Latest news with #KennedyBurke
CBS News
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Kidstock! teaches children theater and art in Massachusetts while boosting their confidence
At Kidstock! Creative Theater every student is a star. Over the past three decades, thousands have attended classes, camp, or a birthday party at the Winchester, Massachusetts, school. There's a focus on acting, singing, and dance, all skills that could help boost confidence and self-esteem. "Kidstock! is a place where you can come and just be creative and have fun," said dance teacher Colleen Hourigan. Every week during the summer, more than 100 kids come through the camp for their chance to shine. "We start every Monday by learning a story and then by the end of the week, they have a show that we're able to show to their parents of what they've been working on all week, which is adorable," said Kennedy Burke, a staff member and former student. "I really like drama," said 8-year-old camper Robin Meyvis. "I really like the chance that we get to do art, drama, music and we get to do a play at the end of every week. I just love it." Hourigan also attended Kidstock! as a child. Now she helps inspire the next generation. "It's not product-focused, it's more process-focused," said Hourigan. "So it's about the kids making up their own lines, having fun and doing the dances in silly ways." It's something 8-year-old Claire Buckwell appreciates. "I love acting, I also like singing," said Claire. "I also really like all the subjects we get to do." From acting class to art, the students learn how to express themselves. "Kids, I feel like who do have an education in the arts, just have so much more empathy and like compassion for people because they have that perspective of being able to tell a story and being able to relate to other people," said Burke. "Throughout the week, they definitely do get more confident." Hourigan agrees, saying, "There are kids that come on Monday and they think, 'No, I don't want to do a play. My parents signed me up for theater camp, like this is not my thing,' and then by Friday they are like the ham of the show. They are singing and dancing their hearts out, and it's so cool to see that kid who didn't think that this was going to be something that they would enjoy, and then by the end of the week, they're going home and they're saying, 'That was amazing. I want to come back next summer.'" Summer camp is for students from Pre-K through sixth grade. There are also advanced classes for those 12 and older throughout the school year. Kidstock! also holds single-day sessions on many school holidays.
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shorthanded Liberty make no excuses after 'embarrassing' loss to Wings
The post Shorthanded Liberty make no excuses after 'embarrassing' loss to Wings appeared first on ClutchPoints. The New York Liberty could be excused for losing a tough game to the Los Angeles Sparks last weekend without Breanna Stewart, Kennedy Burke and Nyara Sabally. Maybe even for losing a road game to the Dallas Wings. But not like this. The Liberty trailed by as many as 30 to a team that came into the game 7-19, allowing 30-plus points in each of the first two quarters. The final score was 82-72, but that didn't begin to tell the whole story. Once again, head coach Sandy Brondello blasted her team's effort after the game — something that became a theme when the Liberty lost six of nine in June. 'It's an effort thing,' Brondello said. 'It's just how we come out of the gate and we're not competing at a high level, and we've got to get back to playing what we know we're capable of, like in the second half.' In the second half, the Liberty cut their deficit down to six, limiting the Wings to just seven points in the fourth quarter. It was a flash of what the team is capable of, even with three players sidelined. 'It's never on the coaching staff, right?' Sabrina Ionescu said. 'We're the ones that go out and play, so we're a team full of leaders that are always gonna take accountability for the way that we come out.' Ionescu was 1-5 from the field in the first half with three turnovers and a -30 plus-minus. On the other side, Arike Ogunbowale had a 15-point, 10-assist first-half double-double as the Liberty had just nine assists as a team. The Wings shot 59 percent from the field and, as Brondello pointed out, the Liberty did not have a single kill (stops on three straight possessions) in the entire first 20 minutes. 'Embarrassing, frustrating, a bit disappointing because we know the level of play that we hold ourselves to and the caliber play that we played at in the past,' Jonquel Jones said, summarizing the team's effort. The Liberty held another team meeting after Wings loss The media waited nearly 40 minutes after the game for the Liberty to arrive at the postgame press conference. It's a stark difference from after the Sparks loss Saturday where not even the entire media contingent had arrived yet before the team took the podium for a speedy six-minute presser. The reason, we learned, was that New York held a team meeting after the game. It was their second in three weeks, which is never a great sign. 'We've got to dig a little bit deeper and we have to take a little bit more pride in the defensive area,' Brondello said. 'It doesn't matter that we have players out. Everyone does. So you've just got to be more committed to that side of the ball and not allow their offense to dictate our defense.' Earlier in the season, the Liberty had a problem starting third quarters slowly. The last two games, it's been the first quarter, as New York has allowed more than 30 in the first frame both times. For context, Breanna Stewart said last year that the team's goal is to score 20 a quarter and give up less than 20. 'It's just more effort,' Jones said. 'I think it's really nothing that [the Wings] did, it's just the way that we came out and we can be better with that.' There was also the personnel problem, though Ionescu insisted that even with their available players, they had enough to win the game. 'We just have to come out with a little bit more purpose, and obviously we're getting tested now, especially defensively,' she said. 'They brought JJ up in a lot of pick and rolls. We don't have anyone at the rim to be able to contest like JJ does and usually we have Stewie, and so I think it's just understanding when people are.' That was also an issue against the Sparks, so even with the Liberty expected to contend for another championship and the Wings far out of the playoff picture, it matters. But the team also likes to say — quite often — that nobody is going to have sympathy for them because they have injuries. Everyone does. And they don't expect sympathy for playing a condensed schedule over the next few weeks. Every team does. 'It wasn't about scheming and anything,' Brondello said. 'We just know we didn't play well, so, what are we gonna do about it? We can't be happy that we got [the deficit] back to six.' The Liberty have almost no time to lick their wounds. They travel to Minnesota for a 2024 Finals rematch with the Lynx on Wednesday. Related: Liberty rumors: What Sabrina Ionescu's dad said she'll 'never' do in career Related: Sabrina Ionescu delivers unsurprised response to Paige Bueckers' WNBA success
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liberty's Breanna Stewart ruled out with lower leg injury after exiting game vs. Sparks
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has been ruled out with a lower leg injury after exiting Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Sparks. The extent of the injury is unclear. Less than four minutes into the game, Stewart appeared to pull up while running during a transition. She then put her hands on her knees and rested for a moment as the Liberty took a timeout. Kennedy Burke came in for Stewart, who headed into the locker room shortly afterwards. Stewart had played just three and half minutes prior to leaving the game. She scored just three points, sinking a three-point jumper early on. This story will be updated.
New York Post
13-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Kennedy Burke's blossoming offensive game providing Liberty extra firepower
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Kennedy Burke noticed the shift two weeks ago, when the Liberty last played the Dream on June 29 and Atlanta — predictably — started doing whatever it could to take away her 3-point shot. She knew it would happen at some point. It was inevitable. Burke's 3-point shooting, head coach Sandy Brondello said, has been 'off the charts,' allowing her to turn a season-opening tear into a breakout campaign with the Liberty, and at some point, defenses would make the next move in the chess match and force her to respond. It happened that day at Gateway Center Arena when Burke went 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. Her Sixth Player of the Year case still remains intact entering the Liberty's next game against the Dream, this time at Barclays Center on Sunday. Burke leads the WNBA in 3-point percentage (48.6), though her 70 shots are only a fraction of what the most frequent shooters in the league attempt — such as Atlanta star Rhyne Howard's 185 and Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu's 145. Burke's 3-point percentage has jumped from 25.9 percent to 48.6 between 2024 and 2025 and her increase in attempts from beyond the arc (1.5 to 3.7, respectively) has remained notable, too. But Burke, to end the first half of a season where multiple Liberty absences allowed her to log more minutes, has relied on attacking the basket off the dribble as the counter to defensive adjustments, while also using her own defense — including six steals Tuesday against Las Vegas — to create opportunities at the offensive end as she searches for ways to prevent her career year from eventually stalling. 'Knowing if my 3-point shot is not open, I can attack because I know I have a quick first step,' Burke said after practice Saturday, 'so just realizing like the defense is gonna be different now. So just doing whatever it takes to get to the basket and be aggressive.' The breakout for Burke dated back to the winter months, when she took shot after shot from behind the arc in both catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble situations. She also worked with her trainer on attacking the basket, too, in preparation for when teams tried to take those 3s away. 3 Kennedy Burke shoots a 3-pointer during the Liberty's win over the Aces on July 8, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images And early on in season, it became clear that defenses would need to eliminate that layer of her skill set. Burke hit all four of her 3s during the second game of the season — one of four times this year where she has hit four shots from beyond the arc — and watched as those repetitive drills from the offseason started to pay off. For most of the 2024 season, which marked her first with the Liberty, Burke struggled to settle into a consistent role on a superteam with a mostly rigid rotation, though. A second-round pick in 2019, Burke averaged just 12.1 minutes and 3.4 points per game in her first season in New York while trying to figure out where she fit in around the Liberty's collection of stars, and that can be 'hard,' Breanna Stewart — her Seattle Storm teammate in 2021 — said. 3 Kennedy Burke drives to the rim during the Liberty's win over the Aces . NBAE via Getty Images But Burke has 'really embraced the role' now, Stewart said. She has created an expectation of consistency, of production, of the Liberty knowing exactly what they'll get from her in each game. At most points this season, that involved 3-pointers. But recently, it has expanded to shots inside the arc, too. It evolved to include games such as Tuesday, when she compiled those steals against the Aces — including four in the third quarter that directly led to seven Liberty points at the other end. 'Obviously she's not getting as open,' Brondello said, 'but she still gets her shots up. But look, she's more than just a 3-point shooter.' Covering the Liberty like never before Sign up for Madeline Kenney's Inside the Liberty, a weekly Sports+ newsletter. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Burke has been one of the players to take on increased minutes with 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones out after re-injuring her right ankle. Even though Jones participated in some five-on-five work Saturday and continues to progress, Burke has likely carved out a role that will last even after Jones returns and the Liberty get back to full strength. Burke will likely earn a chance to demonstrate that these strides aren't fleeting glimpses of her potential. The Liberty could use taller lineup combinations at times, Brondello said. They can move everyone around a bit, too. And they can incorporate all of Burke's versatile skill set, one that, finally, has translated across a WNBA season consistently. 3 Kennedy Burke drives to the rim during the Liberty's win over the aces on July 8, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images 'Whatever look they give her,' Stewart said, 'she just takes the other one.'
New York Post
04-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Red-hot Kennedy Burke leads league in 3-point shooting
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Kennedy Burke poured in four 3s in Thursday's win against the Sparks. It marked the second time this season she's drained four shots from deep. She finished with 12 points in her fourth start this season. Advertisement Burke is shooting a whopping 50.7 percent from behind the arc this season, which is the highest mark in the league among players who've attempted at least 50 shots from 3-point range. Burke has been so impressive that Natasha Cloud has launched a campaign for her to participate in this year's 3-point shooting contest during WNBA All-Star weekend later this month. Kennedy Burke celebrates during the Liberty's 89-79 win over the Sparks on June 3, 2025. Getty Images Advertisement Burke blushed and smiled at Cloud's assertion. Asked whether she would want to partake in the annual event, Burke said she hasn't really thought about it. 'I don't know,' Burke said. 'I just want to play, honestly. Just be the best player for my teammates, be a good teammate. So, I mean, that's not something that I'm really focused on. I just want to focus on taking it day by day, staying present.' A new public art installation honoring the 2024 WNBA champions was unveiled Thursday on the plaza at Barclays Center. Advertisement 'The Liberty Portraits: A Monument to the 2024 Champions,' created by renowned artist LaToya Ruby Frazier, tells the story of 10 of the 12 players who contributed to last year's title run. Each 3D frame includes a 9-foot-tall portrait of a player in their Liberty uniform on one side and an image of the same player with their chosen family on the other. There's also text panels that feature first-person testimonies from the voice of a loved one. Frazier hopes the portraits are 'beacons of women's leadership and the power of sisterhood. Advertisement 'This collaboration extends beyond fandom and the spectacle of sport; it's an act of celebrating and bearing witness to the full humanity of these championship players — their struggles, their triumphs, their lives outside the arena,' Frazier said in a statement. 'I'm interested in creating a bridge between fans and the team, deepening a sense of compassion and commanding the dignity and respect the team deserves.' This is the first of what Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai hopes to be many public art installations outside Barclays in the coming years. Sandy Brondello and Cheryl Reeves were named the head coaches for this month's All-Star game. Brondello is set to coach Team Napheesa Collier and Reeves will head Team Caitlin Clark. Sandy Brondello looks on during the Liberty's win over the Sparks. Getty Images The Lynx are the No. 1 team in the league, sitting at 15-2. The Liberty are second at 12-5 with a .706 win percentage. Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was in line to join Reeves until the Wings knocked off Phoenix on Thursday, dropping his team to 12-6 on the season (.667.) Advertisement Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, both of whom were named starters this week, will join Brondello in Indianapolis. All-Star reserves are scheduled to be announced Sunday. Cloud was ecstatic to learn Philadelphia is joining Detroit and Cleveland in the WNBA's upcoming expansion. Advertisement 'For my hometown team, the Sixers, to truly invest into a W team, that's always been my dream to have an organization for the city, it's going to be so important,' Cloud said. Cloud will be 38 when Philadelphia is expected to begin to play in 2030. She doesn't know whether she'll still be playing. But she said she'd entertain the idea of working in the team's front office if an opportunity presented itself.
