Published: May 08, 2008 11:54 pm            

Local sports briefs 5/9

BASEBALL

Osborne named Keystone coach

Greater Johnstown’s Chance Osborne has been named coach of the Laurel Highlands Region Junior (grades 9-10) baseball team in the upcoming Pennsylvania Keystone State Games in York.

Osborne is head coach of the Conemaugh Valley American Legion team as well as a three-year volunteer coach at Johnstown high and a former assistant coach in the Pony League. He also works at the ERA baseball school in Richland Township and during the weeklong Elite camp at Roxbury Park in June. Osborne is an assistant on the Johnstown Jay Sox traveling fall team.

The Keystone State Games will be held July 22-26. For more information or to register online: www.keystonestategames.com.

Ceremony to honor ‘Pie’ Wilk

Fans are invited to attend a ceremony before today’s Shade game against Berlin that will honor the late Michael “Pie” Wilk. Wilk was a volunteer baseball coach for many years for the Central City Little League and the Junior American Legion Baseball team. He served as a volunteer coach for the Shade High School team for more than 10 years and spent many hours grooming and working on Shade’s field.

There will be a plaque presented which will be placed on the home team dugout in Pie’s memory.

The game begins at 4:15 p.m. in Cairnbrook.

BASKETBALL

Mounties hoops camps gearing up

CRESSON – As a youngster growing up in west central Pennsylvania, going to summer basketball camp was a big deal for Mount Aloysius basketball coach Lance Loya, and now he is doing his best to see that others in this area have the same opportunities.

“The experience of getting to go to basketball camp had such an impact on me when I was a young player,” Loya said. “It is what made me fall in love with the game. I want other kids to have the same chance to experience a camp, as I did.”

Loya will be holding two camps at Mount Aloysius this summer. Junior Camp will be from June 16-20. Junior Camp runs from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., and is for boys and girls ages 5-8.

It is specifically geared toward a younger age group, and is an introduction to the rules and fundamentals of the game of basketball. The cost of Junior Camp is $55.

Skills Camp will be held from June 23-27, and is for boys and girls ages 8-15. It will be held daily from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and has a more traditional camp format. The cost of Skills Camp is $99.

“As long as I am the coach here, the price will not go over $99,” Loya said. “I realize how much of an impact rising gas prices have had on a lot of families, and I know that some of them are forced to make some tough choices about what to cut back on. I would hate for a kid to have to miss out on going to basketball camp for financial reasons.”

Other concessions have also been made to try and help campers with costs. The hours of the camp are intended to coincide with a typical work day, making it easier for working parents to get their child to camp. Camp staff come in early and stay late, if necessary, to help accommodate parents’ work schedules.

Additionally, there is a multi-camper family discount.

“I came from a big family, and I am aware of the added obstacles that come with that,” Loya said. “If a family pays for two registrations, I always let the third and any other sibling come for free.”

About 180 kids attended basketball camp at Mount Aloysius last summer. Early registration for the camps are strongly encouraged, as last year’s Skills Camp sold out.

Registrations forms can be obtained at www.mtaloy.edu/basketballcamp or by calling 886-6314.

“Sending your kids to basketball camp is an investment in their future,” Loya said. “They are going to learn. They are going to have fun, and they are going to get motivated. It may be the thing that catapults them into one day earning a scholarship, and I want kids in our area to at least have that chance.”

        

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