NCAA institutions get their kicks with youth soccer month

 Several NCAA schools were among the 27 colleges and universities that helped the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) celebrate the second annual National Youth Soccer Month.

The purpose of the month-long celebration includes raising public awareness about the benefits of playing youth soccer. Kristine Lilly, member of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and Olympic gold medalist, is the official spokesperson.

In commemoration, 25 states officially proclaimed September as National Youth Soccer Month. In addition, more than 50 events were organized at colleges nationwide. Last year, seven states and five schools participated, including Miami University (Ohio), Southern Methodist University, St. John's University (New York), Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut.

"We're appreciative of the colleges taking advantage of the opportunity to support the cause and what youth soccer stands for," said Todd Roby, manager of communications for US Youth Soccer.

In recognition of National Youth Soccer Month this year, St. John's cut its regular $8 admission to the Red Storm's September 3 and 6 games to $2 for all youth soccer players. The school also invited four teams to play on the field during halftime and challenged two youth players to test their skills by attempting to score on the mascot, Thunder.

"Anything we could do to promote soccer, especially in our community, the better. The results were tremendous," said Brian Graff, director of marketing at St. John's.

US Youth Soccer also offered 16 free clinics across the nation and sponsored a sweepstakes in which one family could win a trip to the 2005 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Florida.

Roby said the organization hopes to make National Youth Soccer Month an annual recognition.

US Youth Soccer is the largest youth sports organization in the nation, registering more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19.

Bock rocks: Juniata coach earns 1,000th career win

Juniata College's Larry Bock recently became the first NCAA women's volleyball coach to earn 1,000 career victories.

The Eagles topped Walsh University, 3-1, and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, 3-0, earlier this month to give Bock the milestone. He sits second behind University of California, Los Angeles, head men's volleyball coach Al Scates for most career NCAA wins.

Bock took over the program in 1977 and has guided the Eagles to the Middle Atlantic Conference title every year since 1981. The three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association national coach of the year is a charter member of the AVCA's Hall of Fame. Bock also has 100 wins as head men's volleyball coach at the school from 1990 to 1995.

"It was really nice to see all the people get excited," Bock said. "This is such a neat group of kids with a lot of heart, and it was great to see their energy. I don't count a lot of things, but someone is, and I'm very grateful for that."

Juniata honored Bock for reaching the milestone after the team's conference opener September 14.

College sports broadcasts spread to satellite radio

College Sports Television (CSTV) and SIRIUS, a satellite radio provider, recently teamed up to give sports fans another reason to cheer when the companies announced the launch of SIRIUS College Sports Radio.

As part of the new venture, CSTV will provide college sports programming to SIRIUS, which will broadcast football games, basketball games and other events and become the official satellite radio partner for high-profile schools such as the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; Auburn University; the University of Kansas; Louisiana State University; the University of Michigan; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the University of Notre Dame; the University of Southern California; and Vanderbilt University.

For more information, go to www.sirius.com.

-- Compiled by Leilana McKindra

Number crunching

Looking back

5 years ago

Here's what was happening within the Association in September 1999:

• For the second consecutive year, total NCAA membership reaches an all-time high. The latest report shows 1,260 active, professional, conference, affiliated and corresponding members, including nine institutions that moved from provisional to active status. Also, 14 colleges or universities begin a four-year path to active membership as provisional members.

• A federal district court in Kansas dismisses a lawsuit by Adidas America, Inc., that challenged NCAA limits on the size and number of logos on uniforms. The court says Adidas failed to prove that it had been hurt by not being permitted to use its logo in violation of the NCAA's size rule when it could use sponsorship or advertising agreements with other organizations (such as the National Basketball Association, National Football League and Major League Baseball) to promote its products.

• Ten finalists for NCAA Woman of the Year are announced. They are: Jamila Demby, Erin Baxter, Stephanie White-McCarty, Trina Steines, Emily Stauffer, Jayna Mathieu, Suzanne Eastman, Theresa Marie Lang, Jaimee Heffner and Charlotte Davis Quesada. Demby wins the award in October.

• The NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet rescinds waivers granted in the summer to the Division I Women's Soccer and Basketball Committees regarding the Sunday competition rule. The cabinet also agrees to support legislation that would eliminate the waiver opportunity. The committee says it concluded that if a team has earned the right to participate in a championship, the Association must do everything it can to accommodate that team.

• The State University of New York at Binghamton announces a nickname change beginning with the 1999-00 academic year. The athletics teams, formerly known as the Colonials, will now be known as the Bearcats.