Neighbor sports

Baseball, softball

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 mechanics for optimal game-time performance. Sessions will be held Sundays through Feb. 24 from noon to 1 p.m. for second to fourth grade and 4 to 5 p.m. for fifth to eighth grade. The cost is $150.

For a registration form or more information, call TSA at (847) 279-3934 or e-mail info@tsanorthwest.com.

AHYAA registration:ŒThe Arlington Heights Youth Athletic Association will hold walk-in baseball/softball registration from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at Frontier Park, 1929 N. Kennicott, Arlington Heights.

AHYAA offers coach pitch softball for boys and girls who are in first and second grade now. Girls' softball and boys' baseball is offered for those in third through 12th grade. A copy of a report card will be required for all new participants.

More information is available from 1 to 4 p.m. any Monday, Wednesday or Friday at (847) 870-0081.

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 older, 35 and older, 45 and older, and 55 and older. The season runs from May to September with 25 to 30 games, played in Des Plaines, Northbrook and Bensenville.

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 more information or to sign up, contact Mike Bryskier at (773) 592-1575 or cnmsblppd@comcast. For more information, visit playbaseballagain.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 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 more information, call Coach Ed Korus at (847) 202-1970.

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. Registration is recommended. Partners must be listed on the entry form. 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.

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.

• Fourth- and fifth-grade girls and boys -- 6 to 7 p.m.

• Sixth- and seventh-grade girls and boys -- 7 to 8 p.m.

• Eighth-, ninth- 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 him at lonnie.netburners@gmail.com or go to the Web site at netburners.com.

Football/ cheerleading

Youth football registration:ŒRolling Meadows Youth Football and Cheerleading registration will be held from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday at Rolling Meadows Community Center, 3705 Pheasant Drive. For more information, visit the Web site at www.rmmustangs.com.

Falcons registration:ŒThe Prospect Heights Falcons Football Association will hold "Super Bowl Saturday" registration from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 2. Prospect Heights/ Wheeling Football & Cheerleading walk-in registration will be at the Gary Morava Recreation Center, 110 W. Camp McDonald Road, Prospect Heights and the Wheeling Community Recreation Center, 333 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling.

The association offers travel tackle football and cheerleading programs as well as in-house Flag Football for 6- to 8-year-olds. Any boy or girl who registers Feb. 2 will receive a free Falcon T-shirt. The association also offers registration discounts on any new cheerleader, flag and tackle player signing up.

For more information, call (630) 327-6663 or go to the Falcons at web site at www.phfafalcons.com.

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.

For more information, visit 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.

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

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

New program:ŒPop Warner Little Scholars, the nation's largest youth football and cheer organization, is expanding into the Des Plaines/Mount Prospect area. Pop Warner offers travel football, cheer and academic rewards for boys and girls 5 to 15 years old. Chicagoland Pop Warner is a part of Mid-America Pop Warner which serves an 11-state region. The winner of the regional championships in both football and cheer travel to Disney for the Pop Warner Superbowl as seen on ESPN.

Teams are being formed now. There are no tryouts and all players are welcome regardless of experience.

Board members are also needed to help with the program. For details, call (847) 534-6238, e-mail cpwfc@comcast.net or go to the Web site at www.popwarner.com.

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 Saturday's basketball game. Registration is at 11 a.m. and the clinic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday 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.

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

Baggo signup: The Wheeling Park District Adult Baggo League begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and continues for eight weeks through March 20. The fee for Baggo is $20 per team. This session, the league will move to the Gable Grill at Chevy Chase Country Club on Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling.

All those 18 years and over may sign up for the league as a team of two. The game of baggo involves throwing the bean bag through a seven-inch hole in a wooden board to score three points or on the surface for one point. The first team to 21 wins. Refreshments are available for purchase starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Gable Grill bar.

Register at the Guest Service Desk at the Community Recreation Center, 333 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling, or at www.wheelingparkdistrict.com.