Highline Community College’s new personal fitness training program is already helping dozens of students find new careers in a rapidly growing industry.

“We’ve got a wide range of students,” says program manager Josh Baker. “Most of our graduates will pursue careers as personal trainers and group exercise instructors. This is a high demand area and we expect continued growth in the Puget Sound area.”

Baker notes how the profession has grown in recent years, spurred by rising demand for quality instruction from increasingly health-conscious consumers.

“There’s a need for more qualified personal trainers,” he says.

The Highline CC program offers an associated of applied science degree, as well as a one-year certificate. Both degrees include coursework in functional training, special populations and body composition.

“Our curriculum was developed off of industry standards with input from local employers,” Baker says, providing one of the best programs in the Greater Seattle area. “Our faculty is excellent. We have great connections with local businesses and opportunities to continue on to four-year schools.”

Baker’s background includes a master’s degree in physical education from Brigham Young University. He has worked as a fitness specialist, strength and conditioning coach, and has long had an interest in creating such a program to help train people to help others improve their overall health and fitness.

For more information, contact Josh Baker at (206) 878-3710, ext. 3997, or email jbaker@highline.edu.

• The Federal Way United Soccer Club is offering a variety of soccer camps for youth this summer. The Mod and under-11 camp is for players age 6 to 10 and it will be held June 30–July 3. This camp will focus on skill and tactical development with attention to dribbling, passing and shooting. Registration fee is $85 and registration deadline is June 24.

In addition, there are two camps that are geared toward players 11 and older and those will be offered the week of July 14-17. The two camps for older players are a goalkeeper camp and a speed, agility and skills camp.

The goalkeeper camp provides the basics to the complex and is geared toward both new goalkeepers, as well as very experienced goalkeepers. Each two-hour session in the speed and agility camp will feature a warm-up, a speed and agility component and skill activities and games.

Registration forms for all three camps can be found on the Federal Way Soccer Club Web site at www.federalwaysoccer.com on the United Club “news” page.

For additional information or questions, email fwsoccerfamily@comcast.net or call (253) 529-7774.

• Lance Glasoe, Pacific Lutheran University pitching coach, and a staff of current college softball players will be conducting a fastpitch camp at the South County Ballfields on Military Road, July 21-24.

The camp is for players ages 7 to 15 years old and will teach fundamentals. The fee is $99.

For more information, visit www.grandslamcamp.com or call (360) 802-2232.

• The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center is offering a lifeguard training class from noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, June 23 to July 2.

The American Red Cross class costs $105 and includes training and first aid, CPR/AED for the professional rescuer and bloodborne pathogen training. For more information, call (206) 296-4444 or (253) 927-5173.

• Decatur High School boys basketball will again be hosting its Gator Basketball Camp this summer. The camp is for boys and girls entering fourth through ninth grades. The camp runs daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 23-26, at Decatur High School.

The cost is $100 or $85, if paid by June 12. Each camper receives a T-shirt and ball. For more information, contact head coach Kevin Olson at kolson@fwps.org or (253) 945-5272.

• The Marine Hills Pool in Federal Way is offering swim lessons to the public. Experienced, qualified instructors provide lessons for children as young as 2½ with all ability levels.

Morning sessions begin June 16 and registration for lessons starts up on June 7.

The Marine Hills Swim and Tennis Club has the largest outdoor pool in greater Federal Way and is located at 600 S. 302nd St. in the Marine Hills neighborhood. Tennis lessons are also available to general public.

“We’ve recently installed a state-of-the-art energy efficient boiler, which is keeping the water a comfortable 84 degrees,” said pool manager Robin Hoof.

The public is invited to check out the pool at the Marine Hills Swim & Tennis Club from noon to 3 p.m. today for a visitors open swim.

Music, pool games for the kids and snacks will be provided and fees will be waived.

For more information, call the Marine Hills Swim and Tennis Club at (253) 839-4960 or visit www.marinehillspool.org.

• The Federal Way school district will be heavily represented at the annual East-West All-Star Football Game July 3 at Spokane’s Central Valley Stadium.

Four football players will be making the trek east of the mountains for the prestigious game. Beamer lineman Evan Cook will play for the East squad and Federal Way’s Justin Southern, Jefferson’s Bryant Cameron and Decatur’s Israel Kinlow will take the field for the West.

The 6-foot-2, 270-pound Cook has already signed a national letter of intent to play next season at Eastern Washington University as a defensive lineman, as did Cameron. The 6-4, 215-pound wide receiver physically dominated smaller cornerbacks on his way to 71 catches for 1,018 yards. He also caught a league-leading 14 touchdown passes and had a high game of 174 yards for the Raiders.

Southern completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,919 yards in 10 games as Federal Way’s quarterback and led the Eagles’ to their first SPSL championship since 1976. He threw for 16 touchdowns, ran for five more and also caught a touchdown pass on a throwback.

Kinlow was a monster up front for the Gators. The lineman is listed at 6-6, 330 pounds.

• Federal Way Track Club (FWTC) has begun its sign-up for the 2008 summer track and field season. Events offered during the summer program include sprints, middle distance, distance, steeple chase, high jump, hurdles, shot put and discus. The team practices at Thomas Jefferson High School.

The eight-week summer program is for young athletes between the ages of 8 and 18. Athletes 8 to 12 will practice Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through

July 23. Athletes 13 to 18 will practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through July 23.

For more information, go to www.fwtrack.com or contact head coach Darryl Genest at (253) 839-4964.

• Season ticket packages for the new Seattle Major League Soccer franchise will be based on an 18-home match schedule with prices starting as low as $288 for a full-season ticket package. All home matches will be played at Qwest Field.

“We’ve created a variety of season ticket packages to meet the needs of our passionate soccer fans in the Pacific Northwest,” said majority owner Joe Roth.

Season ticket prices per match are $16, $20, $24, $29 and $35. Ticket prices in Club Wells Fargo are $39 and $75 per match.

Fans seated in $75 ticket sections will receive exclusive benefits that include reserved parking and an all inclusive menu hosted in the FSN Lounge. The menu will feature regional flavors and local ingredients prepared by a personal Chef.

In the north end of the stadium, fans seated in $24 ticket sections will enjoy an all inclusive experience featuring classic stadium food and beverages.

Each season ticket holder will be assigned a personal customer sales representative to assist with their seating selection. Fans who placed deposits for Sounders FC will be sent an e-mail this week inviting them to submit their seating preferences through an interactive website.

The team has created a unique site to help fans find their ideal seat location based on personal interests such as group affiliations, teammates from the soccer leagues they play in, or the desire to sing, chant and stand during matches.

With a seating capacity of 24,500 in the lower bowl, soccer fans will enjoy excellent views in a stadium that was built to host professional soccer matches. Qwest Field’s upper bowl will be covered to create a more intimate atmosphere.

“To create a world class environment, we will encourage fans to bring horns, banners, streamers and noisemakers to replicate the atmosphere similar to the great international matches,” said Vulcan Sports & Entertainment CEO Tod Leiweke.

Launched in November 2007, Seattle Sounders FC became the 15th club in Major League Soccer and will begin play during the 2009 MLS season. The ownership group includes film producer Joe Roth, Adrian Hanauer, Vulcan Sports & Entertainment and comedian Drew Carey. The team has received deposits for more than 14,700 season tickets since the announcement.

For information on Sounders FC season tickets please visit www.soudersfc.com or call 1-877-MLS-GOAL.

• All Nations Cup, a soccer tournament comprised of teams from throughout the Puget Sound’s

immigrant communities, celebrates its return for the sixth year in a row in June with a larger tournament and expanded arts and cultural celebration.

Founded in 2003 by Sister Communities, a South-end nonprofit organization, All Nations Cup 2008 is expanding to a three-week celebration of cultural diversity in the Pacific Northwest. This year the event is getting started early with the kick off the event on June 6 at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.

This year All Nations Cup is further celebrating soccer’s diversity by expanding the Women’s

Tournament to include six regions — Europe, Middle East, East Asia, Africa, North America, and Latin America — and will be introducing the first-ever All Nations Cup Youth Tournament. For the first time, young players will have the chance to mimic what they see on the fields of the adult tournament. Teams will be divided into two age brackets of four regional teams — Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe. The ANC Freestyle Soccer Competition will also return with two youth brackets and an adult bracket for players to show off their skills.

After two weeks of tournament and finals play, the Championship Game Day will be held at Starfire Sports Complex on June 22. An all-star game will be held for the star players

of the teams that did not make it to the semi-finals, coached by two guest coaches from the Puget Sound area.

Participating countries in 2008 include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Kurdish Community, Mexico, Moldova, Morrocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Oromo Community, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Somalia, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, USA and Vietnam.

• Thirty-five stakes races worth over $2.3 million will be run at Emerald Downs in Auburn, including the $300,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 17. The minimum stakes purse is a record $50,000, up from $45,000 last year.

During live racing (April 18-September 28), the $5 fee includes access to the first five levels of the stadium, the Paddock and Park. Kids 17 and under get in free and kids 13 and under must be accompanied by parent or guardian. You must be 18+ to wager.

Preferred parking is $5, while valet parking is $10. Parking in the general lot is free.

Live racing will take place Friday through Sunday through April 25 and will switch from Thursday through Sunday through Sept. 28. Racing starts at 6 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends.

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