Area youth ages 7-14 are invited to enter the free Pepsi Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition on March 4. Pitch, Hit & Run is a national program that gives boys and girls the chance to showcase their baseball abilities.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the first events beginning at 8 a.m. at Johnson Junior High School's athletic fields, 7701 Ducharme Ave.
Each youth must present a copy of his or her birth certificate upon check-in.
For registration information, call 229-6175.
Pepsi Pitch, Hit & Run is intended to encourage youth participation and emphasize the fun element of baseball.
For more information on the national program, visit www.lejsports.com.
CHEERLEADING
YMCA taking youth hoops cheer sign-ups
The Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, is accepting sign-ups for Youth Basketball League Cheerleading. Participants will learn cheer/dance routines and will perform during Saturday games.
The program, open to ages 10 and under, will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through March 11. The cost is $55 for members, $65 for nonmembers. Uniforms are included. Volunteer coaches also are needed.
For more information, call 877-9622.
FENCING
Academy honors Tony Curtis at event
The 14th annual Duel in the Desert fencing tournament was held at the Riviera on Feb. 3-5. Eight fencers from the Fencing Academy of Nevada, under the direction of Maitre Yves Auriol, participated in the tournament.
Evan Ranes of Las Vegas Fencing and the Fencing Academy of Nevada presented renowned actor and Las Vegas resident Tony Curtis with a personalized sabre. Curtis and his wife Jill presented awards to the tourney winners.
FITNESS
YMCA offering home school P.E. classes
The YMCA home school P.E. program is designed especially for families who home school their children. It follows National YMCA Youth Fitness criteria and includes everything from fitness and games to organized sports.
Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays. Kindergarten to third-grade participants meet from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and fourth- and fifth-grade meet from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $75 for the first child and $60 for each additional sibling.
For more information, call the Durango Hills YMCA at 240-9622.
FOOTBALL
Several prep stars sign for college
A number of local high school football stars signed with Division IA and IAA schools on the first day of the signing period, Feb. 1.
Bishop Gorman's DeMarco Murray, recognized as one of the top running backs in the West, signed with the University of Oklahoma, the same school that 2005 Gaels graduate and linebacker Ryan Reynolds now plays for. Quentin Carter, a former standout for Cheyenne, also signed to play with the Sooners after graduating early and enrolling at Oklahoma for the spring semester.
Other players who signed were Rancho's Ariece Perkins (Weber State), Las Vegas's Xavaier Cleveland (Southern Utah) and Akeem Anifowoshe (Southern Utah), Shadow Ridge's Anthony Lewis (Southern Utah) and Alex Toney (Wyoming), Silverado's Ben Jacobs (Fresno State), Palo Verde's Mike Smith (Nebraska) and Ramon Hill-James (Oklahoma Panhandle State), Gorman's DeAngelo Wilkinson (Colorado State) and Martrell Fantroy (San Diego State), Valley's Sylvester Stevenson (Utah) and Geno Odong (Utah State), Western's Ron Paulo (UNLV) and Eldorado's DaVell Jackson (UNLV).
GOLF
YMCA schedules lessons for kids
The Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, is accepting sign-ups for Total Golf Adventure, a program that teaches youth golf's fundamentals. The program is designed to help participants develop confidence, motor skills, good sportsmanship and a high level of concentration.
Total Golf Adventure will be held from 4 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays through March 21. Cost is $135.
For more information, call 877-9622.
MARTIAL ARTS
Itty Bitty tae kwon do offered at YMCA
The Durango Hills Community Center, 3521 N. Durango Drive, offers Itty Bitty tae kwon do classes for youth ages 4-6. Classes are held from 5:30 to 6:20 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Cost is $49. Those who are interested must sign up for classes by the first of each month.
For more information or to register, call 240-9622.
MOTORSPORTS
Night of Champions raises $83,000
The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted the inaugural Night of Champions dinner, honoring Mel Larson, on Jan. 31 at Mandalay Bay. The event raised more than $83,000 for Speedway Children's Charities.
LVMS General Manager Chris Powell announced at the end of dinner that the event would now be known as the Mel Larson Night of Champions, a night to honor local community members and local racing champions.
The dinner featured four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon as the keynote speaker and guests O. Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, LVMS's parent company; and Chris Economaki, founder and editor emeritus of National Speed Sport News.
The event also recognized the 2005 season champions from its drag-racing facility, The Strip; and its 3/8-mile oval, The Bullring. Gordon also took part in a meet-and-greet with guests during the reception.
Last December, the Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities distributed more than $275,000 to 67 local charities at its annual grant distribution ceremony.
SOCCER
Local Tabagators sign with colleges
Several players from the Las Vegas Tabagators girls club soccer team signed letters of intent earlier this month, including:
Bishop Gorman's Kelly Gaughan (Weber State), Cimarron-Memorial's Jamie McCoy (UNLV), Palo Verde's Jamie Miller (Southern Utah), Cheyenne's Michelle Smith (Austin Peay), Clark's Heather Thompson (Wofford), Centennial's Aubrey Thompson (Wofford), Brooke Blaser (Utah Valley State) and Kasey Turley (Utah Valley State).
Thompson, Blaser and Turley's Bulldogs' teammate Audrey Falconi was expected to sign with Louisiana-Lafayette.
SOFTBALL
NSA Fastpitch tourney on tap
A March Madness softball tournament will be held in Las Vegas on March 25-26.
There is a four-game guarantee and the cost is $350 per team. The tournament is a Western World Series qualifier.
The Northwest Girls Softball-Fastpitch League is looking for persons age 16 years and older to officiate girls softball.
Some knowledge of softball and baseball is required.
Umpires will receive $25 per game. The league will play Mondays through Saturdays.
For more information, call Jim Graham at 645-8303 or Ken Scheuber at 419-5046.
TENNIS
Heinrich YMCA offers junior tennis lessons
The Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, offers junior tennis lessons on recently resurfaced tennis courts for boys and girls ages 7 to 17.
Beginner lessons are held Wednesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m., intermediate lessons are offered Thursdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and the advanced class meets Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Cost is $52 for members, $62 for nonmembers.
Each session includes four lessons. Adult tennis also is available. For more information, call 877-9622.
TRACK
Vegas Lightning on lookout for runners
The Vegas Lightning track team is seeking young runners for its coed team.
Vegas Lightning participants must be between the ages of 8 and 18.
For more information, call Lance Miller at 279-5522.
VIDEO GAMES
Local reaches Madden finals
Las Vegan Patrick Stock, 14, reached the 2005 Madden Challenge Finals.
Stock, the youngest finalist, beat out the competition in Denver and will be traveling to Hawaii for the finals and a chance to win $100,000 playing another round of EA Madden NFL '06 at the Pro Bowl.
Stock, who is home-schooled, will compete against 31 of the nation's best players seeking bragging rights as the Nation's Best EA Sports Madden NFL Player.
VOLLEYBALL
The Edge club signing up players
The Edge Volleyball Club has openings for girls in grades 6-12.
Practices are on Tuesday and Thursday from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. at Shadow Ridge High School. The season runs from January through May for non-travel and January through June for the travel squad.
The focus will be on the fundamentals in volleyball with an emphasis on teamwork and good sportsmanship.
For more information, call Karissa Guthrie at 326-8363.
YOUTH
YMCA holding Junior Sports Academy
The Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, is accepting sign-ups for its Junior Sports Academy, a beginner program for children ages 3-5 and their parents.
The program will be held Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. through April 1.
It includes two weeks each of soccer, T-ball and basketball. Equipment is provided. Parent participation is required. Cost is $55 for YMCA members, $65 for non-members. For more information, call 877-9622.
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