Sports Shorts Sports Shorts (January 07, 2005)

SWIM HONOR . . . Atherton's Tod Spieker will be inducted as a Masters swimmer into the International Hall of Fame on Saturday in Florida. Only nine individuals are selected annually by an international committee to be honored for their international achievement in Masters aquatic competition. During his 28-year Masters swim career, the 55-year-old Spieker has set 30 FINA world records, won 24 FINA world championship titles and captured 20 titles as U.S. national championships. Spieker, who got his start with the Palo Alto Swim Club and currently trains with the Rinconada Masters, was an outstanding water polo player and two-time All-American swimmer in three events at Menlo-Atherton High, later earning All-American status in the backstroke at UCLA.

OF LOCAL NOTE . . . The Palo Alto Knights' Jr. Pee Wee Pop Warner Football team, which reached the national championship game in their division last month before finally losing, have been named one of four recipients of the 2004 Sportsmanship Award. A total of 64 teams compete in the national playoffs in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and from that group the winners are chosen for demonstrating their sportsmanship. "This is a great honor for our players and the Knights' football program," said Mike Piha, coach of the Jr. Pee Wees. "We not only play outstanding football, we play with class and great sportsmanship."

CARDINAL CORNER . . . The Stanford men's volleyball team beat visiting Cal Poly, 30-13, 30-14, 30-25, in an exhibition match at Burnham Pavilion on Friday night as middle blocker Craig Buell recorded 11 kills with a .625 hitting percentage. The Cardinal open their regular season at the Elephant Bar Invitational at UC Santa Barbara today and Saturday. Seven of the eight teams finished in the top 15 last year . . . The Stanford men's gymnastics team host an alumni meet on Saturday in Burnham Pavilion at 6 p.m. Nissen-Emery Award winner Dan Gill, recovering from surgery, will be the guest announcer. Among the alumni expected to attend are Dave Durante, Rico Andrade, Paul O'Leary, Matt McLean and Craig Nesbit. Freshmen David Sender, who recently traveled overseas for his first international meet since becoming a U.S. Senior National Team member, will be making his Stanford debut at the meet.

SOFTBALL SIGNUPS . . . 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 or pick up registration forms at their local schools. For more information: 361-0743.

COACHING CORNER . . . Palo Alto Babe Ruth is looking for a manager for the upcoming season. Those interested should contact Neil McGregor at nmcgregor@pacbell.net . . . 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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