Northwest Conference Commissioner Matt Newman has announced that Decatur High School graduate Katie Street will serve as the conference’s graduate assistant for 2008-09. Street is the first person to fill that newly created role.

Street, who most recently served as an intern with the NCAA, will assist the conference in several areas, including the coordination of awards, creating a conference newsletter and launching the new conference Web site.

“We’re excited to have Katie joining the NWC staff,” said Newman. “Her experiences as a student-athlete and NCAA intern should prove beneficial as we continue to build on the strengths of the Conference.”

Street worked as an intern in the Governance Office at the NCAA during 2007-08. In addition to her work with the NWC, Street is enrolled in the Master’s in Sport Administration and Leadership program at Seattle University.

“What most excites me about working within the NWC is the opportunity to be exposed to all aspects of college athletics in a highly competitive league, which is rich with tradition,” said Street. “I am looking forward to being a part of its success and helping the Northwest Conference reach even new heights in our local communities and NCAA Division III.”

Street graduated from Boise State University, where she earned a bachelor of business administration in business economics while competing as a four-year letter winner on the golf team. She finished her four years atop the Broncos’ career list with 21 top-25 finishes. During her playing career, Street served as the chair of the Western Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was the WAC representative for the National SAAC.

• It’s that time of year when celebrities converge on Cheney Stadium, all in the name of raising funds for a great cause.

On Sept. 21, Tacoma Rainiers co-Owner, Nick Lachey, will once again headline the Multicare Celebrity Softball Game presented by Windermere Professional Partners, which will help raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Tacoma General Hospital.

Last year, a weekend of events helped raise more than $750,000 for the NICU and MultiCare Health Foundation.

“I’m excited to get back up to Cheney Stadium and once again, take part in the Celebrity Softball Game,” said Lachey. “This is always a great event and besides having loads of fun, we’re hoping to raise a lot of money for a great cause.”

Fans will have a chance to catch Lachey, fellow celebrities, and local media representatives that Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. when the softball game kicks-off. Among the celebrities currently signed up for the game are Vanessa Minnillo, Cris Judd, Jeff Nelson, and Aimee Wright.

Tickets to the softball game are already available online (TacomaRainiers.com and TacomaCelebrityWeekend.org) as well as at the Cheney Stadium Box Office until Sept. 1.

Box Seats (which include a barbeque, parking, special gift and designated seat in field/row box) are available for $40. General admission tickets can be purchased for $15.

• The 12-and-under Auburn Acers ’96 girls fastpitch softball team is looking to add a few select players to its roster for the fall 2008 through summer 2009 season. Tryouts will be held from 8:30 p.m. to noon at Fulmer Fields in Auburn on Aug. 23 for girls with birth years of 1996 or 1997. For more details, call John Beer at (206) 409-2382 or e-mail beeracers@comcast.net. Infomation on the seven Acers teams ranging from 10-U to 18 Gold can be accessed at www.eteamz.com/acers_fastpitch_org

• The Northwest Krush, a select 14-and-under girls fastpitch team, is holding a tryout for their 2009 team. Tryouts will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at Puyallup Recreation Center Field No. 2 on Aug. 16. For more information, call Mark at (206) 793-2449 or email m.larsen@comcast.net.

• The under-14 SBA Bruins will hold baseball tryouts at noon at Kentlake High School today and at noon at Thomas Jefferson High School on Aug. 16. For more information, contact Randy Elliot at (253) 318-1418.

• The three horses who have dominated Emerald Downs’ handicap division this year – Chhaya Dance, Nationhood and Wasserman – are among 29 nominees for the $300,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 17.

Three Sisters Stable’s Chhaya Dance, owned by Ron Judy of Seattle and trained by Mike Chambers, has a 1-1-2 record from four stakes-race starts. Cander Racing’s Nationhood, owned by Brad and Lisa Cassidy and Del and Nancy Anderson of Kirkland and trained by Chambers, is 2-0-0 in four stakes-race appearances. Owned and trained by Howard Belvoir, Wasserman is 2-1-0 in five outings.

Chambers and Northern California-based Jerry Hollendorfer lead the trainers with four nominees each. In addition to Nationhood and Chhaya Dance, Chambers also conditions nominees Lord Avalon and Maxey Boy for Judy. Hollendorfer, who won the 2004 Mile with Adreamisborn, trains nominees Blue Exit, Our Partner, Putmeinyourwill and Saratoga’s Magic.

A part owner of Our Partner, Putmeninyourwill and Saratoga’s Magic is George Todaro.

Weights are to be assigned the nominees by Emerald racing secretary Brett Anderson by Saturday. The 12 highest-weighted horses entered will be preferred in the draw for post positons, scheduled Aug. 13.

• The Federal Way School District sign program is entering its second year. Advertising banners may be placed at Federal Way Memorial Field or in secondary schools. Each banner costs $500. For more information, contact Greg Flynn at gflynn@fwps or call (253) 945-5575.

• SBI Rebels 12-and-under baseball club is holding tryouts on Aug. 9 at Service Club Field #1 in Kent at 5 p.m. and Aug. 16 at Russell Road Park #1 at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Steven Finch at (253) 217-1858 or sbibaseballclub@yahoo.com.

• The 14-under Seattle Baseball Academy Yankees are looking to add a few select players to their roster for the 2009 season. Tryouts will be held at 2 p.m. at Auburn Riverside High School on Aug. 16. For more information, contact Rod Robinson at (253) 335-2040 or rod.robinson@comcast.net. Additional information is available at www.eteamz.com/sba_yankees

• The Federal Way under-11 Storm program is in need of a few boys soccer players. The Storm is currently seeking players to fill out rosters on the following teams: Storm 97 White, Storm 97 Black, Storm 98 Platinum, and Storm 98 Silver. If your son is interested in playing in the 97 program, he must not be older than 11 years of age. For further information, contact Eric Poorvielt at (206) 353-3517. If your son is 10 years old and interested in playing at a competitive level of soccer, contact John Yorke at jyorke3@aol.com.

• The Tacoma-Pierce County Volleyball Officials Board is in need of individuals who are interested in officiating middle school, junior high, senior high, college, and recreation department volleyball matches throughout Pierce County. A comprehensive training program, starting Aug. 25, is offered for all new officials and the opportunities to advance in the organization are extensive.

For students, retirees, or former athletes looking to re-connect with a sport, officiating high school and middle school sports is also an excellent way to earn some extra income and provide a great service to the teams. Registration is due no later than Aug. 22.

For additional information on becoming a volleyball official, visit www.tpcvob.com or contact Marc Blau at (253) 848-1360 or blaumarc@qwest.net or John Wohn at (253) 272-8543 or jwohn@yahoo.com.

• The Western Washington Football Officials Association is looking for candidates to begin officiating in the 2008 season. No experience is necessary and officials are paid. Training meetings will begin on July 29. For more information, call Jan Wolcott at (253) 826-2460 or e-mail jswol@comcast.net.

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