Area calendar

Basketball

Officials meeting: The Cape Girardeau Area Basketball Officials Association will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday at River Eagle Distributing.

Optimist basketball: The Jackson Optimist boys basketball program will begin its 55th year. Registration is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at Main Street Fitness in Jackson. Program open to boys in grades 3 to 7. Info: Ken Schaper, 204-7029, or Mike Cracraft, 243-8810.

Football

Punt, Pass and Kick: The Cape Girardeau NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition will be 1-3 p.m. today at the Cape Central Junior High School football field. The competition is open to boys and girls ages 8 to 15 as of Dec. 31, 2004. No entry fee; participants may register on the same day. No cleats. The top finishers in four age groups for each gender qualify for a sectional event Oct. 10 in Cape Girardeau with top performers eligible to compete in the St. Louis Rams championship. Info: Charlie Herbst, 334-3297.

Running

Freedom of Speech run: The Southeast Missouri State University departments of communications and English will offer the second annual Freedom of Speech 5-kilometer run and mile walk Oct. 2. Both events begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Show Me Center south parking lot. Info and registration form: freespeechrun.org.