Neighbor sports

Baseball

Travel baseball: The 9- to 10-year-old Schaumburg Seminoles travel baseball team is seeking players. The Seminoles are a travel team in the MSBL 10B league. For more information, e-mail manager Bob Perna at bperna@aaronequipment.com.

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: Sundays: Dec. 30 to Feb. 17.

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

• Lefty "Pick-off" Clinic for ages 10 and up: Dec. 26 and 27.

• Baseball Fundamentals Camp for second through eighth grade: Dec 26 to 28, and Jan. 2 to 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.

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.

Softball

Camp-Clinic: Registration is open for the 8th 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 what session you are interested in to: "Wildcat Clinics," c/o Rick McCoy, 567 Briarwood, Wheeling, IL 60090. For information, contact program director Rick McCoy at (847) 520-4249 or wcatsb@comcast.net.

Wrestling

Annual meet: The Sharks Wrestling Club will host its annual meet Sunday at Maine East High School, 2601 Dempster St., Park Ridge. Over 45 clubs participated last year, fielding more than 500 young wrestlers in competition. The meet runs from early morning until late afternoon with 11 matches in progress at any given time.

Parents of children who are interested in the sport and range in age from 5 to 14 years old should call Mike Conrad at (847) 299-7531 for information on club membership or meet participation.

Kids club: The Palatine Jr. Pirates Kids Wrestling Club has started at Palatine High School. The Jr. Pirates is open to all youngsters in kindergarten to eighth grade. Practices are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday night in the wrestling room of the school at 1111 N. Rohlwing Road, Palatine. Registration is still being taken at any of the practices.

Miscellaneous

Winter camps: The Northwest Special Recreation Association will hold Winter Break Camps from Jan. 2 to 4 in the Northwest suburbs. Three full days of action 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 take place 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.