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 Sunday to 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 visit info@tsanorthwest.com.

New players wanted: The Chicago North Men's Senior Baseball League seeks 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 send e-mail to 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 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 more information, call Coach Ed Korus at (847) 202-1970.

Baseball/softball

Coaching assistants: Palatine Youth Baseball and Softball is seeking volunteers to assist their coaches for the 2008 season. Volunteers can help 7- to 12-year-old girls learn the fundamentals of softball. Anyone who played softball in high school or college and would like the chance to develop talented young players is welcome. PYB/S is an affiliate of the Palatine Park District.

For information, contact Robin, the volunteer coordinator, at PYB.com or e-mail boisvert3967@comcast.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. 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: The 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 costs $10 or $5 by e-mail before Feb. 27. Call Lonnie Welch at (847) 338-7099, e-mail lonnie.netburners@gmail.com or visit netburners.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.

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 www.rmmustangs.com.

New program: Pop Warner Little Scholars, the nation's largest youth football and cheer organization, is expanding into the Des Plaines/Mount Prospect area. Pop Warner offers great 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.

The Maine Township Warriors will serve Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge and the surrounding area. 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. Anyone who would like to be a part of the Pop Warner program, call (847) 534-6238, e-mail cpwfc@comcast.net or visit www.popwarner.com.

Miscellaneous

Poms clinic: Girls 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. Saturday in the cafeteria at Prospect High School. Registration costs $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.