Sports Shorts Sports Shorts (December 29, 2004)

WATER POLO HONORS . . . Stanford's Tony Azevedo and Thomas Hopkins were named Division I first-team All-Americans by the American Water Polo Coaches Association. The Player of the Year was UCLA senior Brett Ormsby, who led the Bruins past Stanford in the 2004 NCAA championship earlier this month at Stanford. Peter Varellas of Stanford was a second-team selection while Cardinal goalie Chad Taylor made the third team. Cardinal senior Greg Crum was honorable mention. In Division II, Palo Alto High graduate Chris Finegold, a junior at UC San Diego, made the first team. In Division III, Gunn High grad Brian Mead of Johns Hopkins University was named Player of the Year. Mead established himself as the school's all-time leading scorer, tallying his 100th goal of the season in the Blue Jays' final game of the year. He has been named to the CWPA Southern Division All-Conference team each of his four seasons at Hopkins. Mead has earned Most Valuable Player honor as the Division III Eastern Championship twice in his career.

OF LOCAL NOTE . . . Palo Alto Babe Ruth is looking for a manager for the upcoming season. Those interested should contact Neil McGregor at nmcgregor@pacbell.net . . . Registration is now open for the Palo Alto Girls' Softball spring season and is open to all girls, ages 5-14, in Palo Alto and surrounding communities. Practices begin in March and will be followed by an active schedule of games through May. After the spring season, travel teams will be formed for girls who wish to play at a more competitive level. The focus of Palo Alto Girls' Softball is on teamwork sportsmanship, positive values and fun, while developing fundamental softball skills. The youngest players begin with T-ball. All practices are in Palo Alto, as all games for players 10-under. The older divisions (12-under and 14-under) will do some traveling during interleague games. Registration ends Jan. 31. Players can register online at www.paloaltogirlssoftball.org. For more information: 361-0743.

COACHING CORNER . . . Palo Alto High is searching for a new girls' water polo head coach for the 2005 season. Interested persons should contact Earl Hansen, Palo Alto Athletic Director, at 329-3886 or ehansen@pausd.org . . . Basketball and soccer coaches (for boys and girls) are needed at St. Elizabeth Seton School in Palo Alto. Interested coaches should contact Pat Foy at 326-9004 . . . Menlo School has openings for girls' softball coaches: a varsity assistant, head frosh-soph and frosh-soph assistant. The season runs from February to May. For more information: 593-3895 . . . Sacred Heart Prep is looking for the following coaches: Varsity softball, varsity baseball and varsity girls' lacrosse. Those interested should contact Anthony Thomas, Athletic Director at 473-4031 . . . Castilleja School is looking for coaches for the upcoming season in varsity track and field in addition to an assistant coach for swimming. Interested persons should contact Athletic Director Jez McIntosh at jez_mcIntosh@castilleja.org . . . Menlo-Atherton High is looking for a number of coaches for the 2004-05 season: frosh-soph softball, girls' varsity lacrosse and girls' JV lacrosse. Interested persons should contact M-A Athletic Director Pam Wimberly at 322-5311 (ext. 5706).

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