Community Sports Calendar

Community sports organizations are encouraged to submit items for the community calendar by Tuesday at 5 p.m. The calendar runs every Friday. Items can be e-mailed to thayes@bristolnews.com or faxed to 276-669-3696. Entries will also be taken over the phone after 5 p.m. daily. Please call 276-645-2516. All entries should include exact dates for events or exact deadlines for sign-ups. Items without exact dates will only be run for one week.

BASEBALL

PITCHING/HITTING LESSONS: Hitting lessons for softball and pitching lessons for baseball players – groups or individual – are now available. Contact Jimmy Nave at (423) 646-7282 or e-mail navepitch@bvnet.net

BRISTOL WHITE SOX KNOTHOLE GANG: The Bristol White Sox, the rookie-league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, will once again be organizing a Knothole Gang for the 2008 season, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A. This will mark the 27th year of the program. Membership is open to all boys and girls ages 12-under and costs $5. Members are admitted to all BriSox home games free and receive a gift from Chick-Fil-A. To join, send $5 and a self-addressed stamped envelope and include the childs’ name to Knothole Gang, P.O. Box 1434, Bristol, Va. 24203.

DOUG NELMS LESSONS: Former Virginia High and West Virginia University baseball star Doug Nelms is currently offering baseball/softball hitting and defensive lessons for ages 7-18. Nelms will help players learn the basics and fine tune their game. Individual or small group work is available. Contact Nelms, a former first-team All-Big East Conference shortstop, at (276) 202-7261 or e-mail dnelms@mix.wvu.edu.

TENNESSEE TIGERS AAU TEAM: The Tennessee Tigers USSA team is looking for competitive players 12-under for the 2009 season. Age determined as of May 1. The team is also looking for fall league players. Contact Jason at 765-3790.

TENNESSEE XPRESS TRYOUTS: The Tennessee Xpress baseball team will be holding tryouts for the upcoming 2008 fall ball season. The tournament will use USSSA rules in the 11-under division. Players must not turn 12-years-old prior to May 1, 2009. All players are eligible to play without any residential restrictions. Players selected to the fall ball team, will have first priority to be selected for the 2009 Spring/Summer tournament team. Contact (423) 956-9943 or tnexpressbaseball@yahoo.com.

EAST TENNESSEE SELECT: East Tennessee Select 10-year-olds will be having tryouts for the 2009 team on August 9-10 at South View Park. Aug. 9 tryouts are at noon, while Aug. 10 tryouts are set for 2 p.m. Players cannot turn 11 before May 1, 2009. Anyone is eligible, regardless of school contact. Contact Kevin at (423) 341-4937.

BASKETBALL

TEN-STAR CAMP: Applications are being accepted for the Ten Star All-Star Summer Basketball Camp. For boys and girls ages 10-19. The camp is by invitation only, and locations include Blacksburg, Va. and Lebanon, Tenn. There is also a summer camp available for boys and girls ages 6-18. For more information, call (704) 373-0873 or online at www.tenstarcamp.com.

KING COLLEGE BOYS CAMP: King College will host a position camp on July 21-25. The camp runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily and cost is $95. Contact George Pitts at gspitts@king.edu or call (423) 652-4781.

TWIN VALLEY JV GIRLS TOURNAMENT: Teams are needed for a girls junior varsity tip-off tournament, set for Dec. 2-6, 2008 at Twin Valley High School. Contact Ricky K. Goodman at RGoodman@buc.k12.va.us, (276) 259-7818 (work) or (276) 881-8636 (home).

TWIN VALLEY VARSITY GIRLS TOURNAMENT: Teams are needed for a girls varsity tip-off tournament, set for Dec. 2-6, 2008 at Twin Valley High School. Contact Ricky K. Goodman at RGoodman@buc.k12.va.us, (276) 259-7818 (work) or (276) 881-8636 (home).

HIGH IMPACT CAMP: Twin Valley High School will be hosting the second annual High Impact Camp on July 21-23 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The camp will be supervised and instructed by members of the Twin Valley High School boys’ basketball coaching staff. Each camper will receive a camp to-shirt and gift as part of the camp fee. Everyone that pre-registers will receive a $30 discount off the camp fee. Youth coaches that pre-register a minimum of four members of their team will receive a $40 discount off of the camp fee for each of their players. Camp fee is $99. Contact Brian Moore at (276) 935-4360 or e-mail coachmoore@twinvalleypanthers.com.

SMSC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Will be held at Smoky Mountain Sports Complex in Elizabethton on July 24-27. The event is open to boys and girls teams in the 9-under/3rd grade through 17-under/juniors age divisions from any organization. Cost is $450 and there is a give-game guarantee. Contact (423) 747-6651.

SMOKY SPORTS 3-ON-3 TOURNAMENT: The SmokySports.com 3-on-3 Challenge will be held Aug. 8-10 at the Smoky Mountain Sports Complex in Elizabethton. Divisions are 5th-6th grade, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12 as well as men’s open (18-over) and an over-40 division. Entry fee is $100 per team with a three-game guarantee. Contact (423) 747-6651.

KNOXVILLE STARS TRAVEL TEAM: The 2009 Knoxville Stars 8-year-old travel baseball team will be holding tryouts in the Tri-Cities area. Players cannot turn 9 before May 1, 2009. Contact Steve Dearstone at (423) 639-2608.

FOOTBALL

GIRLS FLAG LEAGUE: The Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City is now taking applications for the Aubrayo Franklin all-girls Flag Football League for ages 5-18. Interested players can sign up at the Boys & Girls Club on West Market Street from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Contact (423) 461-4560 (ext. 14).

YOUTH FOOTBALL REGISTRATION AND CLINIC: The Bristol Virginia Parks and Recreation will conduct a clinic for children coming into or moving up (Pee-Wee to Midget Division) in the youth football program. The clinic will be held July 28-29 at 6 p.m. at Washington and Lee Elementary School. The clinic will be used to instruct children on the proper way of conditioning, as well as drafting players to new teams. Participants must be 8-12 years old and born between the dates of Sept. 30, 2000 and Oct. 1, 1995.

RICHLANDS SEASON FOOTBALL TICKETS: Richlands High School season football tickets will go on sale on July 10 in the Richlands main office. Tickets will be available each day Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-Noon and 1-3 p.m. Season tickets cost $40 and reserved parking permits cost $10. General admission tickets will be $6 for all Southwest District contests for the ’08 season. If you want to retain your reserved season tickets for the 2008-09 season, you must pick them up by Friday, August 15. Season tickets will not be held beyond this date and will be available for the general public to purchase beginning Monday, August 18. It will be helpful for patrons to bring last year’s season tickets at time of purchase if possible.

WCAA REGISTRATION: The Washington County, Va. Athletic Association will hold registration for football and cheerleading on July 19 at Wallace Middle School from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Also registration will be held at John Battle High School on July 26 from 9 a.m.-Noon. Registration is $30 and $5 for each additional child. Contact 669-5174.

WCAA CAMP: Washington County Athletic Association will hold a youth camp for children playing in the league coming into pee-wee or midget divisions on July 29-31 from 6-7:30 p.m. The camp will be held at Wallace Middle School and cost is free. The league draft is set for July 31. Contact 669-5174.

GATE CITY CAMP OF CHAMPIONS: Gate City High School will hold its Camp of Champions on July 21-24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at legion Field. The event is for 9-year-olds to students entering the seventh grade. Cost is $30 per camper and $40 for a family. A camp t-shirt, daily refreshments and insurance coverage are provided. Registration forms can be picked up at the main office at Gate City High School between 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. or register at Legion field at 5 p.m. on July 21.

HONAKER PARENTS SAFETY MEETING: The Honaker High School football team will have its VHSL parents safety meeting on July 22 at 7 p.m. at the field house. All parents of football players in grades 8-12. All JV and varsity players will need to pick up their equipment at this time.

HONAKER EIGHTH GRADE: Honaker High School’s eighth grade practice begins Aug. 1, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the Honaker football field. For more information, contact Doug Hubbard at (276) 202-2552.

BEARCAT CLINIC: Virginia High will host its Bearcat Football Clinic on July 23-25 at 5 p.m. The event is for grades 4-12 and is for all Bristol area participants. Registration begins July 23 at the VHS practice field at 4 p.m. For more information, contact Terry Smith at 821-5883.

JOHN BATTLE YOUTH CAMP: John Battle High School will hold a youth camp for ages 5-15 at Battle’s game field on July 25-26 from 9 a.m.-Noon. The camp will be led by first-year Battle head coach Chris Brookshire, Battle coaches and WCAA coaches. Campers will receive a t-shirt. Contact (276) 669-5174 or (828) 691-8664.

LEBANON HIGH SCHOOL EQUIPMENT ISSUE: Equipment issue for everyone who plans to play eighth grade, JV or varsity football for Lebanon High School will be July 21-25 at 9 a.m. Players must have a current athletic physical in order to practice. Practice begins on July 28 at 8 a.m. Contact Coach John Adams at (276) 591-6718.

GOLF

CLEAR CREEK LADIES ASSOCIATION: Ladies of all ages and abilities are welcomed to join the Clear Creek Ladies’ Golf Association. Clear Creek ladies play every Wednesday from April-October. Contact (276) 466-4833.

ST. PAUL TOURNAMENT: The fourth annual St. Paul High School golf tournament will be held Saturday, August 30 at Tri-Cities Golf Course. Check-in is at 7 a.m., followed by a shotgun start. The format is four-person captain’s choice and cost is $50 per golfer. Hole sponsorships are available for $100. Contact Patrick Damron at (276) 328-8913 or Walt Padgett at (276) 762-7320.

CHILHOWIE TOURNAMENT: Chilhowie High School will host a four-man’s captain’s choice tournament on Saturday, July 26 at Greenway Creek Golf Course. Cost is $50 per individual or $200 per team. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, closest to the pin and longest drive. There is a shotgun start at 8 a.m. and lunch will be provided. Proceeds will benefit the Chilhowie football team. Contact Greenway Creek Golf Course at (276) 429-2626 or head coach Larry D. Russell at (276) 646-2712.

LONESOME PINE INVITATIONAL: Players can still sign up for the 77th annual Lonesome Pine Country Club Invitational – the region’s oldest invitational event – by contacting (276) 523-0739. The tournament is set for July 19-20 and entry fee is $125 for non-members and $100 for LPCC members. The fee covers two days of tournament golf, cart fees and dinner on Saturday night. A practice round can be played Monday-Thursday the week of the event for only the $13 cart fee. The tournament will have a championship, seniors’, super seniors’ (60-above) and regular flight play. All players will play stroke play, with Saturday’s round serving as the qualifying round for all flight players. Deadline for entry is July 17 at 5 p.m. There will also be a special Friday pro-am at LPCC on July 18. Call the club pro shop to sign up for the tournament, the pro-am or both. You do not have to be playing the tournament to play in Friday’s pro-am.

HIGHLANDS EDUCATIONAL LITERACY PROGRAM: The first annual Highlands Educational Literacy Program golf tournament will be held July 19 at Greenway Creek Golf Course. Cost is $40 per golfer or $160 per team. There will be a shotgun start at 8 a.m. and first place and door prizes will be given out. Lunch will be provided and all proceeds will benefit the Highlands Educational Literacy Program. Contact Sallie Garrett or Judy Hurd at (276) 944-5144 or Greenway Creek Golf Course at (276) 429-2626.

PARKS AND REC MEN’S LEAGUE: The Bristol Virginia Parks and Recreation Department will be organizing a men’s open golf league at Clear Creek Golf Course. Interested groups (minimum four players) must contact Val DeVault at (276) 645-7373 before July 30.

HONAKER TOURNAMENT: The Honaker High School football program will host its annual golf tournament on Aug. 16 at Clear Creek Golf Club. Registration starts at 1 p.m. and tee time is set for 2 p.m. The tournament is captain’s choice with a four-man team ($220 per team). Prizes will be awarded to the winners. Hole sponsorship is $100. Contact Doug Hubbard at (276) 202-2552.

HANDS ON TOURNAMENT: The Hands On Regional Museum will host its annual Summer Golf Classic on July 28 at Johnson City Country Club. The event is a shotgun start and tees off at 9:30 a.m. for more information call (423) 434-HAND.

MISC.

MARTIAL ARTS CLINIC: Participants can now learn the martial arts of Renaissance Europe in Abingdon. Contact Will Adamson at shovel4hire@yahoo.com

VIRGINIA HIGH SWIMMING POOL: Virginia High has announced times and dates for its swimming pool in 2008. ARC Swimming Lessons will hold an AM Session on July 7-July 24. Monday-Thursday each day at 8:30 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. A PM session is set for July 7-August 1 with a schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Cost is $60. Meanwhile, Bristol Area Swim Association’s summer league swim team sessions will be held through July 31. Cost is $50. Public swimming time will run through August. Times are Monday-Saturday from 1-5 p.m. and Monday-Friday 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $2.

SOCCER

BRISTOL SOCCER ASSOCIATION: The Bristol Soccer Association is currently accepting registration for the fall 2008 season. Registration deadline is August 15. Registration forms can be picked up at Bristol, Tenn. Leisure Services and Bristol, Virginia Parks and Recreation Department. Forms can also be found at www.bristolsoccer.com. Contact (276) 644-9844 for more information.

SOFTBALL

WHITETOP CREEK GIRLS SUMMER LEAGUE: A girls summer softball league is forming for age divisions 12-under, 14-under, 16-under and 18-under. Games will begin in early-June and all games will be played at Whitetop Creek Park in Bristol, Monday through Thursday. Registration is $20 per player. Contact Sandra Cole at (423) 391-5101.

WHITETOP CREEK JULY TOURNAMENTS: Several tournaments will be held at Bristol’s Whitetop Creek Park during the month of July. A USFA girls’ fastpitch tourney is set for July 25-27. Contact Keith Jeffers at (423) 833-2915.

SMYTH COUNTY SUMMER SLAM: The eight annual Smyth County Summer Slam tournament will be held Aug. 2-3 at Adwolfe Recreation Park in Marion. There is a three-game guarantee and entry fee is $125. Contact (276) 762-7692 or (540) 815-9751.

LADY ELECTRIC: The Lady Electric 12-under and 10-under traveling softball teams are looking to add a couple of pitchers to their roster. The team competes in tournaments in Tennessee and Virginia. Contact Scott at (276) 762-7692.

LADY WAVE TRYOUTS: Lady Wave Softball will hold tryouts on Saturday, August 9 at the Lebanon High School softball field. The 10-under and 12-under teams will hold tryouts at 1p a.m. and the 14-under and 16-under teams will conduct tryouts at 11:30 a.m. Contact Carson Smith at (276) 591-4803, Lynette Compton at (276) 880-2091 or Ben Bundy at (276) 971-4361.

RADFORD BENEFIT TOURNAMENT: A benefit tournament will be held July 19-20 at Veteran’s Field in Radford, Va. Divisions include men’s and co-ed. Entry fee is $150. Contact Wolf at (540) 392-3279.

BLACKSBURG BENEFIT TOURNAMENT: There will be a benefit tournament on July 26-27 at Tom’s Creek in Blacksburg, Va. Entry fee is $150. Contact (540) 392-3279 or (540) 815-9751.

BLUE BLAZE TRYOUTS: The Blue Blaze ’96 12-under traveling fastpitch softball team will be hosting open tryouts for girls in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas on Aug. 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Sevier Middle School in Kingsport. Contact Lee Patsel at (423) 638-5754 or leepatsel@gmail.com

VOLLEYBALL

SULLIVAN EAST CAMP: Sullivan East High School will hold a volleyball came on July 21-23 from 2-5:30 p.m. The event is open to girls in grades 2-8 and cost is $35 per player, $50 for families of two and $75 for families of three. Contact head coach Stephanie Ervin at (423) 217-0114 for more information.