AREA SPORTS /RECREATION CALENDAR
Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006
The Benton County Daily Record invites area sports clubs, teams and organizations to submit news about activities and events. Fax information to 271-3744 or e-mail to sports@nwanews. com. League managers may report recreational sports scores and standings to The Daily Record. Scores may be e-mailed to sports@nwanews. com or faxed to 271-3744. Type scores directly on e-mail document. For more information, contact sports editor Paul Gatling at 271-3792.
SOFTBALL Team tryouts Pitcher and catcher born in 1991, 1992, or 1993 are being sought to play on a 14-&-Under competitive class fastpitch softball team. The team placed in several tournaments last year and already has a solid group of fielders and hitters. These positions will not be available for long so call today. Those interested should call Kevin Cooper at 795-0922. More information is available at www. eteamz. com/nwafastpitch. BYSL coaches meeting Bentonville Youth Softball League will have a coaches meeting on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m. It will be held at the Bentonville Church of Christ, located at 904 NW 8 th Street, across from Kentucky Fried Chicken. All coaches for the spring season must attend. If you are interested in coaching, applications may be found online at www. bentonvillesoftball. org. Background check forms are also online. BYSL skills assessment A skills assessment for girls participating in the spring season of Bentonville Youth Softball League will be held Saturday, March 4, and Saturday, March 11, at the Coleman Recreation Center next to Washington Junior High School. Girls who are playing in the petite league (8 years old and younger) or bantam league (10 years old or younger) will be assessed from 2-4 p.m. Girls who are playing in the junior league (12 years old or younger), prep league (16 years old or younger), and senior league (18 years old or younger) will be assessed from 4-6 p.m. Girls will hit, catch, throw, and run so bring a glove and tennis shoes. Pitching and catching skills will also be assessed in the older leagues if a girl is interested. They only need to attend one assessment date. Registrations are being accepted online at www. bentonvillesoftball. org until February 1. Any registrations after this date will be assessed a late fee. Lessons available in Bentonville Lessons for fast-pitch softball pitchers are being offered for Bentonville girls ages 10 through high school. The lessons are being offered at two separate sessions per night every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For more information contact Larry Dillinger at (479) 876-2611. ASA slow-pitch umpire clinic An ASA slow-pitch softball umpire clinic will be held on Sunday, March 5, at 3 p.m. at the Rogers Activity Center. Anyone wanting to umpire slow-pitch softball games in Rogers must attend this clinic. Proper umpiring mechanics as well as coping mechanisms to deal with players, coaches, and fans will be covered in the class. This clinic is for veteran umpires as well as new umpires just getting started. For more information, call David Stone at 631-0336 ext. 103 or e-mail dstone@rogersark. org.
BASEBALL Razorback Club Banquet The George Billingsley Bentonville/Bella Vista Razorback Club will host Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn at a banquet Monday, Feb. 6, at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Bentonville. Van Horn will provide an update on the state of Razorback baseball, including the prospects for the upcoming season and the chances to return to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and program at 7 p.m. Banquet cost for members is $19 per person or $29 for each attendee who has not paid their 2006 membership dues.
For more information contact Bob Alexander at 273-9140 or Steve Jacoby at 855-1199 to RSVP no later than Friday, Feb. 3.
Seating is limited to the first 200 to RSVP. Rogers Youth Baseball
Rogers Youth Baseball has announced some key dates for the upcoming season.
Sign-ups for players ages 5 through 15 will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday from February 4 to February 25 at the Rogers Activity Center.
The cost is $50 for ages 5 through 8, $55 for ages 9 through 12 and $75 for ages 13 through 15. Family discounts are available when more than one youth is participating.
Scholarships are available for those with financial hardships. Players are encouraged to register at the earliest date to avoid lines.
Those interested in coaching a team should mark their calendars and show up to one of the earliest sign-up dates to apply.
Tryouts (applicable to ages 9 through 15) will occur March 11-12. Practices will begin after tryouts and games will begin in early May.
The biggest change this season is the adoption of new age rules. Playing age is determined by the age of the player on April 30, 2006.
However, all players are given the option of playing up one age level if they so desire. This gives every player two options for age group. A player will not be allowed to move up more than one age (for instance an 11-year-old can’t play as a 13-year-old).
There are two groups of players that can play Rogers baseball now that could not last year.
A highly skilled 4-year-old (as determined by parents) now has the option to start a year early. Also, some young 16-year-olds who may have thought they were done with baseball can extend their playing career with Rogers baseball. This would effect players turning 16 anytime between May 1 and July 31. Those players are eligible for one more year.
As it has traditionally, the league is sponsoring all-star teams at the conclusion of the season. Last season, three Rogers all-star teams won state championships (10-, 12- and 15-year-olds). Still the league strives to place emphasis on the regular league season.
People having questions should e-mail a board member. A complete listing of board member e-mails can be found at the Web site www. rogersbaseball. com.
Those interested in some part-time income from umpiring or scorekeeping, please come to one of the registration dates or contact Craig Smith at Umpirehawg@aol. com.
The board also has two open positions. The 7-year-old Commissioner and the "Big Mama" Tournament Director positions are currently open. Please contact any current board member for more information.
The Rogers league also has some exciting sponsorship opportunities. Those interested in some company name recognition through Rogers baseball, please contact Paula Wilson at pjwilson124@sbcglobal.net. Youth tryouts
The Rhinos, a 10-&-Under competitive baseball team, will hold tryouts for the 2006 season Sunday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m.
Contact Jon Easterling for more information at 636-7435 or 925-7880. Youth tryouts
Tryouts for a 10-year-old competitive baseball team will be held at the Lowell baseball field starting the first Sunday in February and continuing each Sunday thereafter for three weeks.
Players must be 10 years of age on or before April 30, 2006, to qualify for this age group. The Lowell Piranhas will be hosting several tournaments throughout the 2006 baseball season, as well as a possible competitive league.
The number of tournaments played per month will vary from one to three, and will primarily be in the northwest Arkansas area. For more information, visit the Web site at www. piranhabaseball. com or email thebeards@cox. net. Check the Web site for cancellations or delays prior to showing up for tryouts. Umpire Clinic
A three-day winter clinic for baseball umpires is set for Feb. 10-12 in Springdale. The clinic is offered by Baseball Umpires of Northwest Arkansas Inc.
Scheduled instructors are:
• Kevin Causey, an AAA umpire
• Mike Estabrook, an AAA umpire
• Jeff Bowerman, an NCAA Division I umpire
• Joey Payne, an NCAA Division I umpire.
This camp is for umpires of all ages and ability levels. Leagues to be covered include Official Baseball Rules, high school, USSSA and Babe Ruth.
Students will:
• Receive individual plate instruction with pitching machines,
• Receive individual and group instruction of 2-man mechanics,
• Learn to understand the importance of a consistent strike zone and receive help in developing one,
• Examine and learn how to apply rules and their interpretations for their level of baseball,
• Receive instruction on positioning, voice, mechanics, timing, and signals when working the plate and bases,
• Receive a clinic T-shirt and student manual, and
• Have the opportunity to learn and have fun.
Cost is $35 for BUNWA members, $45 for non-members if signed up by Wednesday. A $10 late fee will be assessed after that date.
All sessions will be held at the indoor practice facility on the campus of Springdale High School.
Friday’s session is from 6:30-8:30 p.m., with an all-you-can-eat pizza and drinks buffet for $6. Saturday’s session is 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Sunday’s session is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch, paid for from the registration fee, will be provided Saturday and Sunday.
Those attending need to bring a full set of equipment, including a uniform. New umpires without equipment and uniform can wear the camp T-shirt and borrow equipment from those attending.
For more information or a copy of the brochure, call Brian Preece at (479) 750-0133 or (479) 466-3492, or e-mail umpbrian@aol. com.
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