Neighbor Sports

Baseball

Skills clinic: The Buffalo Grove-Hot Shots Baseball Skills Clinic for 6- to 8-year-old boys and girls will be from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 17 to March 6. The clinic will help players get ready for spring and learn proper fundamentals. The program stresses proper stretching, hitting and pitching mechanics; infield and outfield footwork; base running; game play and strategy; and at-home practice tips. Participants should bring their own bats and gloves.

For more information, call Steve Duman at (773) 991-6682, or e-mail steve@hotshotsspons.org.

TSA programs: The Sports Academy-Northwest will offer training programs for baseball players who want to train and sharpen their skills:

• High School Preseason Training Camps: freshman "A-Team" primer and sophomore, junior and senior "Starters" prep: beginning Sunday and every Sunday through Feb. 17.

• Juan Acevedo Pitching Clinics for eighth grade through high school: Wednesdays and Sundays, Jan. 9 through Feb. 20.

• Baseball Fundamentals Camp for second through eighth grade: Wednesday to Jan. 4.

• Private pitching and hitting lessons are available from TSA baseball professionals and former MLB players, including former Red Sox, Twins and Cubs "Fireman of The Year" pitcher, Bill Campbell.

• Five-Week Hitting Clinic for second through eighth grade: Sundays, Jan. 27 to Feb. 24.

• Strength and Conditioning/Speed and Agility Clinics: baseball-specific training for maximum performance and injury prevention.

• Team America 2008: Tournaments and sightseeing in Italy and Sicily, July 20-30. A few positions are open on the International Travel Baseball teams (14U and 16U); to schedule a private tryout, contact peter@tsanorthwest.com.

For details on programs, dates and prices, visit www.tsanorthwest.com, e-mail info@tsanorthwest.com, or call (847) 279-3934.

Basketball

Skills program: Three-time NBA champion Dickey Simpkins will be leading a basketball skills and development program for fourth- to seventh-graders Sundays, Jan. 13 to Feb. 24 at the JCYS Northwest Family Center, 1700 Weiland Road, Buffalo Grove.

The program will include fundamental basketball skills and a controlled competitive game at the end of every session. Each player will have the opportunity to play in every game. The fee is $95, which includes a jersey and basketball.

The JCYS is an independent, nonprofit agency that provides educational and recreational programs nurturing individual growth and promoting responsibility to others. For details call (847) 279-0900 or visit www.jcys.org/northwest.

Hockey

Stevenson vs. St. Rita: After a last-second 3-2 loss to the St. Rita Mustangs in the semifinals of the Thanksgiving holiday hockey tournament, the Stevenson Patriots beat the Mustangs 3-1 in their next encounter in an HIT conference game at Southwest Ice Arena.

The first period ended in a scoreless tie, and St Rita scored on a breakaway early in the second period to take a 1-0 lead. But the Patriots began to wear down the St. Rita defensemen with constant play in St. Rita territory. Finally, with just a minute to play in the second period, after another long period of time in the offensive zone, Jake Scott put in a rebound of a Jonathon Gil shot after some forechecking by Wayne Glickstern and Gil, to even the score. Stevenson struck again at the 11-minute mark of the third period to take the lead as Tyler St. Martin scored on another rebound from a shot by Justin One.

With seven minutes remaining in the game, Nick Fasano blasted a shot from the center of the ice, and Myles Lobus put the puck into the net for the clincher. Mitch Levinson had 2 nice saves in the last minute to preserve the 3-1 victory.

The victory extends Stevenson's HIT record to 5-2.

Miscellaneous

Winter camps: The Northwest Special Recreation Association will hold Winter Break Camps from Wednesday to Jan. 4 in the Northwest suburbs. Three full days of activities are planned, including crafts, gym activities, swimming and socializing. A community outing will be planned for one of the days. The cost for all camps is $67.50. They will be at the following locations:

• 6310 Frosty's Kids Camp, Jack Claes Pavilion.

• 6330 Camp Chillin', Wheeling Community Center.

• 6340 Winter Wonderland Camp, Bartlett Community Center.

• 6320 Urban Adventures Too, NWSRA/Park Central, communities outings planned daily.

• 7720 Winter Fun Gymnastics Camp, Palatine Community Center (for NWSRA gymnasts only).

For information, call (847) 392-2848, ext. 264, e-mail bselders@nwsra.org or go the Web site at www.nwsra.org.

Soccer

Skills clinic: The Buffalo Grove-Hot Shots Soccer Skills Clinic for boys and girls 6 to 9 years old will be Thursdays from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Jan. 17 to March 6. The clinic is designed to help players get ready for spring by developing and enhancing soccer skills. Techniques are refined through ball manipulation exercises, games based on technical themes and small-sided soccer games designed to enhance repetition and enjoyment along with promoting healthy competition and encouraging good sportsmanship.

For more information, call Steve Duman at (773) 991-6682, or e-mail steve@hotshotsspons.org.

Softball

Camp-Clinic: Registration is open for the Eighth Annual Wildcat Fastpitch Winter Softball Camp-Clinic for female athletes between the ages of 9 and 14 years old. There are no residency requirements. The clinic starts Jan. 6 and will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wheeling High School Field House, Elmhurst and Hintz roads, Wheeling.

Professional and college hitting and pitching instructors will participate. Training will cover hitting, pitching, base running and defense. Pitching instruction will be limited to the first 20 requests.

The cost is $80 for the January-February clinic. The number of participants is limited to 50 so register as soon as possible. Mail registration fee, along with participant's name, address, age and preferred session to: "Wildcat Clinics," c/o Rick McCoy, 567 Briarwood, Wheeling, IL 60090. For details, contact program director Rick McCoy at (847) 520-4249 or wcatsb@comcast.net.

Wrestling

Winter program: The Jr. Patriot Wrestling Club program for children in third to eighth grade offered at Stevenson High School will teach wrestling fundamentals and instill values of hard work, self-discipline and the importance of goal setting. The season begins in December and ends in March (optional spring workouts will continue March through May). Practices will be two or three times a week and will last for one or two hours. The team will compete in five to seven tournaments and wrestle against other clubs in head-to-head dual meets. The fee is $260. No prior experience in the sport is required.

Anyone interested may join this club at any time. For information, contact PREP at (847) 634-4000, ext. 1300, or visit the Web site at www6.district125.k12.il.us/prep/.