AUBURN — Auburn-Lewiston YMCA is set to begin its 44th year of Youth Basketball. The YMCA Co-ed Youth Basketball League serves Auburn, Lewiston and the surrounding communities by affording boys and girls in grades 2 to 6 an opportunity to involve themselves in an organized basketball program.

The YMCA’s Youth Basketball League for kids in grades 2-6 is designed to instruct the basic fundamentals of basketball, and to develop individual skills of dribbling, passing, and shooting within a team atmosphere.

The youth basketball league is divided into two divisions: Pee Wee and Junior. Each division will conduct a “draft” which will evaluate individual talent levels in order to provide the best possible scenario for equal play among teams.

Pee Wee Division is for boys and girls in grades 2-4. The Pee Wee draft will be held Sunday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Edward Little High School. Pee Wee teams hold practice once a week, and games are played Saturday afternoons at the YMCA. The season begins Saturday, Nov. 5 and comes to a close Feb. 11, 2012.

Junior Division is for boys and girls in grades 5 and 6. The Junior draft will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Edward Little High School. Junior teams hold practice once a week, and games are played at the YMCA on Saturday mornings. The regular season begins Saturday, Nov. 5 and ends Feb. 11, 2012.

Players in the YMCA League will also be eligible to try-out for travel teams involved in the Central Maine Basketball League and Western Maine Basketball League. More information on travel teams will become available during the season.

The Youth Basketball Program emphasizes the YMCA’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. The focus of the program is to have each child gain an understanding of the game, improve skill level, learn team play, build self-esteem, show good sportsmanship, and most of all have fun. All those who register by Oct. 27 will be placed on a team. You may register at the front desk, and members may register on-line at www.alymca.org. The cost is $35 for a member and $75 for a nonmember. A Youth membership is only $7.75 per month EFT.

As a charitable, volunteer organization, tyhe YMCA needs coaches, program assistants and officials. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact someone at the Y’s member service desk. For more program information, stop by the YMCA at 62 Turner Street in Auburn, next to the Androscoggin County Courthouse), call the front desk at 795-4095, or visit www.alymca.org.

‘Y’ Skills and Drills, Rookies programs set

AUBURN — The Auburn-Lewiston YMCA is pleased to announce registration for its Skills and Drills and Rookies Youth Basketball Program.

Skills and Drills is an instructional program for girls and boys designed to focus on the introduction and development of: dribbling, passing, and shooting through games and instruction. As the classes advance, we hope to incorporate defensive concepts and team play.

The YMCA will offer two sessions of Skills and Drills. Session One is for children ages 4-5 on Mondays from 4:30-5:15 p.m. or Wednesdays from 4:30-5:15 p.m. Session Two is for children ages 5 and 6 and will run Mondays from 5:30-6:15 p.m. or Wednesdays from 5:30-6:15 p.m.. The program runs for eight weeks, starting October 24 and 26. Each class is limited to 18 kids, so please register early.

YMCA Rookies basketball is for boys and girls in kindergarten and the first grade who have completed Skills & Drills. YMCA Rookies is a 14-week program, designed to get your son or daughter ready for our Pee Wee Division in the Co-Ed Basketball League.

The program will run on Saturday mornings at the Y starting Nov. 5th from 8 to 9 a.m. Each child will be placed on a team based on skill level to create balanced teams, and they will each receive a t-shirt to wear during their games. Participation is limited, so register today at the Y. Members can register on-line at www.alymca.org.

Maine Heat baseball player evaluations

AUBURN — The Maine Heat, a travel baseball club, will be holding player evaluations for anyone intersted in playing AAU baseball in 2012.

Players need to be 13 or 14 and cannot turn 15 before May 1, 2012. The Heat plays a competitive schedule against other AAU teams from Central and Southern Maine beginning in April and running thru July. Games and practices are scheduled so not to conflict with players school or summer league teams.

Evaluations will be held Sunday, Oct. 23rd at the Auburn Suburban Little League complex on the Babe Ruth Field starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. Players are asked to arrive by 9:45 and to bring their gloves and cleats and dress accordingly.

For more information, please call Rick Lashua at 557-8005 or email [email protected].

CMCC hoop clinic

AUBURN — The Central Maine Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams will be conducting a skills and drills clinic on Saturday, Oct. 15. Boys in grades 3 to 6 will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. The women’s team will be running their clinic for girls in grades 3 to 6 from noon to 2 p.m. This will be a fun two hours playing with and learning from the college players. The cost is only $15 with proceeds benefiting the basketball teams. For registration material or more information, contact the CM athletic office at 755-5251.

Harrison announces snow program

HARRISON — The town of Harrison announces its annual ski and snowboard program, to be held at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton starting in January.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to ski or snowboard? Would you like to ski or snowboard even better? Would you like to switch from skiing and learn how to snowboard, or switch from snowboarding to skiing? Would you like to experience the simplest to the most advanced trails on Shawnee Peak? Then this 7-week group program is just for you!

Please contact program coordinator Julie Crawford-Murphy at 583-6237 for more information.