Several student-athletes from the Federal Way School District will play sports in the fall at different Northwest Athletic Association of Community College (NWAACC) schools. They have officially signed NWAACC letters of intent.

Jordan Beers and Jerret Hardy — The Jefferson baseball players will both play at Grays Harbor Community College in Aberdeen. Beers is a right-handed pitcher and Hardy is an infielder. Beers was a first-team, All-South Puget Sound League North Division selection this year.

Ivanca Frerichs — The Federal Way senior has signed to play soccer and fastpitch at Highline Community College.

Michael Hunter — The Jefferson senior will play basketball at Green River in the fall. Hunter averaged 8.7 points a game for the Raiders, who finished 6-14 overall.

Kaylah Scott — The Beamer senior will play basketball at Pierce Community College in Tacoma. Scott led the Titans in scoring with 10.6 points a game. Beamer finished 3-11 in the SPSL South.

Courtney Tappon and Brian Brown — The two TJ golfers will both play at Green River in the fall. Tappon qualified for the state tournament the last two seasons.

Darious Walker — The Decatur senior will play basketball next season at Tacoma Community College. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 14.5 points and 10 rebounds for the Gators, who finished sixth at the 2008 Class 4A State Boys Basketball Championships.

Leticia Colon — The Decatur senior will play volleyball in the fall at Highline Community College.

• The Thriftway Washington State Women’s Open was once again held June 3-4 at the Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club in Federal Way. This is the eighth year for the Open, and it was a mixed bag of weather that the competitors faced.

This year’s champion, Nancy Harvey of Swift Current, Sask., took home the first-place check of $4,000 and a Kusak crystal trophy. She came from two shots back of first-round leader Dixie Eckes of Santa Barbara, Calif., to clinch the title.

Harvey played on the LPGA tour from 1988 to 2008 and is currently getting ready for the LPGA Legends Tour.

“It was a very happy moment and great to make a plan, follow it and have it work out,” Harvey said.

Harvey was the only player in the field to shoot an under-par round for the two-day event and finished with rounds of 76 and 71. Eckes, Elena Robles of Torrance, Calif., and Taya Battistella of Bend, Ore., finished tied for second with a two-day total of 151. The field was comprised of 38 golfers from around the globe, including Japan, Thailand, Australia, Russia and Canada.

The championship has grown every year since it’s inception in 1996 and once again had a purse of $20,000 with La Victoria adding an additional $2,500 for the pros in the pro-am and Metropolitan Markets contributing $500 a day in skins money. The Muscular Dystrophy Association was the benefiting charity and received a check of nearly $6,000.

• In his return to karting in 2008, Federal Way driver David Jurca, 23, won an exciting second final at the Stars of Karting Race of the Americas event Sunday in New Castle, Ind. He also finished second in the first final to come away from the weekend with the best combined results of any shifter driver.

Fresh off of his first win in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup less than two weeks earlier, Jurca made one practice day to prepare for the biggest karting event of 2008 thus far.

“My last few weeks have been hectic,” said Jurca.

Jurca’s next Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the Indy Car Series race will be in Shawano, Wisc., July 11–12.

The next race in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup will take place on July 26-27 at Portland International Raceway in Oregon.

• A kids trout derby fishing event will run 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today at Steel Lake Park, 2410 S. 312th St., Federal Way. The fee is $3 and the event is open to kids ages 2-12. Kids can fish for trout and prizes are available. To register, e-mail tarra.reardon@cityoffederalway.com. Participants can register at the event on a space-available basis. Also call Frank Urabeck at (253) 826-0282.

• Get ready for a competition like no other. Men and women will compete to see who is the strongest in Washington starting at 10 a.m. at the Des Moines Marina on June 7.

This North American Strongman, Inc.-sanctioned competition will feature events like the Farmer’s Walk, Apollon Axle Deadlift, Tireflip and Keg Loading.

Men and women will compete in weight classes including women’s 142 pounds and under or 141 pounds and over, and the men’s 175, 200, 231, 265 and 300 pound weight classes.

North American Strongman members can still sign up to compete in the competition for a $100 entry fee at www.nastrongmaninc.com.

Competitors must be present for the rules meeting at 9 a.m. The top-two finishers in each weight class will qualify for NAS nationals.

The Des Moines Marina is located at 22307 Dock Ave. in Des Moines.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• Average daily purses for the 2008 meeting – which began last week – are projected to be an all-time Emerald Downs record, according to track president Ron Crockett.

Crockett said the projected total purse money for the 91-day season is $10,612,403, up 4.52 percent from 2007, when a track record $10,152,760 was distributed in purses. The projected daily average purse is $116,620 compared to $111,569 in 2007.

This increase in purses is made possible in part by the continuing partnership of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.

Thirty-five stakes races worth over $2.3 million will be run 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.

• Tickets are currently available for the 2008 Des Moines Sports Night Dinner and Auction on May 10 at the Des Moines Field House. The event will include casino games, silent and live auction, event emcee Bruce King, and a keynote speech from former University of Washington football coach Jim Lambright.

Tickets are $40 each or $300 for a table of eight. Des Moines Sports Night is a fundraiser put on by Des Moines Legacy Foundation, Des Moines Dollars for Scholars and the Des Moines Rotary Club to provide scholarships for underprivileged youth in the greater Des Moines Community. Tickets can be purchased at the Des Moines Field House, 1000 S. 220th St. in Des Moines.

• 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.

• High school football players trying to get noticed by NCAA Division II, III or NAIA programs will get the opportunity May 17 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.

Coaches from Central Washington University, Western Washington University, Linfield College, Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound will attend the combine, event organizers said. NCAA rules prohibit Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision coaches from attending high school football combines.

Registration is $50 before May 5 and $65 after. For more information, visit www.gottheedge.com.

• The “Night with Apolo” benefit gala scheduled for April 19 in Seattle has been cancelled because of scheduling problems. The event, which was set to have Apolo Anton Ohno as the master of ceremonies, will take place next year, according to organizers.

• The Federal Way Boys and Girls Club is currently enrolling youth for its 2008 spring baseball and softball leagues. The deadline for registration is April 18. Late registration will be accepted on a space-available basis.

The leagues are programs for boys and girls in kindergarten through seventh grade. Grades 1 and 2 will be a co-ed, coach-pitch baseball league. Grades 3 and 4 and 5/6/7 will be separate baseball and softball leagues for boys and girls. Teams are formed from local elementary and middle schools, area and grade. The season runs from April 21 to June 14. Games are played in the surrounding Federal Way-area school ball fields.

The club is also offering a Kindergarten Clinic for 4 and 5 year olds, held on Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. The clinic runs from May 3 to June 14. The program costs $60 for 1st-7th grade and $55 for the kindergarten clinic (plus $20 club membership fee).

Registration can be done online at www.fw-bgc.org or in person at the club, 30815 8th Ave. S.

• Teams are now forming for the upcoming softball league with the Federal Way Girls Fastpitch Association. No experience is necessary. The organization focusus in on girl’s athletic development and self esteem. For more information, visit www.eteamz.com/fwgfa or call (253) 520-6514.

• Federal Way Public Schools is establishing an Athletic Hall of Fame to honor past employees who have made a major impact on the district’s athletic programs. Nominees to the Hall of Fame will be evaluated based on the following criteria — has served the district for a minimum of 10 years, has been retired for at least five years or deceased and has made a significant impact on the district’s or a school’s athletic program.

The Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at a regular-season football game in the fall of 2008. Each Hall of Fame member will receive a certificate and have his or her name inscribed on a special banner placed at Federal Way Memorial Field.

A renovated Memorial Stadium will serve as the backdrop for the ceremony and Hall of Fame football game. The stadium’s turf and track are due to be renovated this summer with the use of state match funds the district received as a result of the passage of the bond measure.

In addition, the new electronic scoreboard purchased as a result of a donation by Federal Way’s Del Taco will be installed and operational. The district will dedicate the stadium’s new turf, track, and scoreboard during the Hall of Fame ceremony.

Send nominees to Greg Flynn, 1300 S. 308th St., Federal Way, Wash. 98003. Nominations can also be faxed to (253) 945-5577 or emailed to gflynn@fwps.org.

The deadline for nominations to be received is April 1. A 15-member committee of present and former district coaches and administrators will select the first class of inductees.

• The 73rd running of the $300,000 Longacres Mile is set for Sunday, Aug. 17, the centerpiece of a 35-race stakes schedule at Emerald Downs in 2008.

A total of $2,310,00 will be offered in stakes purses, including a record $50,000 minimum for every stakes race. The 91-day meeting begins April 18, with the first stakes race the $50,000 Seattle Handicap for older sprinters on May 4.

The Grade III Longacres Mile tops a stakes doubleheader with the $100,000 Emerald Distaff. This year’s Longacres Mile champion automatically qualifies for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 25.

Longacres Mile weekend also features the $100,000 Washington Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 16.

Other leading stakes races are the $100,000 Emerald Downs Derby for 3-year-olds on Labor Day, Sept. 1, and the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity for 2-year-olds on Sept. 27.

The season concludes Sept. 28 with the Stanislaw Ashbaugh Claiming Challenge, a series of six starter handicaps ranging in distance from 6 furlongs to 2 miles.

• USSSA softball is looking for umpires for King County and the south end. Umpires are paid monthly and set their own schedules. For more information, contact Paul at (425) 870-1043 or Dale at (425) 481-2005.

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