JRK Memorial Classic hosted by Pine-Richland boys soccer program, 10 high school boys soccer teams will get their 2024 seasons going again…

In this episode, we’re spotlighting bestselling author Aaron Blabey. Aaron visited our New York City headquarters in late 2023 from his home in Australia. He talked with host Suzanne McCabe about the genesis of Cat on the Run, his latest series for young readers. In Book 1, Cat on the Run in Cat of Death!, Princess Beautiful, the world’s biggest ca…

In this episode, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Reach Out and Read and an uplifting new book collection. Marty Martinez, the nonprofit’s CEO, and Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, talk with host Suzanne McCabe about 35 for 35—a new, curated collection of titles for young children. A joint venture between Reach Out and Read and …

In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with author Derek Milman. Derek talks with host Suzanne McCabe about his latest YA novel, A Darker Mischief. The gripping story revolves around Cal, a queer teen from a poor town in Mississippi. At Essex Academy, an elite boarding school in New England, Cal tries to fit in and falls in love along the w…

“Children are just suffering more,” says Dr. Linda C. Mayes, director of the Yale Child Study Center. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Mayes specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. Like other health care professionals, she is sounding the alarm about the rise in anxiety and depression in young people. In this episode, Dr. Mayes talks with ho…

We hear a lot about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies these days. But the work is often misunderstood, and even disparaged. In this episode, Lindsey Cotter, Chief Inclusion Officer at Scholastic, and Malia C. Lazu, Founder and CEO of the consulting firm Lazu Group, discuss ways to create more inclusive environments. Doing so is not ju…

In honor of Black History Month, Yolanda Renee King talks with host Suzanne McCabe about her new picture book, We Dream A World: Carrying the Light From My Grandparents Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Yolanda is joined in the studio by her editor, Andrea Davis Pinkney, who is vice president and executive editor of Scholastic Trade Pu…

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we spotlight two Scholastic authors who depict everyday acts of heroism in their latest novels about the Holocaust. First, Neal Shusterman talks about Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust, his new graphic novel for young readers. The book is beautifully illustrated by Andrés Vera Mart…

In the latest edition of Kids on the Pitch Podcast, Pittsburgh Soccer Now's John Krysinsky provides a quick rundown of the WPIAL Soccer Finals, which kickoff on Thursday night, at Highmark Stadium, plus brings on Quaker Valley's senior forward, Bennett Haas, who has scored six goals in the past two matches to help lead the Quakers to the WPIAL Boys…

The WPIAL Soccer Playoff Brackets were announced on Wednesday. Shortly after the brackets were revealed, PSN's John Krysinsky and Matt Popchock went on the Kids on the Pitch Podcast -- and brought a few coaches on to the show for their reaction, as they connected longtime PSN colleague, and current Ringgold girls coach Ed Rosensteel and OLSH's Paig…

John Krysinsky

In this episode, we celebrate Hispanic Latine Heritage Month with Dr. Maria Armstrong. A longtime educator, Dr. Armstrong is executive director of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents {ALAS]. She talks with host Suzanne McCabe about her experiences in education and how we can better serve Latino children and families. Dr. Ar…

In the latest edition of the Kids on the Pitch Podcast, PSN's John Krysinsky catches up with Tanner Rosborough, who currently trains and competes with the Red Bulls Academy/NYRBII on an MLSNext Pro contract, has also been signed to join the senior team, NY Red Bulls on a MLS Homegrown contract in 2025. Tanner discusses his soccer journey, which beg…

When North Catholic boys soccer team hosts Mars in a key WPIAL Class 3A, Section 1 match at J.C. Stone Field in North Park, it will also serve as an awareness game to help bring attention to Rise Again a non-profit organization formed and started by a North Catholic family (the Browns) in honor of their son Alex, to support individuals with spinal …

The Kids on the Pitch Podcast, presented by Glory on the Grass Tournaments, returns for a special opening weekend of the High School soccer season edition, as PSN's John Krysinsky and Matt Popchock are joined by Pine-Richland Boys Head Coach Jordan Wiegand and South Park Girls Head Coach T.J. O'Brien.…

If you’ve ever been to summer camp, or wish you had gotten the chance to go, you’ll love hearing author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka talk with host Suzanne McCabe about his latest graphic memoir. It’s called Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope. Camp Sunshine is not just any camp. It’s a place in Maine where seriousl…

We're back! In the first episode of 2023, Pittsburgh Soccer Now's John Krysinsky brings on Kris Schemm, who is the founder of the Glory on the Grass 5v5 and 3v3 soccer tournaments, which are being played at various locations in and around Western Pennsylvania during the summer. Learn more about the unique, 5v5 and 3v3 competition, how it came to be…

In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with British author and screenwriter Simon James Green. Simon joins host Suzanne McCabe to talk about Gay Club!, his hilarious new novel for young adults. The story revolves around Barney Brown, a self-described chess geek who wants to lead his high school’s LGBTQIA+ Society to better days. But Barney …

In 1923, Scholastic founder and CEO Maurice R. Robinson deemed that artistic students should be celebrated every bit as much as their athletic peers. Robinson created the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to recognize talented young artists and writers from across the United States. The program gained fame through the students who won its awards, man…

In this episode, we’re celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with New York Times bestselling comic artist Betty C. Tang. Betty talks with host Suzanne McCabe about her extraordinary new graphic novel, Parachute Kids. The story introduces readers to 10-year-old Feng-Li, a Taiwanese girl who can’t wait to va…

In this episode, we introduce you to siblings Merwin and Louise. They are two tiny sycamore seeds, living in a world filled with dinosaurs, asteroids, and volcanoes. Merwin and Louise are the creation of author and illustrator Brian Selznick, who discusses his new novel, Big Tree, with host Suzanne McCabe The siblings’ story began with an idea from…

Everyone loves a good Titanic story. Jennifer A. Nielsen has written a great one! In this episode, she talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Iceberg, her new middle grade novel. It’s already a best-seller. Iceberg follows the journey of 12-year-old Hazel Rothbury, who is traveling alone on the Titanic. She dreams of escaping her fate as a factory wo…

During Women’s History Month, we celebrate women who paved the way in a range of fields—from politics and the law to aviation and technology. In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Ruchira Gupta, a journalist, author, and activist who is ensuring a future for girls who otherwise might not have one. Ruchira has worked tirelessly to help gir…

When Akim Aliu was a young boy, he and his family moved to Canada. His parents wanted a better life for their two sons. Akim’s father is Nigerian, and his mother Ukrainian. Whether they lived in Ukraine, Nigeria, or Canada, the family faced discrimination and bigotry. Things didn’t improve when Akim developed a love of ice hockey. Money was tight, …

If you haven’t met Eva the Owlet, you’re in for a treat. She’s headed to Apple TV+ for her own animated series, which debuts on March 31. Eva is the adorable narrator of Owl Diaries, a New York Times bestselling book series by author and illustrator Rebecca Elliott. In this episode, Rebecca talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the runaway success o…

In 1941, when Yaffa Eliach was six years old, German troops invaded her town in what was then Poland. Most of the Jewish population was rounded up and murdered. Within two days, 900 years of history was sundered. But Yaffa and her family managed to escape. After the war, Yaffa settled in the United States, where she earned a PhD, writing and tellin…

How can individual members of a community help children flourish in the classroom? One way is through mentoring. Scholastic’s nationwide mentorship program helps students boost their literacy skills while creating meaningful bonds with caring individuals. Our read-aloud mentoring program, which comes with books and teaching guides, is called R.E.A.…

PSN's John Krysinsky begins the pod by bringing on Lydija Amayo, a senior at Avonworth High School, who came up with a special name for a project that is very important to her and her family: 'The Beautiful Gift' -- as she's collecting soccer related donations for her family's native town Cajamarca, Peru. Lidija is hoping to collect donated soccer …

The arrival of the Mayflower in Plimouth in 1620, and the Pilgrims’ feast with Wampanoag Indians a year later, are recalled each November when we celebrate Thanksgiving. But what actually happened at that three-day feast, and how did the narrative change over time? In 2021, host Suzanne McCabe posed those questions to Chris Newell, an award-winning…

PSN's John Krysinsky was joined by three coaches of teams that have reached this weekend's finals: Pine-Richland boys' Jordan Wiegand Ambridge boys' Ben Fiore Mount Pleasant girls' Rich Garland Then, John is joined by Matt Popchock to talk more about the three matches he'll be covering (Boys Class 2A, Boys Class 1A and Boys Class 3A), before Jordan…

We often talk about the joy and power of reading. But how does a child get there? How do they actually learn how to read, to recognize words on a page and make sense of them? In this episode, Dr. Julia B. Lindsey talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the science of reading and how she recommends putting it into practice. Dr. Lindsey is a leading exp…

The WPIAL Boys and Girls Soccer playoff brackets were released on Wednesday! Shortly after, PSN's John Krysinsky and Brandon Rossi shared their reaction and spoke with a pair of coaches, Our Lady of Sacred Heart's Paige Petroval and Avonworth's J.C. Mahon, to get their thoughts on the seedings and their teams' prospects in the upcoming playoffs.…

The WPIAL Boys and Girls Soccer Playoff brackets are out! John Krysinsky and Brandon Rossi shared their reaction and spoke with a pair of boys coaches for Part I of a two-part special podcast. Joining John and Brandon were Pine-Richland's Jordan Wiegand and Greensburg Central Catholic's Rob Fabean, to get their thoughts on the seedings and their te…

Among the topics John and Libby tackled on this Podcast include: Her thoughts on Mt. Lebanon's Mia Bhuta, who is playing with US Youth National Women's Soccer team at the U17 Women's World Cup Stigma associated with mental illness and disorders Female athlete mental health (four young female athlete suicides this year) Her personal story and other …

In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month with three favorite Scholastic authors. First, Carmen Agra Deedy talks about her extraordinary new picture book, The Children’s Moon. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche, the book is available in both English and Spanish editions. Carmen is a master storyteller who was born in Havana, Cu…

North Catholic's Devin Paschell, Oliver Joseph and Marcus Kurtz join PSN's John Krysinsky to talk about Muscular Dystrophy Awareness game when they take on neighboring Mars in a key WPIAL Boys Soccer Class 3A Section 1 showdown.John Krysinsky

Every September, we celebrate banned books. These are the stories that are so powerful—and so transformative—that some people think others shouldn’t be able to read them. Banning or censoring a book may be done with good intentions, but it ends up limiting access to diverse, often marginalized, voices and deprives readers of important historical in…

Kolankowski's Plum squad is off to a strong, 3-0-1 start after two weeks, including a big 2-0 win last Thursday against section rival Franklin Regional. Among the topics discussed on the Kids on the Pitch podcast included: Plum's positive start to the 2022 against tough competition Measuring up a very deep group of strong teams contending in Class …

In our first episode of KOTP, we preview the 2022 WPIAL High School Soccer season. PSN's Jordan Smith (who is also an assistant boys varsity and head JV boys coach at South Fayette) joins John Krysinsky to discuss the upcoming high school soccer season, the impact of this year's realignment, as they run through all classifications and sections ahea…

In this episode, we’re honoring John Lewis, the civil rights hero and Congressman who died in 2020. The bond that Lewis forged with young Tybre Faw is the subject of a new picture book by best-selling author Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Keith Henry Brown, the book is called Because of You, John Lewis: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendsh…

In this episode, author and illustrator Aaron Blabey talks about the creation of The Bad Guys, his hit book series with Scholastic. The series inspired the 2022 computer-animated film of the same name from DreamWorks Animation. Aaron describes the series, which follows the adventures of a hapless gang of criminal animals who finally do good, as “Ta…

In this episode, we’re spotlighting the Scholastic Summer Reading program. Authors Christina Soontornvat, Kwame Mbalia, Tracey West, and Lauren Tarshis join host Suzanne McCabe to introduce the books they will be sharing with young readers this summer. Lauren offers a sneak peek of her upcoming I Survived The Wellington Avalanche, 1910, which is du…

In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with Alex Gino. Alex is the acclaimed author of several queer and progressive middle grade novels, including Rick, You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P!, and the newly-released Alice Austen Lived Here. Alex talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Melissa, which was originally published as George in 2015. Th…

In this episode, we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with authors Debbi Michiko Florence and Gita Varadarajan. A former classroom teacher, Debbi is the author of award-winning middle grade novels Keep It Together, Keiko Carter, and Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai, among several other titles. Debbi is a third-generation Japanese Am…

During the pandemic, an increasing number of children and adolescents have reported struggling with anxiety and depression. How can we help them process their emotions and get the support they need? In this episode, Dr. Amanda Alexander and Dr. Jose Paez talk with host Suzanne McCabe about the role social and emotional learning (SEL) plays in the c…

In this episode, author and actress Holly Robinson Peete talks about her family’s journey with autism. Holly became a fierce advocate for families like hers after her son R.J. was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Holly and R.J. recently collaborated on a picture book, Charlie Makes a Splash! It tells the story of a boy with autism who fin…