Holbrook Little League will be conducting Baseball Pitchers and Catchers Clinics at the Holbrook Field House on Nov. 23-24.
The Catchers Session is 2-3:30 p.m. and the Pitchers Session is 4-5:30 p.m. on both days.
These are free clinics and open to all baseball players who were registered in 2013. Players must bring their own equipment and may attend both days.
These sessions will be instructed by former Holbrook player Brendan Benecke. Benecke played on the Junior League World Series Team in 2009 and is currently a Division 1 catcher at Wagner College.
To register for the clinic, contact [email protected].
Renegades Fastpitch Softball will host defensive and hitting clinics conducted by Rise Ball Camps and Clinics — “Softball Training with College Coaches” — on Jan. 5, 2014, at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School Gymnasium, 835 Patterson Road in Jackson Township.
Head clinicians include Roy Kortmann (LIU-Brooklyn head softball coach) and Andy Russo (LIU-Brooklyn assistant softball coach). Being offered are two clinics: a defensive clinic from 9-11 a.m. and a hitting clinic from 12-2 p.m.
Each two-hour clinic is $40 and there is a discounted rate for both sessions of $75. Coaches participate for free when six or more of their team’s players register. Players ages 9-16 are eligible. Registration deadline is Dec. 26. Limited space will be available.
The registration form can be found on the Jackson Renegades’ website at www.eteamz.com/jacksonrenegades. For more information, call Bonnie Barrington at 732-814-9889 or email [email protected].
The Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) announced that longtime CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz will receive the 2013 MGA Distinguished Service Award. Nantz, 54, is being recognized for his impressive charitable work, especially on behalf of golf in the Met Area. Nantz has helped organizations like the MGA Foundation and The First Tee raise millions of dollars to grow the game and provide countless opportunities for young people.
Nantz is a graduate of Marlboro High School. He started at CBS Sports in 1985 and is currently the network’s lead play-by-play announcer for NFL football and NCAA basketball, as well as the lead anchor for golf coverage. His accolades include three Emmys, five National Sportscaster of the Year awards, and he’s the only person ever to call the Super Bowl, Final Four and Masters in the same year, which he has done three times.
Items for the Sport Shorts column may be sent to [email protected]. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a registration deadline or tryout date.
Monmouth University junior Matt Jeffery has been named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Defensive Player of the Year.
The Freehold Township High School graduate anchored a Hawks defense that allowed just three goals in conference play and registered seven shutouts to help the Hawks win the regular season soccer title in their first year in the MAAC.
Jeffery led a parade of six Monmouth players who earned All-MAAC recognition this season. Named to the First Team with Jeffery were junior defender Emmanuel Senyah Agyemang (Kumasi, Ghana/KNUST University) and senior captain midfielder Joseph Schmid (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West).
Freshman goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky (DePaul Catholic) was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and All-Rookie Team. Fellow freshmen Dave Nigro (Marlboro) and Colin Stripling (Scotch Plains-Fanwood) were also on the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
Student-athletes who have completed at least two semesters and compiled at minimum a 3.2 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale were named to the MAAC Men’s Soccer All-Academic Team. Agyemang, Schmid, David Acuna Camacho (Heredia, Costa Rica/Costa Rica Youth National Team), Bryant Avalos (Monsignor Donovan), Tim Ballard (Middletown North), John Egan (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge), and Derek Luke (Bridgewater-Raritan) each represented the Hawks on the All-Academic Team.
Monmouth is 8-6-4 overall and won the MAAC regular season title with a 7-1-2 record.
The Middletown Recreation Department will host the annual Turkey Soccer Shootout on Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. at Croydon Hall, 900 Leonardville Road.
Children ages 6-12 are invited to participate. The shootout consists of an alternating series of penalty kicks for points. Finishers in first, second and third place get a trophy and a turkey.
Registration fees will apply. Call 732-615-2260 for more information.