Police officers prove to be PALs for kids

Karen Zekan

Friday, Jan. 22, 1999 | 10:42 a.m.

Learning, not winning, is the name of this new PAL game.

The Police Athletic League -- better known as PAL -- is striving to teach youngsters good sportsmanship, confidence and a positive attitude.

This weekend it will begin its first co-ed basketball league for schoolchildren in second through fifth grades.

"This is a fun league structured for learning," said Metro Police Capt. Mike Ault, one of the program's organizers. "Players must receive equal time."

The format will see one instructional league offered for boys and girls in second and third grades and a similar league for children in fourth and fifth grades.

Currently six teams of 10 each have signed up for the second- and third- grade division and 10 teams have been made up of interested fourth- and fifth-graders.

The community is pitching in to see that the league gets up and running. Sprint telephone company is underwriting the costs, the Boys and Girls Club is opening up its courts and PAL is providing the coaches.

Saturday will be the league's first day and will feature a clinic in basketball fundamentals from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the North Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club, 2350 E. Carey Ave. off Las Vegas Boulevard North. The clinics will be repeated on Jan. 30, Feb. 6 and Feb. 20. League games will begin on Feb. 2 at the North Las Vegas facility.

PAL is a nonprofit organization made up of police who sponsor and coach children in sports during their off-duty hours.

Five young boxing standouts from Las Vegas had PAL's help getting to Florida recently, where they took one silver and two bronze medals, according to Undersheriff Richard Winget.

Families who want to get their children involved are asked to call Ault or Gail Conboy at 229-3544.