Sports Briefs

Champs Youth Basketball is currently taking registrations for it upcoming youth basketball league. The league is open to girls and boys ages 8-18 and offers both recreational play (Game Time League) and competitive play (Prime Time League). Sign up as a team, an individual or with some friends.

Practice times and games are scheduled at local high schools and practices begin in March. All games are announced and have trivia contests and halftime shootouts for the fans. The league also includes a postseason tournament for all teams. Coaches, sponsors and volunteers are always welcomed.

To register, log on to www.champsbasketball.net or call Rob Pisano (Henderson area, east Las Vegas) or Julie Partain (west of Interstate 15). To register a team, call Champs Director Steve Boyack at 871-1617.

The Fencing Academy of Nevada announced that five of its fencers have qualified to fence in the Junior Olympic Championships this month in Arlington, Texas. Qualifiers include, Ashok Paithi, 19; Dale Hargis, 17; Kimberlee Montoya, 17; Narayan Pathi, 14; and Kian Ameli, 13.

The Fencing Academy of Nevada has opened a new facility at the Las Vegas Sports Park, 1400 N. Rampart Blvd., Suite 101. The facility features six grounded fencing strips with regulation electrical scoring equipment representative of those used in the Olympic games.

The fencing program is being directed by four-time Olympic coach and 17-year NCAA Notre Dame University fencing master Yves Auriol. The Academy offers instruction for beginners, intermediate and advanced fencers, children and adults, recreational and competitive.

The Fencing Academy of Nevada is accepting new members with classes forming monthly. For more information, call 838-3320 or visit www.fencingacademyofnevada.com.

Summerlin resident Wayne McCullough lost a unanimous decision to World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios on Feb. 10 in Lemoore, Calif. The 34-year-old McCullough, who has still never been knocked down in his career, fell to 27-5.

WASUP flag football is still taking registrations for its spring league for boys and girls ages 6-17. The season starts in March and runs until May.

The league also is looking for adult referees to officiate the 15- to 17-year-old league. The referees will be paid.

For more information, call 617-9745 or visit www.wasupffb.com.

Enrollment for the city of Las Vegas' leisure, recreation and sports classes is now under way and will run through March 4. The six-week classes, which will run from March 7 to April 16, cover a variety of activities from sports leagues and exercise options to family fun events and educational workshops.

To register online with a credit card visit www.clvbeyondtheneon.com or register by phone at 229-5445.

Martial arts practitioners of all ages are invited to participate in the Las Vegas Martial Arts Championships beginning at 8 a.m. on March 19 at the West Community Center. Trophies will be awarded in the forms (kata), sparring (kumite) and weapons competitions. Participants will compete in these divisions by age, gender and belt ranking.

The West Community Center is located inside West Middle School, 2050 Sapphire Stone Ave. The cost is $25 for the first event and $5 for each additional event. Those who register by March 10 will be given a $10 discount on the first event. Special rates also will be offered to schools who enter 10 or more competitors.

The admission fee for spectators will be $5. Children 7 years old and under will be admitted for free. For more details, call 229-5080.

Cox Communications and the Golf Channel are joining together to bring the Drive, Chip & Putt Junior Golf Challenge today to Angel Park Golf Course. This free event offers youth ages 7 to 14 the opportunity to develop and test their golf skills while introducing the game of golf to kids who may have never played.

The first 250 registrants will be selcted to compete, with local winners given the opportunity to to compete in regional championships, and, possibly, represent tehir hometowns at the Mutual of Omaha Drive, Chip & Putt National Championships in October.

As part of the event, Cox Communications will donate $1,000 to The First Tee of Southern Nevada in the name of Allen "Brett" Hutchison. Hutchison, an avid golfer, was killed in an avalanche on Jan. 9 at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. He was just 13. His family is anticipated to attend a brief check presentation at 3 p.m.

All golfers who register will receive a hat,, T-shirt and goodie bag of premium items. Golf equipment is not required and clubs will be provided if needed.

Golfers will be separated into age groups for each golfing challenge.

Registration will begin at 1 p.m. with the golf event beginning at 3:30 p.m. Look for the white tent and the Golf Channel tour bus. Angel Park Golf course is located at 100 S. Rampart Blvd. For more information call 967-2240.

The LPGA Takefuji Classic will be held April 11-16 at the Las Vegas Country Club and tournament officials are looking for volunteers for all positions. Perks include a daily lunch, an extra club badge -- worth a $50 ticket -- and participation in the tourney-ending volunteer raffle and party.

For more information, call Kathy at 898-4653 or visit www.lpgatakefujiclassic.com.

Redrock Little League's Big League (boys ages 17-18) is currently accepting registrations. Call 391-9196, Ext. 3., for more information.

The 12-and-under Las Vegas Hawks are looking for ballplayers to fill a roster spots.

The Hawks are a traveling team that plays in tournaments in and out of Las Vegas. The team is Little League-friendly, with most players participating in Little League, including All-Stars.

For more information, call 353-6145.

The Las Vegas Cougars Baseball Club is looking for 11- and 12-year-old players to fill out its 12-and-under traveling team roster. Players must have previous baseball experience and cannot be 13 before July 13.

For information, call 521-5762 or visit www.lvcougars.com.

USA Team Tennis for youth starts the week of February 28. USA Team Tennis (Youth) is a recreational league for beginning to advanced players 18 and under. The league itself lasts 8-10 week. League fees are $15 per player. For more information or to register a team, call Rob Merriman at the Nevada Tennis Association at 792-8384.

The Nevada Tennis Association will be conducting novice tournaments in February and April.

NTA Novice Tourneys No. 2 and No. 3 will be held at Lorenzi Racquet Club from Friday to Sunday and April 15-17, respectively.

The entry fees are $27 for singles and $22 per team for doubles. Players ages 18 and under are eligible to compete.

Players can register for either or both of the associatin's tournaments.

For further information or to register, call the Nevada Tennis Association at 792-8384.

The YMCA of Southern Nevada is offering a special in its junior tennis program whereby participants can purchase six lessons for the price of four.

All tennis programs are held at the Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane.

Beginners classes will be held 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

Intermediate classes will be held 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays, and advanced classes will be held 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

The costs of the tennis classes are $62 for local community members and $52 for YMCA club members.

For additional information, call 877-9622.

The Edge Volleyball Club is looking for girls in grades 6-12 to fill spots on the nontravel team.

Practices will be held from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Shadow Ridge High School. The season will run through May. For more information, call Jarissa Guthrie at 326-8363.

Cheer Nation's all-star program is accepting first- through fifth-graders. Practices are held 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6265 S. Valley View Road. Call 498-5723.

Registration for the Lowery's Multigenerational Spring Triathlon is underway. The race will be held at 7 a.m. on April 17 at the Henderson Multigenerational Center, 250 S. Green Valley Pkwy. Events will incllude a Kids Short Course, a Kids Long Course, an Adult 50-and-Over Triathlon and a Parent/Kids Relay.

For more information, access the Web site at or www.lowerysmultisport.com or e-mail Frank Lowery at frank@lowerysmultisport.com.

The Las Vegas Municipal Pool, 431 E. Bonanza Road, will offer Red Cross lifeguard training courses this and next month for $50, a $40 savings over customary prices. Successful completion of the lifeguard-training course results in national lifeguard and first-aid certifications for three years and cardiopulmonary resuscitation for the professional rescuer certification for one year. For more information, call 229-6309.