News

Neighbor Sports

Posted October 23, 2007 11:00 pm

Daily Herald Staff Reports

Baseball, softball

Camp-Clinic: Registration will begin for the 8th Annual Wildcat Fastpitch Winter Softball Camp-Clinic for female athletes between 9 and 14 years old at Wheeling High School. There are no residency requirements. There will be two, five-week sessions from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sundays at the Wheeling High School Field House, Elmhurst and Hintz roads, Wheeling.

Professional and college hitting and pitching instructors will participate in the clinic. Training in hitting, pitching, base running, defense and a coaches' clinic is also part of the package. Pitching instruction is limited to the first 20 requests.

Session 1 runs five Sunday nights (not consecutive weeks) starting Nov. 11. Session 2 also runs Sunday nights (not consecutive weeks) beginning Jan. 6. The cost for each clinic is $80. The number of participants is limited to 50, so register as soon as possible.

Mail registration fee, along with the participant's name, address, age and what session you are interested in to "Wildcat Clinics," c/o Rick McCoy, 567 Briarwood, Wheeling, IL 60090 or contact Program Director Rick McCoy at (847) 520-4249 or e-mail wcatsb@comcast.net.

One-day clinic: Fastball USA will host a one-day softball clinic Nov. 17 for coaches and players at 137 Diversey, Elmhurst. The UIC Flames coaching staff, Tom Grey, Sarah O'Malley and Allison Aguilar, along with UIC Flames players will be on hand. The division I softball program will hold a coaches clinic from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and a players clinic from noon to 3 p.m. The clinic will cover the fundamentals of softball in several skill areas including infield and outfield defensive, plus offensive skills of hitting, bunting and slapping.

Basketball

Blue Devils tryouts: The Schaumburg-based Art Jones Blue Devils Basketball Foundation, Inc. will hold tryouts today for the fall/winter teams at Keller Jr. High School, 820 Bode Road, Schaumburg. Tryouts will be from 6 to 8 p.m. for fourth and fifth grades, and 8 to 9:30 p.m. for sixth and seventh grades.

Contact Art Jones at (847) 494-1166, or coac hjones@bluedevilsacademy.com for more information.

Holiday tourney: The Art Jones Basketball Academy Sports, Inc. will hold its 18th Annual Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament at the Mount Prospect Lions Center, 411 S. Maple, Mount Prospect. The fifth and sixth grade boys' brackets will run from Nov. 16 to 18, and the seventh and eighth grade boys' brackets run from Nov. 23-25.

Park districts, YMCAs, traveling basketball clubs, AAU teams, recreational agencies, boys clubs and school teams are welcome. For information, call Art Jones at (847) 494-1166.

Swimming, diving

CASH tryouts: CASH Aquatics swimming and diving teams is holding tryouts for the High School District 211 fall/winter teams at 7 p.m. every Monday night at Conant High School, 700 E. Cougar Trail, Hoffman Estates (enter through Door 5). Swimmers should bring a suit, towel and goggles.

Training groups include 8 and Under Girls and Boys; 9 and 10 Girls and Boys, 11 and 12 Girls and Boys, Advanced group of 13 and up plus selected 12 and Under. The high school program for boys and girls is available outside of their high school season.

There is a minimum swimming requirement based on age. All who try out must reside within High School District 211 boundaries. Athletes from 5 through 18 years old are welcome.

The teams participate in dual meet competition in the Northern Illinois Winter Swim Conference, United States Swimming (ISI) meets and the AAU National Junior Olympic Games.

CASH Diving tryouts are at the same time and place. Swimmers must register with the AAU prior to getting onto the diving boards. This program is open to girls and boys who at least are in fifth grade. There is a minimum swimming requirement to join the diving team. High school girls and boys can participate outside their high school season.

For information e-mail CASHAquatics@comcast.net or visit the Web site at CASHAquatics.com.

Volleyball

Side Out tryouts: Side Out Volleyball Association, an area Junior Olympic Volleyball Program, will hold tryouts at DuPage Training Academy, 115 Alexandra Way, Carol Stream for the Girls 15, 16, 17, 18 and under teams from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. A waiver must be signed by parent or guardian before the tryout.

For more information or a flyer on this Elite Junior Olympic Club, call (630) 736-8391 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; leave a message after 5 p.m. Anyone who wants to try out but unable to make the tryouts, please call.

October tryouts: The Sports Academy-Northwest at 355 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove will hold tryouts for the girls 2007-08 volleyball season at the following times.

• 13- and 14-year-olds (middle school) -- 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 9 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 3.

• 15-year-olds (freshmen) -- 7:30 to 9 p.m. today, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 3.

• 16-year-olds (sophomores) -- 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 3.

• 17-year-olds (juniors) -- 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31, 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 3.

• 18-year-olds (seniors) -- 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 31, 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 3.

There will be a parent meeting for all age groups from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 14.

The age definitions are:

• 18-year-olds -- Seniors born on or after Sept. 1, 1989 and a high school student during some part of the academic year.

• 17-year-olds -- Juniors born on or after Sept. 1 1990.

• 16-year-olds -- Sophomores born on or after Sept. 1, 1991.

• 15-year-olds -- Freshmen born on or after Sept. 1, 1992.

• 13- and 14- year-olds -- Middle school, seventh-graders born on or after Sept. 1, 1994, and eighth-graders born on or after Sept. 1, 1993.

Both the TSA tryout registration/waiver, and the USAV tryout waiver and release must be completed by parent/guardian before tryouts. There is a one-time fee of $30 for all tryouts with cash or check payable to TSA.

For information about TSA Club volleyball tryouts and the 2008 TSA Team USA travel program, call (847) 279-3934 or go to the Web site at www.tsanorthwest.com.

F.O.C.U.S. tryouts: F.O.C.U.S. Sports, Inc. will hold volleyball club tryouts Nov. 3 for boys and girls at the Elk Grove Park District, 1000 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove (Main Gym, Courts 1-3).

• 15U, 16U, 17U/18U (Girls only) teams: Registration, 1 to 1:30 p.m.; tryouts, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; qualifying players meeting, 5:30 to 6 p.m.

The makeup date is Nov. 4 at the following times.

• All Levels (12U-14U (Boys/Girls), 15U-17U/18U (Girls only) teams: Registration, 1 to 1:30 p.m.; tryouts, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., qualifying players meeting, 5:30 to 6 p.m.

For players who qualify for a team, there will be a parent, players and coaches meeting. Also, an initial down payment of $125 will be required. Anyone with questions, contact Dominic C. DiSilvio, Director of Volleyball at (847) 956-0612 or e-mail dcdf ocusports@comcast.net or visit the Web site at www.focussports.org.

Wrestling

Junior Hawks registration: Bartlett Junior Hawks Wrestling Club will hold registration for the 2007/08 season from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Bartlett Public Library, 800 S. Bartlett Road, Bartlett. Registration is open to ages kindergarten to eighth grade in Bartlett and surrounding areas. New registrants should bring a copy of their birth certificate. Anyone with questions, call Dan at (630) 291-5516.

Panther registration: The Palatine Panther Wrestling Club (an Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation club) is taking registration through the Palatine Park District for its 2007-08 season. The program is run under the direction of Ralph Cortez, Fremd High School Varsity Wrestling Coach. Practices are held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at Fremd High School, Palatine. Youngsters ages 7 to 14 are welcome.

The club will host an Equipment Handout Night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday in the hallway outside the wrestling room at Fremd High School. This is an opportunity to meet the coaching staff and turn in the necessary paperwork. Returning wrestlers as well as new registrants are welcome.

For information, call club president Michelle Hauser at (847) 254-6397.