So, East Central Illinois sports fans, what's on your to-do list for 2011? Sure, the year's barely begun, but don't be a procrastinator. In case you need a nudge, News-Gazette staff writer Jeff Huth has come up with 10 suggestions that come with ringing (in the new year) endorsements from folks who been there and done that.

1. Score a ticket to the first Big Ten football championship game in Indy

How to do it: This is a stay-tuned-for-further-details situation. We know the date: Dec. 3. The location: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The televising network: Fox. And the fact that the game will pair the winners of the new Legends and Leaders divisions. What's yet to be determined (along with the starting time) is how to score tickets – or how much they'll cost – for this inaugural event. Scott Chipman, the Big Ten's assistant commissioner of communications, said no date has been set to announce ticket-sale details but noted that such an announcement for the Big Ten men's basketball tournament typically is about six months in advance. It's likely the league will offer tickets through the same outlets it utilizes for its basketball tournaments: member schools' ticket offices; the game-site box office; and Ticketmaster.

Why you should do it: "The pregame atmosphere, electricity, anticipation and excitement was like none I have ever felt. I have been to the Super Bowl and the BCS national championship game, but the SEC championship game was the best I have experienced. Coach (Steve) Spurrier told me the atmosphere rivaled or was more impressive than any other game he has attended. I was skeptical about what he said until I experienced the SEC championship game ... he was right." – South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman on his first experience with the SEC's title game, the longest-running in the NCAA, last month.

2. Get Bruce Weber's autograph.

How to do it: There might not be a more accessible and prolific autograph-signer in college sports than the Illini men's basketball coach. So chances are, fans will continue to have multiple opportunities to get a sample of Weber's penmanship. But why not do so while also contributing to a worthy cause. On Feb. 12, the UI coach will continue an annual fundraising tradition for Coaches vs. Cancer by appearing at the Super Pantry in west Champaign (4202 W. Springfield Ave.), For a $5 donation, Weber will sign autographs from 9 to 11 a.m. And it doesn't have to be on a piece of paper. Feel feel to bring in just about any item (posters, books, basketballs) that you'd like to have him sign. As Weber has learned, his involvement in Coaches vs. Cancer touches a chord with many fans whose lives have been impacted by the disease. Weber has told UI sports information assistant Derrick Burson that the No. 1 topic fans bring up in conversations with the UI coach is the 2005 Illini Final Four team. No. 2? Personal or family stories dealing with cancer.

Why you should do it: "I'd say he's one of the most proficient coaches – one of the top four or five in the country – in raising money, so he's really doing the right thing." – Danville's Bill Arnold, whose 21-year-old daughter Megan is a cancer survivor and an eager collector of Weber autographs.

3. Run the Illinois Marathon

How to do it

Too bad the economy isn't growing as fast as this fledging running event. As a start-up in 2009, the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon attracted more than 9,000 participants. Last year, entries swelled to more than 14,000. Clearly, Midwesterners (and beyond) have voted with their legs and lungs that Champaign-Urbana is a must-stop on the running calendar. The third edition in 2011 is expanding in another way: to two days. The running starts on Friday, April 29, with a 5K. One day later, a 10K will make its debut along with the marathon and half-marathon. Hardy runners might wish to tackle the I-Challenge – by entering the 5K and either the marathon or half-marathon, Your reward, besides the satisfaction of accomplishing this feat, will be a special I-Challenge medal to go with your two race medals. You can register online at illinoismarathon.com/registration.php. You might want to do so sooner rather than later. Entry fees will increase on Jan. 31 – and later twice more – as the dates of the Illinois Marathon draw nearer.

Why you should do it

"Last year, after my brother Mike was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, I decided that I couldn't cure his cancer, but that if he was going to battle against cancer, I needed a battle to win as well. Thus, running the half-marathon. I truly was not a big fan of running. However, during the course of my training I gained a new appreciation for those who do. There is an amazing support system in this community for folks who run. I felt so accomplished – and relieved – when I had finished. I will do it again this year, but for a different reason: celebrating my brother being cancer-free. I would wholeheartedly recommend participating in this event. It's so organized, it's inspirational and fun." – Sue Grey, vice president of Community Impact United Way of Champaign County and vice chair of the Unit 4 Board of Education.

4. Watch the Grand March of Finalists

How to do it

This is widely considered a must-see for high school wrestling fans in the state and a see-it-at-least-once for the casual spectator. In an annual tradition begun in 1975, the finalists at the IHSA individual championships are literally in the spotlight as they parade onto the floor at a darkened Assembly Hall prior to the start of their title bouts. The group is led by that year's grand marshals – individuals honored for their long-standing contributions to the sport. You can catch this year's Grand March on Feb. 19 (the IHSA has yet to post the time schedule on its website). Single-session tickets, depending on seating location, are $8 or $10 and can be purchased at the Assembly Hall ticket office.

Why you should do it

"The wrestlers are introduced one match at a time under individual spotlights and shake hands in front of over 10,000 fans. After the officials are introduced, one of the most stirring renditions of the Star Spangled Banner you will ever hear takes place. This moment is worth the price of admission on its own. The spotlights shine on the center of the floor to show the Illinois School for the Deaf cheerleaders signing America's national anthem as it is sung by a group or individual. Last year, Miranda Mammen of Urbana gave a stirring rendition that put goose bumps on everyone. Then the floor is cleared and the matches begin. Greatness is taken one match at a time." – St. Thomas More coach Cord Schroeder, who was a Grand Marcher himself in 1996 before winning the Class A 152-pound title for GCMS.

5. Take in an Illini club hockey game

How to do it

Be forewarned: your attention might be sorely divided between what's happening on the ice and the equally entertaining scene in the stands. Yep, the fans at the UI Ice Arena – aka the Big Pond – have a well-deserved reputation for taking crowd interactivity to new heights – and for showing no mercy on the opponent. That's not to say the show below is any less compelling. The Illini's Hall of Fame coach, Chad Cassel, has constructed a perennial power, with two American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I national titles and two runner-up finishes since 2002. His 13th-ranked Illini have eight games remaining on their home schedule this season, starting with a Jan. 21-22 series against Wisconsin. All games at the Ice Arena (406 E. Armory, Champaign) start at 7:30 p.m. General admission is $6 for UI students and $8 for the public. The team's website – www.illinihockey.com – is an informative resource for fans and well worth bookmarking.

Why you should do it

"The tickets are reasonably priced, the Ice Arena is convenient, the game is fast, the atmosphere is rocking, and the crowd gets really involved, cheering the U of I and taunting the other team. A word of caution: Some of the crowd chants by U of I students are not very small-children friendly. The team is one of the best in the country, and great opponents come to the Big Pond to play. Come early, it's almost always a sellout." – Bruce Ratcliffe, Champaign attorney and leather-lunged Illini hockey fan

6. Hold your wedding reception at Memorial Stadium

How to do it

This is a think-outside-the-box opportunity for Illini-centric couples on their wedding day. You and your guests can celebrate in the roomy Colonnades Club on the third level of the stadium's west side. With 15,000 square feet stretching from end zone to end zone, there's ample space to seat up to 500 water-glass-tapping guests. The price of the reception package is $4,000, with a 25 percent deposit. Since the Colonnades Club hosted its first wedding reception in May 2009, nearly 30 have been held there, according to Bobbi Duval, the UI athletic department's assistant director of development for premium seating. Two couples have exchanged vows there, too. For more information, go online to www.athletics.illinois.edu/premiumseating/rentals/ or contact Duval at 217-265-0347 or bduval<@>illinois.edu.

Why you should do it

"As we thought about where to hold our wedding reception, one place in particular came to mind – Memorial Stadium. As members of the Marching Illini, we had both spent our four years of college practicing and performing on the field. It's how we met and where we fell in love, so it felt right that we should also be there on our special day. When we arrived, everything was even better than we had imagined. The ambiance was set to the nines. It was so special to go onto the field that we had marched on so many times once more as a married couple. For that night, the field and stadium were our playing grounds. Our guests had a blast throwing footballs around and exploring an atmosphere that few get to enjoy. All of our friends and family are still abuzz from the venue and all have said that it was by far the best wedding reception they had ever been to. It was a perfect evening in a perfect place for two recent Marching Illini alumni to celebrate their wedding. And the signed football from Coach Zook was icing on the cake." – Elise (Nieman) Stein of Oak Park, who married Michael Stein on Oct. 9, 2010

7. Play a match at Atkins Tennis Center

How to do it

The future home of the NCAA Men's and Women's Tennis Championships (in 2013) is right in your backyard. If you play the sport, shouldn't you check out the Urbana facility? Easy enough to do, and it won't cost you a dime if the weather's agreeable and you opt to play on the companion Khan Outdoor Tennis Center courts. There's no membership requirement, either, so it's open to the public. The only possible restriction is court availability. Courts can be reserved up to seven days in advance by calling 217-244-8562. Players must provide a name and phone number, and there is a limit of one court per reservation. Whether using the indoor or courts, players must wear tennis shoes – running shoes are not be permitted. Fees for any of Atkins' six indoor courts Monday through Friday are $17-$23 per hour (depending on time of day). During summer months (June through August), the indoor fee drops to $12 per hour. Facility hours are 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Atkins is located at 1800 S. Wright St.

Why you should do it

"The Atkins Tennis Center is unquestionably a first-tier indoor/outdoor tennis facility and a sheer must for all tennis enthusiasts – from amateur to professional – who live within greater Champaign-Urbana. It's one of those very special assets that make this community highly uncommon in comparison to others of similar size. The expertise and dedication of director Jim Tressler and his staff is extraordinary, and the dollar-for-dollar value cannot be beat." – Mike Ross, director of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana and patron of the Atkins tennis arts

8. Be a ball kid at an Illini basketball game

How to do it

The view's as up-close as it gets. And you actually get to step on the Assembly Hall court. Maybe make a fleeting appearance on TV, too. We're talking about being an Illini ball kid. They're chosen by lottery from members of the Fighting Illini Kids Club. Any child in eighth grade or younger can sign up for the club at www.athletics.illinois.edu/kidsclub. Membership is free to the first 5,000 residents of Illinois (out-of-staters also are welcome). Ball kids for all games this season already have been lined up, but a new lottery will be held before the 2011-12 season. Members are notified via e-mail in early October each year about the opportunity to enter the lottery. There are, however, age restrictions for ball kid eligibility. This season, fifth- and sixth-graders were selected for men's games, and seventh- and eighth-graders for women's games. Brooke Buzard, the Kids Club coordinator, said selection from those age pools likely will remain the same for next season. Two ball kids are randomly selected for each men's game and four for each women's game. Ball kids sit with a UI team manager behind the court baseline. Duties include offering water to game officials, sweeping the court during breaks in the action, and toweling up sweat spots from the court. Ball kids at women's games also get to present the game ball to the ref before tipoff.

Why you should do it

"It was a really good experience. If you're a fan of the Illini, you would love to be courtside. ... You get a courtside view of what's happening, and you even get a few handshakes from the players." – Champaign's Jonah Herzog, a sixth-grader at Franklin Middle School who was a ball kid at the Nov. 10 game against Toledo.

9. Hike an Allerton Park trail

How to do it

Any location named one of the "7 Wonders of Illinois" by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism gets our attention. So does Allerton's designation as a National Natural Landmark, as well as its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This 1,500-acre site near Monticello offers 14.2 miles of interpretive hiking trails. With seven different trails spanning from 0.8 to 3.0 miles, there's something for the novice on up. Views include the Sangamon River, floodplains, lowland and upland forests, a meadow, a 30-acre demonstration prairie, and some of the park's more popular formal gardens and sculptures. Allerton Park & Retreat Center is located at 515 Old Timber Road, Monticello,

Why you should do it

"The trails at Allerton wind through an excellent example of a rapidly disappearing Illinois stream valley ecosystem containing relatively undisturbed examples of bottomland and upland forests. The Allerton natural area is one of only three locations in central Illinois with over 500 acres of contiguous forest and is considered one of the finest examples of this type of habitat remaining in the state. While hiking the Allerton trails, visitors get the rare opportunity to experience a wild and untamed Illinois that existed when pioneers first settled the area nearly 200 years ago as well as some of the amazing formal gardens and outdoor sculptures that Allerton has to offer." – John Griesbaum, Allerton Natural Areas Manager

10. Hoop it up at the Illini's Parent-Child Basketball camp

How to do it

Here's your chance to get hoops instruction from Illini men's coach Bruce Weber, his staff and UI players. A chance, too, for some memorable parent-child bonding time. This year, two camps will be held: June 3-4 and June 4-5. The camps are open to parents/guardians of boys and girls 6 years old through ninth-grade (entering fall 2011). Child campers are divided into age groups to work, alongside their parents, on specific skills. And when the kids play 5-on-5 games, their parents get court time, too, in pickup games with Illini players. The cost is $180 per pair for campers staying overnight on campus at Bromley Hall and $150 per pair for commuter campers. For each additional child per parent/guardian, the charge is $90 (overnight) and $75 (commuter). Registration opens at 5 p.m. on Day 1, with basketball activities at the UI Armory. On Day 2, age groups are rotated between the Assembly Hall, Ubben and Armory, with camp activities wrapping up by noon. You can sign up at www.fightingillini.com/camps.

Why you should do it

"The camps are a great opportunity to build basketball skills for the child and parent under the guidance of one of the best coaching staffs in the country. My kids love working with and going head-to-head against the players. I love my kids seeing that their on-the-court role models are also role models off the court. All the young men on the team, the managers, and staff are of very high character." – Mike Somers, credit officer at BankChampaign and volunteer coach of his children's YMCA basketball teams.