• Highline Community College alum Raphael Cox went to Real Salt Lake in the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft on Jan. 15.

Cox, a midfielder from Tacoma, Wash., helped lead the men’s soccer team at Highline to its first Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) championship title in 2004. He was also named to the NWAACC All-Star Team that year.

“Raphael came to Highline with the hopes of playing soccer professionally,” said men’s soccer coach Jason Prenovost. “He had a strong work ethic, along with great talent, and it doesn’t surprise me about his success. I look forward to following him throughout his playing career and beyond.”

Cox went to Salt Lake City’s MLS team in the fourth round with the 54th overall pick.

Cox graduated from Tacoma’s Stadium High School in 2004. After graduating from Highline in 2006, he spent three seasons playing for the University of Washington.

Decatur High School graduate Ciaran O’Brien was the fifth overall pick in last year’s MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids. O’Brien played in only one game for the Rapids.

• The Federal Way Reign ’97 girls soccer team recently finished in second place at the Greater Renton FC Winter Classic. The team is coached by Brian Yorke and Nick Castro. The team includes Briana Cross, Carlie Jones, Courtney Cecil, Jordan Ortiz, Karina Provo, Katie Yorke, Kayley Cruz, Madalyn Landreth, Mikayla Snyder, Mollie Ferguson, Payten Hurn and Payton Palsson.

• The American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) and the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) have agreed to have the final race of the 2009 ABRA unlimited hydroplane season in Doha, Qatar. Ten of the fastest racing boats in the world will travel here next November for the inaugural Oryx Cup event — the ABRA/UIM World Championship — as a result of an Agreement in Principal reached January 9 between the ABRA and the QMSF.

The race date is among the items being finalized. It will be held in November (third or fourth weekend) and serve as the last stop on the 2009 series which begins on the Fourth of July weekend in Madison, Ind.

QMSF President Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al Thani and ABRA Chairman Sam Cole reached the agreement that will take ABRA teams abroad for the first time in the sport’s history to compete for the World Championship.

“We are very pleased to make this announcement,” Al Thani said. “There are some details to finalize in the next few weeks, but we look forward to hosting the ABRA and its teams here in Qatar.”

“We have agreed to host the World Championship for three years,” he added. “Together with the QMSF, we want to create the premier Unlimited Hydroplane race in the world.”

Cole and Dr. Ken Muscatel, ABRA Vice Chairman, Driver and Team Owner, traveled to Doha for the historic meeting and viewed the race site and facilities.

“I can hardly wait to run my boat on this course.” Muscatel said. “The location of this race is impressive and the water looks to be ideal for our boats. The speeds will be fast.”

The race will be run on a 2.5 mile course on Qatar Bay running parallel with the city’s downtown skyline in the background. The Qatar Marine Sports Federation hosts Class 1 Offshore, Formula 1 and Formula 2000 tunnel boat events annually and campaigns racing teams in those categories in International competition.

“The Qatar Marine Sports Federation understands how to host a world class event,” Cole stated. “Sheikh Hassan and his team understand boat racing, and everything they do is first class. “We have a lot of preparation and planning work to do,” Cole added. “This is a first step towards making our sport a global entity and we were very proud of the confidence and commitment Sheikh Hassan has shown in our sport.”

The Qatar Marine Sports Federation was founded in January 2000. Its vision is to be the leader and primary organizer for all water sports events and host world class competitions. Additional QMSF events include Jet Ski racing, Dhow sailing, wakeboarding, water ski competition and pleasure craft racing.

The ABRA has truly taken on an international flavor in 2009 with an exhibition race in Kelowna BC, Canada and now Doha, the capital city of Qatar with a population of more than 1.3 million residents. Doha is the largest city in Qatar, located halfway up the country’s eastern peninsula, facing the United Arab Emirates.

“We have no doubt this event could change the way the sponsors and supporters of unlimited hydroplane racing view our sport,” Cole said. “Ken and I were so impressed with the people, the city and this country; we can’t wait to bring unlimited hydroplane racing to their country.”

The ABRA is the worldwide sanctioning organization for Unlimited Hydroplanes.

• The Federal Way Boys and Girls Club is taking registration for its 2009 Munchkin and Elementary Winter Basketball program. Registrations will be accepted on a space-available basis for a $5 extra charge.

Munchkin basketball is coed for all youth in first and second grades. Elementary basketball is coed with separate leagues for third, fourth and fifth grades. The season runs from Jan. 28 to March 20. Games are played in the surrounding Federal Way area schools as well as at the Federal Way Boys and Girls Club. The program costs $60, plus a $20 club membership fee.

To register, visit www.fwbgc.org or in person at 30815 8th Ave. S. For more information, contact Dolan Holt at (253) 681-6514.

• The Washington Warriors AAU girls basketball organization is having practices/tryouts from 6 to 8 p.m. at Illahee Middle School on Mondays and Wednesdays to develop a seventh-grade team in the Federal Way area starting Feb. 2. This is open to sixth- and seventh-grade girls. For more information, contact coach Mike at (206) 650-1120 or visit www.wawarriors.com.

• Sudden Impact girls fastpitch softball team of Federal Way is looking for players from ages 8 to 14 (age as of Jan. 1, 2009) for its 10 and under, 12U and 14U teams during the 2009 season. Practices are at Decatur High School and includes plenty of local play. The teams play in various weekend tournaments, mostly in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The girls on the 10U team also play in a recreational league. No previous fastpitch experience is required and indoor practices resume this month. For more information, contact 14U coach Bailey at (253) 709-5707, 12U coach Bains at (206) 310-6226, 10U coach McDonnell at (253) 973-4568 or send an email to SuddenImpactFP@aol.com or visit www.eteamz.active.com/simpact.

• Sign ups for 2009 spring baseball season are running now through Jan. 31 for Federal Way National Little League. Cost for sign-up depend on age group and players from age 5 through high school may sign up. Players can sign up by mailing a registration form to 1911 SW Campus Drive, #214, Federal Way, Wash. 98023. Players can also register in person at The Commons mall on Jan. 10, 14 and 17 or online at www.eteamz/fwnll. For more information, email fwnll@comcast.net or call (253) 332.5924.

• Apple Physical Therapy will honor one boy and one girl student athlete for Winter sport season with a $1,000 Athlete of the Quarter Scholarship.

Eligible student athletes must be high school seniors enrolled in a Western Washington high school, participating in a varsity sport and be in good-standing academically. The scholarship criteria include athlete performance, community service/involvement and other compelling personal circumstances.

Nomination forms are available to download at Apple Physical Therapy’s Web site, www.applept.com, and can be turned in to any Apple Physical Therapy clinic location or other participating private practice location. A complete list of locations is on Apple Physical Therapy’s Web site. Nomination forms are due by March 1.

Scholarship winners will be announced at the conclusion of the season on the High School GameTime television program on King 5 and Kong 6/16.

Apple Physical Therapy is also the official athletic training partner for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and oversees young athletes at the state football, basketball and softball tournaments each year.