Youth sports association board gets new adviser

The McHenry County Youth Sports Association has announced that Rich Naponelli, chief financial officer of Sage Products Inc. in Cary, has agreed to serve as special adviser to the MCYSA board of directors.

Naponelli previously served as the treasurer for the McHenry County Youth Sports Association and is currently committee chairman of the Justin Schroeder MCYSA Student/Athlete Achievement Memorial Award, which was created in 2003. The committee awards annual college scholarships to past host-team tournament participants.

As of 2007, in excess of $24,000 has been awarded by the McHenry County Youth Sports Association to local student/athletes.

The announcement regarding Naponelli comes on the heels of the McHenry County Youth Sports Association committing $25,000 to the Crystal Lake Babe Ruth League. The league will build a permanent concession/washroom facility at the Mickey Sund Complex at Lippold Park in Crystal Lake with the funds.

The $25,000 commitment to the Babe Ruth League brings the total that the McHenry County Youth Sports Association has contributed to local high schools, McHenry County College and various youth sports groups over the past six years, to more than $95,000

In the summer of 2008, the McHenry County Youth Sports Association will be co-hosting the 15U National Championships; the 11- and 9-year-old AA World Series and the 13- and 11-year-old National Open Championships in Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Huntley and surrounding communities in McHenry County.

In addition to youth baseball the association also will co-sponsor a number of girls fast-pitch tournaments with the Northern Ice Girls Fast-Pitch organization.

For information, visit MCYSASports.org or call executive tournament director Gregg Sibigtroth at (708) 826-1804 or board president Jack Sebesta at (815) 482-1565.