Neighbor Sports

Baseball

Hitting clinic: Professionals at The Sports Academy, 355 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove (in Chevy Chase Business Park) will work with athletes on aspects of fine tuning bat mechanic for optimal game-time performance. Sessions will be held Jan. 27 to Feb. 24 from noon to 1 p.m. for 2nd to 4th grade and 4 to 5 p.m. for 5th to 8th grade. The cost is $150.

For a registration form or more information, call TSA at (847) 279-3934 or go to the Web site at info@tsanorthwest.com.

Travel openings: The Northwest Crushers (formerly the Stone Authority Crushers) U13 Boys Travel Baseball Team has openings for the 2008 travel season. Non-Hoffman Estates residents are also welcome to try out. Contact Coach Ed Korus for an indoor tryout.

Players must be no older than 13 on or before May 1, 2008. The team plays a competitive schedule from April to July in the Mid-Suburban Baseball League, which includes a total of approximately 50 games, including two out of town weekend tournaments. Home games are at Cannon Crossing in Hoffman Estates. For information, call Coach Ed Korus at (847) 202-1970.

New players wanted:ŒThe Chicago North Men's Senior Baseball League is seeking new players for the upcoming 2008 season. This is baseball using MLB rules, not softball. There are four age divisions: 25 and over, 35 and over, 45 and over, and 55 and over.

The season runs from May to September with between 25 and 30 games, played at fields in Des Plaines, Northbrook and Bensenville. Players come from the Chicagoland area, and have a wide range of baseball backgrounds. Some have played college and minor league ball, while others joined directly from the softball field or after a 20 or more year layoff. Everyone's desire is to play baseball.

The signup deadline is Feb. 28. A league-wide new player evaluation session will be held at 1 p.m. March 1. The cost per player is approximately $300 for the season.

For information or to sign up, contact Mike Bryskier at (773) 592-1575 or cnmsblppd@comcast. For additional information go to playbaseballagain.com.

Basketball

2 Ball Competition: Get a partner and join the Chicago Bulls and Palatine Park District for the free 2 Ball Competition on Feb. 18 at the Community Center Gym, 250 E. Wood Street, Palatine.

Participants will compete as a team of two for one minute trying to score as many points as possible from eight designated spots on the court. Divisions will include boys, girls, and adult and child. Ages of children eligible range from 9 through 14 years.

Pre-registration is recommended and you must have your own partner. Partner must be listed on the entry form. Rules and waiver forms will be sent to all registered participants one week prior to competition. The online registration deadline is Feb. 11. Children must bring a birth certificate the day of the event. Registration will only be available at the Community Center on the day of event.

Sponsors of this event are Northwest Community Hospital, Score! Educational Center and the Palatine Park District. For more information, call the Palatine Park District at (847) 991-0333.

AAU tryouts:ŒThe Netburners will hold tryouts for boys and girls on Feb. 29 at Birchwood Recreation Center, 435 W. Illinois Ave., Palatine at the following times.

• 4th and 5th Grade Girls and Boys -- 6 to 7 p.m.

• 6th and 7th Grade Girls and Boys -- 7 to 8 p.m.

• 8th, 9th and 10th Grade Girls -- 8 to 9 p.m.

The registration fee at door is $10 or $5 by e-mail before Feb. 27. Call Lonnie Welch at (847) 338-7099, e-mail Lo nie.netburners@gmail.com or go to the Web site at Ne tburners.com.

Football/cheer

Pop Warner registration: Hoffman Estates Hawks Youth Football and Cheer will hold early registration from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 at Eisenhower Junior High School, 800 Hassell Road.

Hoffman Estates has the only Pop Warner Little Scholars program in the area and players from all Northwest suburban towns are welcome. Pop Warner is the largest youth football and cheer organization in the country. For information go to www.popwarner.com.

There are several levels of tackle football and cheer for ages 5 to 14 based on experience. Flag football is also offered for youngsters 5 to 8 who don't want to play tackle football. The program accepts all players regardless of tumbling skills or football experience.

Hoffman Estates is also forming Challenger program flag and cheer teams for 5- to 14-year-olds with disabilities so they can experience everything Pop Warner offers. The Challenger program is a part of the Pop Warner program, and several towns in the Chicagoland conference will have teams.

The Chicagoland Pop Warner conference champions of football and cheer will qualify for the Mid-America regional championships made up of an 11-state region. The region winner travels to Disneyworld for the Pop Warner Superbowl seen on ESPN.

For more information, e-mail hawkpres@comcast.net or go to the Web site at www.hoffmanhawks.org for online registration.

Hockey

Spring registration: Inline Hockey registration for the spring season is also available at the Elk Grove Park District Pavilion through the end of January. For additional information, call Patti Siwicki at (847) 437-5388 or visit the Web site at www.egvsports.com.

The program is open to players between the age of 4 and 18 of all skill levels. The league fee which includes 12 games, practices, playoffs, mid-season tournament and a hockey jersey is $90 for Elk Grove Village residents and $108 for non-residents. The Mighty Mite program of skill development and guided scrimmages is available for children in preschool or kindergarten. The fee is $40 for residents and $50 for non-residents.

Players in first through 12th grade play in one of five divisions depending on their age. Games are played at three outdoor inline hockey rinks in Elk Grove Village. Extra skills clinics are offered during the season at no additional charge.

Inline Hockey is a way to experience the speed and fun of hockey without the expense of most ice hockey programs. Inline or roller hockey is one of the fastest growing team sports in the country and will be a medal sport in the Beijing Olympics. Because there is no checking, boys and girls play on mixed teams. There are also no blue lines or red lines so learning the game is fun and easy.

Miscellaneous

Poms clinic:ŒGirls in kindergarten through eighth grade are welcome to attend the Poms Clinic, dance with the Prospect Poms and perform at halftime during the Jan. 26 basketball game. Registration is at 11 a.m. and the clinic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26 in the cafeteria at Prospect High School.

Registration is $30 per girl. The clinic includes a T-shirt, drink and snack. All girls will perform a dance routine at halftime of the boys' varsity game which begins at 6 p.m. Girls need to arrive at 5:45 p.m.

Checks made payable to Prospect High School should be sent to the school at 801 W. Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Anyone with questions, call Mrs. Fleaka at (847) 550-9931.