Our Town Sports (March 31, 2016)

Ad Astra swimming: Ad Astra Area Aquatics invites your family to experience Lawrence’s only athlete-centered, coach-directed, parent-supported swim team. Tryouts are open, just contact coach Patrick at 785-331-6940 or coach Katie at 785-766-7423 or visit the website at adastraareaaquatics.org. Come find out why AAAA is known in our area for its reliable staff and fun-friendly-fast culture!

Horseshoes anyone?: Anyone interested in pitching horseshoes is welcome at 7 p.m. every Thursday at Broken Arrow. Contact Wynne at 843-8450.

Aquahawks openings: The Aquahawks are always accepting new members. The Aquahawks are a year-round USA Swimming-sponsored competitive swim team. The Aquahawks offer a swim lesson program and competitive swim team for all ages. The Aquahawks are coached by professional coaches with weekly practices geared toward a variety of skill levels. For information contact Andrew Schmidt at andrew.aquahawks@gmail.com

Cycling team: Join Team GP VeloTek (www.gpvelotek.com) to improve your road cycling. Open to youth and adults from beginners to advanced cyclists. Contact coach Jim Whittaker at 913.269.VELO or  velotek@aol.com

Next level lessons: Next Level Baseball Academy offers year-round private and semi-private baseball lessons ages 8-18. Locations in Lawrence, Big Springs and New Century. For information, email Duncanmatt32@yahoo.com or visit NextLevelBaseballAcademy.com

FUNdamental softball: Learn the proper mechanics and techniques to play softball. Emphasis placed on fundamental instruction teaching the aspects of pitching, catching, fielding, base-running and hitting. Coach and team consulting available, too. For information, contact LuAnn Metsker at 785-331-9438 or dmgshowpig@aol.com

Archery club: The Junior Olympic Archery Development Club meets at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday in the indoor target range at Overton’s Archery Center, 1025 N. Third Street, Suite 119. Youth age 8-20, all levels of experience, are invited to join. The Archery Center has a full-service pro shop with rental equipment available. For information, call Overton’s Archery Center at 832-1654 or visit www.overtonsarcherycenter.com

Basketball basics: One-to-one instruction by Frank Kelly, for boys and girls of all ages. Fundamentals of shooting, passing, dribbling, defense and rebounding. Ten years coaching experience. References. Cost: $25 per hour. For information, call 393-3162 or email lingofrank@gmail.com

Baseball lessons: Hourly lessons. Grades K-12. All skill levels. Fundamentals of hitting, pitching, fielding, baserunning and other baseball-related skills. Have references. Call coach Dan at 785-760-6161 (baseballknowhow@weebly.com).

Basketball lessons: Gary Hammer offers private and small group basketball lessons. Hammer is the P.E. teacher and a coach at Veritas Christian School. Affordable prices and excellent instruction! Contact Gary at gjhammer@sunflower.com or call 785-841-1800.

Basketball Academy: Reign Basketball Academy, LLC., offers year-round elite level agility, speed and basketball training for all youth athletes, ages 5-18. PRICING: 4-Session Package (1-hour each) for 5-12 is $140. 4-Session Package for 13 & up is $200. For information, contact Rebekah Vann at 785-766-3056 or reignbbacademy@gmail.com. For more information, go to reignbasketballacademy.weebly.com. Join us on Twitter @reignbbacademy, YouTube and Facebook.com/reignbasketballacademy.

Robinson Center court availability: The Robinson Center at Kansas University has courts available for rent for basketball, volleyball, racquetball, soccer, baseball, softball and other sports. For information, contact Bernie Kish at 864-0703 or bkish@ku.edu.

Titans looking: The Lawrence Titans U14 baseball team is looking for two players. It is a competitive team that will play in league and 6-8 tournaments in spring of 2016. Players cannot turn 15 before May 1, 2016. Contact baseball66@outlook.com for tryout details

Rebels looking: The Kansas Rebels U11 baseball team is looking for players. For a private tryout, text Mark Kern at 785-691-6940.

Group run: At 6 p.m. every Thursday, Ad Astra Running (16 E. 8th St.) holds a group run from its store. It’s called “Mass Street Milers,” and all paces and ability levels are welcome. For information, call the store at 785-830-8353 or e-mail j.jenkins@adastrarunning.com

Weight training and conditioning: Former director of KU strength and conditioning, coach Fred Roll (22 Div. I sports), is offering a beginning weight training and conditioning class for seventh-graders through adults. Class meets 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, with optional Saturdays. Also, advanced adult classes at 7-8 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and sport-specific training. Tens of local high school athletes have gone on to collegiate sports from this program. Contact coach Roll at 785-331-8200 or freroll13@gmail.com

Inferno Softball: Lawrence Inferno Softball 14U B looking to fill 2-3 spots for our competitive 2016 spring/summer organization playing in several tournaments in the area throughout the spring and summer. We are looking to add a catcher, strong pitcher and a utility player to finalize our roster for the upcoming season. Tryouts will be on an individual basis for the right players and parents to join our softball family. If you are interested in information or a tryout, please contact Jason Robinson at 785-865-7338 or jrobinson4295@yahoo.com

Youth baseball: Douglas County Amateur, Ice/Heinrich & Houk League baseball still have room for team registration in the following leagues: U8 and U14. Registration information is available online at www.lprd.org. Deadline for team entries is the first eight teams per division. For information contact Lee Ice at ice@lawrenceks.org

KU baseball tickets: A limited number of complimentary tickets are available through the Bud Walker Caring for Kids program for upcoming Kansas University baseball games in April. These tickets are available for youth organizations such as youth sports teams, scouting groups, church youth groups, after-school clubs and any other youth-related organizations that would like to experience a college baseball game. Contact KU baseball at 785-864-7907 for information.

Umpires needed: Lawrence Parks & Recreation youth baseball/softball umpires (Rec & DCABA) are needed. Applicants must be at least 16 and possess background and experience in the sport of baseball and/or softball as well as having experience working with children. Applicant must be available to work in the evenings Monday thru Friday and-or Saturdays. Apply on-line at www.lprd.org

Strength and conditioning: Athletic Strength Institute (ASI) provides year-round strength and conditioning, nutritional coaching and soft-tissue therapy for athletes. ASI’s experienced coaches have worked with professional, college, high school and amateur athletes. We emphasize identifying an athlete’s weaknesses, flexibility limitations and faulty movement patterns and develop individualized training programs to address these issues before moving on to more traditional strength, power, speed and agility training. We also provide individual nutritional guidelines. Contact Athletic Strength Institute at info@athleticsi.com or 785-813-1823 or visit www.athleticsi.com

Swim lessons: Swim lesson enrollment begins April 4 for Lawrence Swim School, LLC. Two-week sessions in June and July. Classes at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eight lessons for $80. Enroll at lawrenceswimschool.org. Questions, call 785-331-6940.

Basketball clinic: 4SQUAREATHLETICS will be conducting its “4SquareFOCUS Goal 10,000,” a five-session basketball shooting clinic beginning April 4 at Seabury Academy gym. Three age groups: 5-9: Mondays, 5:15-6:20 p.m.; 10-13: Monday, 6:30-7:55 p.m.; 14-18: Wednesdays 5:20-6:55 p.m. The purpose of the ” Goal 10,000 ” program is to give young basketball players focused instruction, directed specifically toward the fundamentals of shooting the basketball. Participants will receive assistance setting individual goals and will receive one-on-one instruction on how to reach those goals using both a variety of drills and an “accountability partner.” For more details/fee, check out the FaceBook page 4SquareFOCUSbasketball or email us 4SquareFOCUS@GMAIL.COM

LHS middle school sports information meeting: LHS will host a sports information meeting for current seventh- and eighth-grade student-athletes who will attend LHS in 2016-17 or 2017-18, and their parents/guardians, 7 p.m., April 13 in the LHS main gym. Requirements and expectations for student-athletes and summer camp/conditioning will be discussed.

Free State football informational meeting: Free State football coach Bob Lisher will host a parent/player informational meeting for prospective football players at 7 p.m. on April 7 in the FSHS auditorium. The meeting is for incoming freshmen through seniors.

Lawrence youth football camp: Lawrence High and Free State will host its annual youth football camp June 27-29. It’s open to all youths entering grades 2 through 8. The camp will be at LHS. Camp fliers have been delivered to all elementary and middle schools. If you have questions, contact Dirk Wedd or Bob Lisher at 785-832-5050.

Kansas Relays volunteers needed: Volunteers are needed for the Kansas Relays on April 21-23 at Rock Chalk Park. No experience necessary. If interested, contact Debbie Luman at 785-864-3486 or dluman@ku.edu

Baldwin wrestling: The Baldwin City Wrestling Club is offering Freestyle/Greco-Roman this spring on Fridays starting April 1. Cost is $120. The coach is Purler coach Brett Delich. For info, email kharris@usd348.com or 785-221-8025

Skyline Shuffle: The Lawrence Trail Hawks will host the second annual “Skyline Shuffle 5k (3.1 miles) Trail Run,” Saturday, May 7, at Clinton State Park. The Lawrence Trail Hawks are Lawrence’s original trail- and ultra-running club. The Skyline Shuffle begins and ends on the west side of Campground 3, in Clinton State Park. The marked course includes a long, grassy ridge with majestic views of the lake and park, and shady stretches through old-growth forest. Walkers welcome! The race begins at 8 a.m., with race-day registration and check-in starting at 7 a.m. For more information, including advance registration, visit trailhawks.com

Lady Lion basketball clinics: The Lawrence High Lady Lion Basketball program will be hosting several basketball clinics for all girls kindergarten through eighth grade. We will work on basketball fundamentals including ball handling, form shooting and dribbling and passing. Our basketball clinics are free and will be in the LHS main gym on the following Saturdays: 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/21 from 7:45-9 a.m. To attend, please email coach Dickson at LHSLADYLIONBASKETBALL@gmail.com

Sunflower wrestling winners: Sunflower Kids Wrestling Club finished 18th in total points and 7th in win percentage in the field of 164 teams at the USA Wrestling-Kansas State Wrestling Tournament this past weekend at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka. Placers for the club were Dalton Dempsey (state champ), Lou Elsten (runner-up), Drew Streeter (runner-up), Eric Streeter (runner-up), Andrew Honas (3rd place), Jadin Harrell (3rd place), Grayson Hagen (3rd place), Nolan Bradley (5th place), Matthew Marcum (6th place) and Blaine Larkin (6th place).

Senior golf at Alvamar: A senior golf league is forming at Alvamar. League play will run Wednesdays through September. Tee times begin at 8:30 a.m. Format varies each week. $40 league fee includes USGA handicap. Four-man scramble on April 6. For information, call 785-842-1907 or email Paul Hooser at phooser@alvamar.com