The Northampton Parks and Recreation Department is again offering girls youth lacrosse this spring. The program is open to youth in grades 3-8, offering teams in the Bantam (grades 3&4), Juniors (grades 5&6) and Seniors (grades 7&8) divisions.

The program is held mid-March – mid-June and is for both new and experienced players. The deadline to register is Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 at 11:59 PM or when a division is full.

Information and online registration are available at www.northamptonma.gov/recreation. For further information, contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 413-587-1040 or stop by the Parks & Rec office at 100A Bridge Road, Florence, MA 01062.

Baseball umpires wanted

The Western Mass. Baseball Umpires Association is hiring umpires for the upcoming Valley Wheel Over-28 Baseball League season.

“We are always looking for people who want to become members of the WMBUA,” Commissioner Jim Nason said in a media release. “Our New Members class for 2026 will begin Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 at 6 p.m., at the Dante Club, 1198 Memorial Avenue in West Springfield and last for seven weeks each Tuesday evening.  The first outdoors field mechanics class will be held at a field and date/time to be determined when weather permits.”

More information can be found at www.WMBUA.org.

Ryan Ames is a sports reporter at the Gazette. A UMass Amherst graduate, he covers high school and college sports and is on the UMass hockey beat. Reach him at rames@gazettenet.com and follow him on Twitter/X...