Lima area sports calendar

Each week, The Lima News publishes a calendar of events of local interest. Events should be submitted by noon Wednesday of each week to The Lima News Sports Department, 3515 Elida Road, Lima, OH 45807. Events can be faxed to 419-229-2926 or e-mailed to [email protected].

AEROBICS

Senior classes

Senior Citizen Services, 3400 W. Elm St., Lima, offers classes open to the public at a cost of $5 per class. Classes include Aqua Zumba (10:45 a.m. Saturdays), Zumba (4:45 p.m. Mondays), Step Aerobics (4:45 p.m. Wednesdays) and Water Aerobics (5:15 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays). Call 419-991-8811 for details.

Aqua Zumba

Bluffton Family Recreation is now offering Aqua Zumba under the instruction of Kealy Goodale. Classes are 9 a.m. Saturdays at Maple Crest, Bluffton, The first class is free. For details or to register, call 419-358-4150.

ARCHERY

Columbus Grove

The Columbus Grove Archery Club will be hold recurve shoots at 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Tuesdays until the end of April. The shoots are open to the public. For additional info call Tom Frick at 419-384-3033.

BASEBALL

Lima

The University of Northwestern Ohio baseball program will host kids’ camps from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. Registration starts at 9 a.m. each day. The cost for an individual camp is $50 or all four for $150. Campers receive a free T-shirt and instruction on all parts of the game from head baseball coach Korey Hartman and assistant coach Aaron Lee, along with help from current UNOH baseball players and staff. Register online at unohracers.com by clicking on Camps and Clinics for a registration form.

Lima

The University of Northwestern Ohio will hold a high school camp and showcase Jan. 3. The cost for the camp and showcase is $100 or $75 for the showcase only. The camp includes one-on-one instruction and questions sessions with the UNOH coaching staff. The showcase includes a pro-style workout with documented running times, defensive evaluation, offensive evaluation and pitching evaluation, with campers receiving a written evaluation by a UNOH coach. Evaluations will be posted on the UNOH athletics website two weeks after the camp. Coaches and parents can attend for camps to observe and ask questions. Register online at unohracers.com by clicking on Camps and Clinics for a registration form.

Locos Express

Tryouts for the Locos Express 14-under and 15-under teams is 3-4 p.m. Dec. 13 at FAST, Lima. The Express select teams compete in tournaments after the end of each school’s 2016 spring baseball year, travelling throughout Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. Players receive instruction and practice in an indoors facility by collegiate and professional instructors. Register for tryouts at locosexpress.com. Registration is required. Email [email protected] with questions.

Lima

FAST of Northwest Ohio is the host site for a six-week baseball camp starting Jan. 3. Shawnee coach Jimmy Morris will direct the program with the U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are for grades 1-2 and are limited to six players per coach. Sessions are offered on advanced hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and baserunning. For details, visit USBaseballAcademy.com or call 866-622-4487.

Struthers

The 2016 Bob Cene All Ohio Challenge Wood Bat Tournament for teams ages 16 through 18 will be held June 23-26 at the Bob Cene Baseball Complex. Contact Ken Quinn at 330-719-0581 for information.

BASKETBALL

Rockford

Parkway will host basketball shootouts for boys and girls teams in grades 2-6 on Dec. 13, Jan. 2, 16, 31 and Feb. 13. All players need to attend the same school district. Teams decide how many games they wish to play in each shootout. Cost is $30 per game. For details, contact Doug Hughes at 419-363-3045 ext. 774 or [email protected].

Botkins

Botkins High School will be playing host to a girls league for grades 3-6 this winter. Email Tony Rogers at [email protected] or call him at 937-658-2100 for additional information

Bluffton

Bluffton Family Recreation is starting fourth grade boys and girls basketball developmental leagues. They’re separate divisions for boys and girls, playing Saturdays from Jan. 9 to Feb. 13. Registration is $250 per team through Dec. 31. To register, call 419-358-4150 or go to bfronline.net.

Van Wert

The YMCA Youth Development Basketball League for boys in the second through sixth grades will start in January. All players on one team must be students in the same school district. Players may play up in the next level. A tournament is included in the six-week school season. Coaches must register as a complete team by Dec. 21. Second-, third- and fourth-grade games will be played Tuesdays and start Jan. 5. Fifth- and sixth-grade games are scheduled for Mondays and will begin Jan. 4.

Cost is $200 per team with the officials’ fee included. For more information contact YMCA Program Director Mitch Price at 419-238-0443 or [email protected].

Bath

The 13th annual Bath boys and girls fifth and sixth grade basketball tourbnaments are coming up. Boys is March 5-6, and girls is March 12-13. Entry fee is $125 per team with Saturday pool play and single-elimination tournament Sunday. Only 18 teams per grade will be accepted. Call Mike Frey at 419-234-2400 or email mfrey@[email protected] to register. The funds benefit the varsity basketball programs at Bath.

PICKLEBALL

Lima

Pickleball is played from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Bradfield Center. Beginners are welcome.

Lima

The YMCA Annex is open to pickleball players from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Scheduled play is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. When entering the facility, check in at the security office. Courts are in the two gyms. No charge for Y members. Cost for non-members is $3 per session or $20 per month. All skill levels.

RUNNING

YMCA Chilly 5K

The Putnam County YMCA will sponsor a run or walk in its first YMCA Chilly 5K on Jan. 1. The family-friendly race starts at 11 a.m. and the YMCA and consists of four laps around the new track. Everyone completing the event receives a gift bag and cup of hot chocolate. Cost is $10 per person until Dec. 1, $15 between Dec. 2 and Dec. 31 and $20 the day of the race. Applications are at the Putnam County YMCA on online at putnamymca.org. For details, call 419-523-5233.

SHOOTING

Lima Sabres

The Lima Sabres has weekly trap shooting practice from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays all year round at 5090 Hanthorn Road. There is also a trap at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursday Night Trap Shooting, beginning at 6 p.m. Member meetings are held at 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of the month from January through October. There are no meetings in November and December. Steel Challenge date is Dec. 20. For more information on all these events and activities go to limasabres.com or send email to [email protected].

SOCCER

Bluffton

Bluffton Family Recreation is accepting soccer teams for indoor tournaments. A high school division plays Saturday, Dec. 19, with the first game at 9 a.m. An adult division plays Sunday, Dec., 20, with the first game at 1:30 p.m. Games are 25 minutes each, with a maximum of eight teams per division, Registration is $75 per team. To register, visit BFR at 215 Snider Road, Bluffton, or go online at bfronline.com.

Bluffton

Indoor league sign-ups for 2015-16 are under way at Bluffton Family Recreation. League play is available for U8 all the way to adult competition. For more information go to bfronline.com or call 419-358-4150.

SOFTBALL

Cairo

The Cairo men’s softball league is accepting teams for the 2016 season. The league will be split into upper and lower divisions, with a maximum of six upper and eight lower teams. All games will be played on Monday nights, starting in May. For details, text Doug Austin at 419-230-4264 or email [email protected].