Parks department offering youth clinics

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring several upcoming activities for youths of all ages.

Greg Smith, a former Major League Baseball player with the Chicago Cubs and current hitting coach with the Kansas City Royals, will be leading a series of hitting camps for boys and girls ages 7-18.

Smith, who is also the founder of Hit to Win Baseball Camps, will be instructing on the physical and mental aspects of being a successful hitter.

The clinics take place on Jan. 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16, 2008. Three separate clinics will take place each day for different age groups, each lasting 70 minutes. Private lessons are also available.

The cost is $90 per session. A location has not yet been announced.

Mat Muscle Wrestling

Kids in kindergarten through sixth grade are invited to the Moses Lake High School wrestling room for two separate clinics on fundamental wrestling skills, conditioning and sportsmanship.

The first session runs Dec. 3, 10 and 17 and the second on Jan. 7, 14 and 28, 2008. The cost is $30 per session and includes a T-shirt. Kindergartners and first-graders practice from 6-7 p.m. nightly, with grades 2-6 going from 7-8 p.m.

Mat Muscle participants who wear their T-shirts gain free admission to the high school wrestling match on Jan. 24, 2008.

Little Hoopsters/Dribblers Basketball

Girls in grades K-3 have two opportunities to participate in the Little Hoopsters Basketball clinic, Dec. 8, 15, 22 or Jan. 5, 12 and 19, 2008.

Boys in grades K-6 can join the Little Dribblers Basketball club, which runs on the same dates.

The clinics will be held in the Moses Lake High School gymnasiums. Each session costs $30 and includes a T-shirt. K-1 boys practice from 9-10 a.m. daily, with 2-6 boys following at 10-11 a.m. and girls wrapping things up from 11 a.m. to noon.

Little Hoopsters participants wearing their T-shirts receive free admission to the Moses Lake-Wenatchee game on Jan. 22, while Little Dribblers participants get in free to the Moses Lake-Pasco game on Jan. 19.

City League/Church League Basketball

Adults who are interested in competitive basketball can join up for a league season that runs from January through March.

A more friendly, low-key league will also be offered during the same time frame.

Games for both leagues will take place at the Columbia Basin Alternative School on Thursdays and Fridays. A team entry fee of $150 is due by Dec. 7.

Martial Arts

Kids 9 and older are welcome to join a self-defense class taught by Wayne Johnson.

Johnson will teach basic Judo throws, submission techniques, falls, punches, kicks, blocks and ground fighting. The class is recommended for beginners with no prior experience in self defense.

The clinics runs each Monday and Wednesday from Dec. 3 through Dec. 31 at the Chief Moses Middle School wrestling room. The cost is $25 and classes run from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

For more information on any of the above classes, contact Moses Lake Parks and Recreation at 766-9240 or go online to www.mlrec.com.