NW Briefs | Youth soccer program to begin in August

Seattle Sounders FC announced its Youth Development Program, an initiative in partnership with Washington Youth Soccer.

The program runs in six-week increments from Aug. 11 to Dec. 15, complemented by specific position training, at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. The facility is to be the training and main operations base for Sounders FC, which begins play in Major League Soccer in 2009.

Professional players, coaches and staff will work with players ages 8 to 17. The cost is $200 per six-week session and includes a jersey, shorts and socks.

Registration opens Monday and can be done online at www.soundersfc.com, or by calling 206-622-3415, ext. 122.

Golfers advance

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Kevin Penner of Eastlake High School and Reid Martin of Kamiak survived the cut and advanced to today's final round of the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Penner, the 2007 Class 4A state high-school champion, is tied for 10th at 6-over par 74-73-75 — 222. Martin, the 2008 Class 4A state champ, barely made the 50-player cut. He's tied for 46th at 80-72-80 — 232.

Bellingham's Will Holdridge (tied for 26th at 228) also qualified.

Notes

• Erin Van Nostrand, who averaged more than 25 wins in four years as coach at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., was named softball coach at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland.

• The Washington State Little League 12-year-old All-Star tournament runs today through Sunday, July 27, in Mill Creek. Opening ceremonies are Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Thirteen teams compete for a spot in the Northwest Regional in San Bernardino, Calif., Aug. 1-10.

• Tickets are on sale for the sixth annual Wells Fargo Battle in Seattle for the Cascade Cup football game at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at Qwest Field between Western Washington and Central Washington. Tickets are $35, $25 and $15.

• The Bellingham Slam hosts the two-time champion Elkhart Express for the International Basketball League championship at 7:30 p.m. today at Whatcom Pavilion. Bellingham beat Vancouver 120-106 for the Western Conference title June 29.

Times staff reporter Jose Miguel Romero contributed to this report.

This story, published July 18, 2008 was corrected on July 18, 2008. In a previous version of the story, the end date of a Little League tournament was incorrectly listed. The Washington State Little League 12-year-old All-Star baseball tournament in Mill Creek began Friday and will run through Sunday, July 27.