Neighbor Sports
Baseball
Hammerheads Tryouts: The 14U Arlington Hammerheads, a team that has played in the MSBL for five seasons, will hold individual tryouts for the 2008 baseball season. Players must have been born after April 30, 1993. Games start early in April and run through July with some weekend tournaments. Team practice will start in January. Interested players should call Tony Ferrante at (847) 226-4386 for a tryout date.
Baseball
Mustangs tryouts: The Rolling Meadows Mustangs 11-year-old travel baseball team will hold open tryouts for its 2008 season from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Mckenzie Field at the Sports Complex, 3900 Owl Drive, Rolling Meadows. To qualify, players must not turn 12 by May 1, 2008. The team will play in the MSBL and three or four additional tournaments. For information, call Chris Hauer at (224) 659-0609.
Shooting
Orientation night: The Arlington International Airgun Club junior division, the "AIAC Juniors," will conduct an orientation night to introduce juniors and parents to the sport of Olympic-style airgun shooting. The orientation, open to all juniors (ages 12 to 19) and parents, will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 at Christian Liberty Academy, 502 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights.
The presentation will cover opportunities on the Junior Olympic, NCAA/collegiate, and Olympic levels.
The AIAC Juniors program focuses on developing marksmanship skills with an emphasis on teaching proper gun safety. Information about registration and range safety class will be announced at orientation. For information, contact Jay Vergenz at info@aiac-airguns.org or visit the Web site at www.aiac-airguns.org.
Soccer
2007 Soccer Challenge: Local 4483 Holy Rosary Council, Knights of Columbus, will sponsor the 2007 Soccer Challenge for all 10- to 14-year-old boys and girls at 2 p.m. Sunday at Melas Park Athletic Complex, 1500 W. Central, Mount Prospect. The winners of the annual event will progress through local, district and state competitions based on scores from the state-level competitions. Everyone will compete in their respective age divisions, and all contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation. Participants must furnish proof of age and written parental consent. Entry forms are available and can be filled out at Melas Park prior to competition. For information, call John Urban at (847) 577-8240.
Swimming
Alligator registration: The Arlington Alligators Swim team is currently taking mail- in registration for the teams that practice and swim at St. Viator High School, 1213 E. Oakton St., Arlington Heights. The Alligators are a member of USA Swimming with athletes from all over the Northwest suburbs. The team is open to swimmers ages 5 and up, who can efficiently swim 25 yards of freestyle and backstroke.
All swimmers receive coaching and training necessary to guide them to their full potential. The coaches are USA Swimming and ASCA certified with years of coaching and competitive swimming experience.
For information, call (847) 749-4900 or visit the Web site,
Volleyball
September tryouts: The Sports Academy-Northwest at 355 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove will hold tryouts for the boys 2007-08 volleyball season at the following times:
• 15- and 16-year-olds (freshmen and sophomores): 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday and 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
There will be a parent meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 20.
• 17- and 18-year-olds (juniors and seniors): 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
There will be a parent meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20.
The age definitions are:
• 18 and under (18U): -- Seniors born on or after Sept. 1, 1989 or players who were born on or after Sept. 1, 1988 and a high school student during some part of the academic year.
• 17 and under (17U) -- Juniors born on or after Sept. 1, 1990.
• 16 and under (16U) -- Sophomores born on or after Sept. 1, 1991.
• 15 and under (15U) -- Freshmen born on or after Sept. 1, 1992.
• 14 and under (14U) -- Eighth-graders born on or after Sept. 1, 1993.
• 13 and under (13U) -- Seventh-graders born on or after Sept. 1, 1994.
• 12 and under (12U) -- Sixth-graders born on or after Sept. 1, 1995.
Both the TSA tryout registration/waiver and the USAV tryout waiver and release must be completed by parent/guardian before tryouts.
For more information about TSA Club volleyball tryouts and the 2008 TSA Team USA travel program, call (847) 279-3934 or go to the Web site at www.tsanorthwest.com.