Neighbor Sports

Baseball

April camp: Elmhurst Youth Baseball, Elmhurst Extreme Baseball and Fastball USA are teaming up for a spring throwing/pitching camp. The camp will be run by a Fastball USA instructor with assistance from Elmhurst Extreme 12-year-old team and Blackbelt pitching students.

The camps for ages 7-12 will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. April 11 and 4 to 6 p.m. April 12 at Fastball USA, 137 Diversey Ave., Elmhurst. The $60 cost includes a camp T-shirt. For more information or a registration form, contact Kevin Ryan at (630) 359-3126 or kpryan26@comcast.net.

Vintage team: The Chicago Salmon Vintage Baseball team has players from the entire Chicago area, Rockford and Springfield. Anyone may join the 2008 team either as a player or a "crank."

Players ages 18 to 59 play according to the rules of 1858. The team plays without mitts, using a 9½-inch "lemon peel" style baseball. There's no stealing.

This year the Chicago Salmon will play approximately 27 games. More teams from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio have been added to this year's schedule.

To sign up, contact player/coach Gary Schiappacasse at (847) 362-9364 or at salmon@chicagosalmon.org.

For more information about the team, visit chicagosalmon.org.

Baseball/softball

Registration: Baseball and softball registration is under way in Palatine for players ages 15 to 29 for 2008 summer recreational leagues. The baseball leagues include Colt for boys ages 15 to 17 and Palamino for boys ages 18 to 29. The softball leagues for girls are high school, age 18 and younger, and women ages 19 to 29. Register at the Palatine Park District offices, Community Center, 250 E. Wood St. or Birchwood Recreational Center, 435 W. Illinois Ave. You can also register at palatineparks.org.

Practices begin in May and games will be played during June and July. For more information, call the park district at (847) 991-0333 or visit pbabaseballsoftball.com.

Basketball

Openings: Next Level Basketball Academy is forming its boys spring AAU basketball teams for fifth- to 11th-graders. For more information, call (847) 508-2721 or e-mail NLBA1@yahoo.com.

Cheerleading/ dance

Registration for 2008: The Schaumburg Athletic Association seeks girls to join its cheer or poms program. The SAA Cheer and Dance program is open to girls in kindergarten through eighth-grade as of Sept. 1, 2008. The program focuses on having fun, building self-esteem and developing teamwork. No previous cheer or dance experience is required. Tryouts will not be held. Placement is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Open registration will continue through Thursday. Forms are available on the SAA Web site under "Cheerleading." For more information, visit saa-online.com.

National title:ŒAction All Stars, a competitive cheerleading team from Barrington, had its season finale March 14 to 16 at the Xtreme Spirit Nationals in the Wisconsin Dells. All the teams that attended must have qualified at local events. The competitions take place in Illinois, Michigan, Texas and Indiana and Ohio.

This year, the Junior Red team took an Xtreme Spirit National title home for the third year in a row. The team is comprised of 20 11- to 14-year-old girls who extremely hard to achieve this goal. Every girl on the team had goals for the year which ranged from getting their back tuck flips to getting elite stunting skills. The Junior Red team is coached by Ray Zamora, Jackie DiMonte and Patty DiMonte.

The Mini and Youth Blue squads each placed second, the Youth Red squad placed fourth, and the Junior Blue and Senior squads placed third.

Team members are Ally McLaughlin, Brittany Smith, Christy Roney, Courtney Blum, Ingrid Palmer, Jacqueline Barry, Jenna Shaxted, Kara Priebe, Katie Ferrara, Katlyn Dweil, Kayley Koter, Marcy Toni, MaryAnn McAndrews, Melissa Mersch, Michelle Toni, Samantha Jordan, Sarinna Fisher, Tara Kane, Taylor Hamontree and Yumiko Siewenie.

Registration for the 2008/2009 is under way and practices begin May 5. Action All Stars Cheerleading is a part of the Kids in Action Gymnastics Academy. For information, contact Kids In Action, 200 N. Hough St., Barrington, or call (847) 381-6141.

Dodgeball

Spring league: A Saturday dodgeball league for third- through sixth-graders will be held Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. April 5 to May 31 at the JCYS Northwest Family Center, 1700 Weiland Road, Buffalo Grove. The fee costs $85. For more information, call Isaac Brubaker at (847) 279-0900 or visit the Web site at jcys.org/northwest.

Fishing

Members wanted: Midwest Bassbusters, a bass fishing club, seeks new members at any level of experience. The group fishes one weekend a month, April through October. Monthly meetings are held at Where Else Lounge, Higgins and Kively roads, Elk Grove Village. For more information, contact Len Digate at (847) 870-7070 or at ltd_financial@wideopenwest.com.

Football

Summer camps: The Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps feature weeklong full-day programs focusing on technique and enjoyment for all football positions. The camp will be taught by professional educators, along with former Chicago Bears Mickey Pruitt, Kris Haines and Wendell Davis. Chicago Bears youth camps offer comprehensive skill instruction while maintaining a 10-to-1 student to instructor ratio. The camps will be held this summer at:

• Lincolnshire -- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 14-18, Laura B. Sprague School, 2425 Riverwoods Drive

• Lake Forest -- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 23-27 Deerpath Middle School, 95 W. Deerpath Road.

For more information on the schedule, curriculum or to register, visit the Web site BearsCamps.com or call (312) 226-7776.

Golf

Palatine tee times: Applications for permanent tee times Saturdays or Sundays will be accepted until Saturday at Palatine Hills Golf Course, 512 W. Northwest Hwy., Palatine. The drawing for tee times will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St. For more information contact head professional Dan Hotchkin at (847) 359-4020 or by e-mail to dhotchkin@palatineparks.org.

Ladies league: The Palatine Ladies 9-Hole Golf League will hold its Spring Kick-Off meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at the Palatine Hills Golf Course clubhouse, 512 W. Northwest Hwy., Palatine. For more about the meeting, call (847) 359-4020.

The league plays on Mondays with tee times from 7:15 to 8:27 a.m. April 28 to Aug. 18. Annual fee, $45, and greens fees are paid weekly to the course. An established handicap is not required. For more information about the league, visit golfchat.org or call Nancy Boborci at (847) 577-7204.

Ladies league: The Arlington Chippers Ladies 9-hole golf league has openings for both new members and substitutes. The league plays Thursdays at 8:15 a.m. at Arlington Lakes Golf Club, 1211 S. New Wilke Road, Arlington Heights April 24 through Sept. 4. Players do not need to be residents of Arlington Heights to join. There will be a kickoff breakfast meeting at 9:30 a.m. April 17 at the golf club. Interested but can't attend? Call Jayne at (847) 934-4751.

Women's league: The Smiler's Women's 9-Hole Golf League seeks new members and substitutes. The league plays at Arlington Lakes Golf Course Thursdays teeing off from 7:45 to 8:07 a.m. April 17 through Sept. 4. Golfers are of all skill levels. For more information about joining, call Donna Rosko at (847) 895-7295.

Couples league: The Friday night couples "fun golf" league seeks players. The league plays at the Mount Prospect Golf Club from May through August with tee times starting at 5:20 p.m. There are weekly themes and an end-of-the year banquet. Weekly play is not mandatory and substitutes are not required. For more information, contact Karen and Mark Ackermann at (847) 394-3524 or address an e-mail to k.ackermann@comcast.net.

Mixed golf league: The Monday twilight mixed "fun golf" league seeks players. The league plays at Old Orchard Country Club, May through August, with tee times starting at 4:15 p.m. Weekly play is not mandatory, and discounted greens fees are available for Prospect Heights nonresidents. There will be contests each week, and an annual tournament in September at another course with cash prizes.

For more information, contact Len Digate, (847) 870-7070 or by e-mail at ltd_financial@wideopenwest.com.

Members wanted: The Palatine Hills Golf Association seeks new members to play on Thursday, Saturday or Sunday. Part-time substitutes and full-time members are welcome. For more information, visit phgagolf.com.

Senior golfers: Palatine Hills Golf Association offers golf groups for men and women to plays every Thursday, as well as Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Golf Enjoyed More program gives senior members, who might not play like they used to, a way to compete favorably in all sanctioned events played at Palatine Hills. Senior members can also compete with younger players. To review the member package, visit phgagolf.com.

The organization also offers several holiday and traveling events per year. The Tuesday group of retired members seeks new members. The group travels to play area courses. For more information, call Palatine Hills Golf Association at (847) 358-3506.

Soccer

Registration: The Inverness Soccer Club will hold registration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at Holy Family Community Church, 2515 Palatine Road, Inverness. ISC offers recreational soccer for boys and girls in kindergarten to eighth-grade. The fall season runs from August through October. The cost is $75 for Inverness Park District residents and $85 for nonresidents.

Early sign-up is also available for the ISC/MLS Soccer Camp Aug. 4-8. A late registration fee of $35 applies after April 26.

The program is open to residents of Inverness, Palatine, Barrington, Hoffman Estates and Rolling Meadows. For more information, visit invernesssoccer.com or call (847) 289-4390.

Holiday tournament:ŒGrove United Soccer Association, a not-for-profit organization, will hold an annual soccer tournament May 23 to 26 at Willow Stream Park. The association wants to raise money for scholarships to give less fortunate kids an opportunity to play soccer at a competitive level.

The cost for the Memorial Day Shootout is U8-U11, $425 and U12-U19, $475.