Two Ventura County shooters have reason to celebrate after their strong showing in the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships held this past weekend in Piru, California. Taran Butler of Simi Valley won the title of world’s fastest in the Enhanced Service Pistol and Shotgun matches while also claiming a fourth place finish in the Rimfire Rifle event. In the Custom Defensive Pistol match nobody was faster than JT Tedder of Moorpark who also placed third in the Iron Sighted Revolver match.
Butler shot the Enhanced Service Pistol match in a winning time of 119.63 seconds, the Shotgun match in 20.25 seconds and the Rimfire Rifle match in 30.89. Tedder outpaced the competition in Custom Defensive Pistol with a time of 137.38 and shot a time of 128.52 in the Iron Sighted Revolver competition.
More than 200 top competition shooters from 19 states and 4 foreign countries competed for a share of the $350,000 in cash and prizes at the Steel Challenge which is the premier event in the sport of Speed Shooting.
About the SCSA: The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about the Steel Challenge Shooting Association and the Steel Challenge visit their Web site at www.steelchallenge.com. There you will find diagrams of the stages of fire, complete listing of the 2007 results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

A big “Thank You” to Curtis Cole for all of the hard work and determination he showed the boys this past couple of weeks in camp. We appreciate all the training and pointers you gave them to help with this coming football season. The boys and parents are very fortunate to have a young man who is willing to take the time out of his schedule during his summer break and teach these boys the fundamentals of football and to whip them into shape. You are a wonderful young man and we wish you nothing but the best this year at ASU.

Taylor Brown, 10, of Fillmore, CA placed 2nd in her respective age group at the Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run National Finals at Yankee Stadium. The competition took place on Monday, July 14, as part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day.

Brown, representing the Los Angeles Dodgers, was the Fillmore Girls Softball Local Competition Champion before prevailing at the Southern California Super Regional in Bellflower. A 4’3” second basemen for the Fillmore All-Stars, Taylor used her base running ability to post the fastest 9/10 year old Super Regional time of the 2008 season.

All 24 National Finalist participants attended the Major League Baseball Brunch at the historic Waldorf Astoria hotel as well as attended DHL All-Star Fan Fest. Participants also took part in shagging fly balls in the outfield during the State Farm Home Run Derby on Monday night.
Pitch, Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. This grassroots program is in its 12th consecutive year of existence and is designed to provide youth across North America with an integrated competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills. Children compete in four age groups: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, and have the chance to advance through multiple levels of competition.

The PHR program has produced multiple 1st round draft picks, most recently, Eric Hosmer of Plantation, FL. Hosmer was drafted third overall, by the Kansas City Royals in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Christopher Parmalee, of Chino Hills, Calif., was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2006 MLB Player Draft, and in 2003, the Chicago Cubs drafted Ryan Harvey, of Dunedin, Fla., as the sixth overall pick.

Live, professional football is part of Oxnard's summer fun as the Dallas Cowboys return to the city to train for the upcoming football season, July 25-August 12, 2008. Training camp festivities begin Friday, July 25 when officials from the Dallas Cowboys Football Club join the City of Oxnard officials at an opening ceremony at the River Ridge Playing Fields, 2101 West Vineyard Avenue at 1:30 p.m., followed by the first practice at
2:15 p.m. The public is invited to join in on the opening festivities as well as attending the various training sessions taking place over July and August.

Parking is $10 per car and $20 for oversized vehicles. Handicap parking is available in the general parking lot and a handicap viewing area is also available at camp.

Training Schedule:
The training/practice schedules will consist of two sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and one session on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Practice schedules are subject to change and continually updated on www.dallascowboys.com.

Dallas Cowboys Experience & Entertainment . . .
All age groups can test their skills while having fun at the Dallas Cowboys Experience, which consists of inflatable games and activities such as face painting. In addition, live performances by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and team mascot, Rowdy, will be on hand to entertain the crowd. Merchandise and Hall of Fame trailers will be at the site the duration of the camp.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders . . .
Young, aspiring cheerleaders can learn from the professionals as the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders lead a free Cheerleading Camp, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The camp is open to youths, ages 4 to 17 and will be held at Oxnard High School, 3400 W. Gonzales. An autograph session with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders will follow the camp. For reservations, call 805-385-7995.

Punt Pass & Kick . . .
Youths, ages 8-15, who dream of a professional football career or who just want to have fun strutting their stuff, can sign up for the free Punt Pass & Kick event taking place August 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the River Ridge Playing Field, 2101 West Vineyard Avenue. Trophies will be awarded for the top three places. Winners, accompanied by an adult guest, will have lunch with Cowboy players at their training table in addition to the opportunity of advancing to the sectional competition in October. For reservations, call 805- 385-7995.

Hotel Accommodations . . .
Several Oxnard hotel properties offer special rates/packages as follows. All guests staying in an Oxnard hotel will be provided with parking passes for Training Camp upon request for each day of their stay:

Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort, Oxnard – The package consist of one-night's accommodations in a deluxe suite, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, hosted beverages each evening, training camp parking pass, Mandalay Beach Sunscreen Pack, overnight self parking, wireless internet access and one training camp parking pass for each night's stay. The dates are valid July 25-Auugst 11 with a blackout date of August 8. Prices are from $257 a night. For reservations, call 805-984-2500.

GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels, Oxnard – The GrandStay offers a stay in a one-bedroom suite, free training camp parking pass and a goodie bag. Rate is offered at $169.90 and begins July 18 and runs through the end of August. For reservations, call 805-983-6808.

Courtyard by Marriott, Oxnard – A $189 weekday & weekend rate is offered, which includes breakfast for four and free training camp parking pass. A room-only weekend rate is $179 and room-only weekday rate, $169. For
reservations, call 805-988-3600.

Hilton Garden Inn & Suites, Oxnard – The Hilton Garden Inn & Suites in Oxnard offers rates starting at $129. Call for reservations, 805-983-8600.

Country Inn & Suites, Port Hueneme – The Country Inn & Suites at Port Hueneme offers one overnight stay for two, complimentary buffet breakfast, two complimentary beverages at evening Manager's Reception, a training camp beach towel & magnetic picture frame, and one-day training camp parking pass. The package is available at $159 for the first night reservation with additional nights offered at the hotels Best Available Rate. The rates are valid July 25 through August 13. For reservations, call 805-986-5353.

Getting to Camp . . .
Oxnard is just 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles on the coast, and 30 miles south of Santa Barbara. From LAX, Oxnard is an easy 90 minute drive, 60 minutes from Burbank (BUR), and 40 minutes from Santa Barbara (SBA).
United Express offers four flights daily through LAX to Oxnard (OXR). Visitors can also relax aboard the Amtrak, which offers regularly scheduled Pacific Surfliner trains to Oxnard from points south to San Diego and points north to San Luis Obispo. Upon arrival at the Oxnard Transportation Center, visitors can take a bus or cab to the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp. For train schedules and reservations, call 1-800-USA-Rail or visit www.amtrak.com.

For those driving in, River Ridge Playing Fields is at the corner of Ventura Road and Vineyard Avenue. Exit the 101 Freeway at Oxnard Boulevard and travel south to Vineyard Avenue, turn right. Playing fields are 1 ½ mile on the right, 2101 W. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036.

California Welcome Center . . .
To obtain visitor information on Oxnard and other points in between, stop by the California Welcome Center, 1000 Town Center Drive, Suite 135. At the Center, visitors can pick up a training camp souvenir!

Oxnard is an easy drive up the coast from Los Angeles or from the northern portions of California. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy Oxnard's uncrowded beaches, open agricultural fields and explore the many diverse attractions and outdoor adventures that are unique to the area. A wide variety of hotel accommodations are available ranging from mid-priced rooms to oceanfront and seaside settings. For more information call the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-269-6273 or visit the website at www.visitoxnard.com.

Registration event forms and updated information on the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp is available on the Oxnard CVB's website, www.visitoxnard.com and on the Dallas Cowboys site at www.dallascowboys.com.

Santa Paula Little Cards Girls Basketball Club will be having open tryouts for the 2008-2009 summer and regular seasons. This is for girls currently in 5th thru 8th grades who are serious about becoming better basketball players, and will utilize the summer months to practice and participate in tournaments to do so.
Girls’ Basketball Tryouts for the 2008-2009 summer will begin Thursday July 24th at 6::30 PM at Teague Park.
All athletes should wear an old WHITE T-shirt to tryouts, shorts and good basketball shoes. Arrive early enough to warm up and stretch before scheduled tryout time.
At tryouts be ready to showcase your skills and impress your coach. Your coaches will be looking for positive attitudes, athleticism, competitive spirits and an ability to function within a team.
We encourage all who are interested to come and tryout.
Don’t miss out on a chance to be a part of Santa Paula Little Cards Basketball Club Team.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact: Coach Rico 805-933-7472 or Coach Daniel 805-525-0956. Or visit us at www.little-cards.com

The Channel Coast Volleyball Official Association will have its first meeting for those wishing to officiate high-school games during the upcoming fall season, which begins in early September.

Our association referees game in Ventura County. New volleyball officials including college students are welcome. This meeting will be held on Monday, August 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the Ron Halt Community Room, Ventura Adult Education Facility, 5200 Valentine Road, Ventura. Please park in the rear. All training will be provided.

If you have any questions please contact Joe Tumbarello, 390-4567. Email jtumbarello@gmail.com

We also have a website www.channelcoastoffcials Please click on the volleyball.

Taylor Brown, 10, of Fillmore, CA placed 1st in her respective age group at the Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run Super Regional Competition, held at Caruthers Park in Bellfl ower, CA on June 8th. Brown will now advance to the National Finals at the 2008 All-Star Game in New York, NY. The top three competitorsnationwide from each age division will compete for the National Championship during All-Star Week.
Brown was the Fillmore Girls Softball Local Competition Champion before prevailing at the Southern California Super Regional in Bellfl ower. A 4’3” second basemen for the Fillmore All-Stars, Taylor started playing softball at the age of 4. Taylor lists her strongest skill as the base-running and she used that ability to post the fastest 9/10 year old Super Regional time of the 2008 season. She also made the all-star team in soccer and basketball, while carrying a 4.0 GPA at Mountain Vista Elementary.
Pitch, Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. This grassroots program is in its 12th consecutive year of existence and is designed to provide youth across North America with an integrated competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills. Children compete in four age groups: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, and have the chance to advance through multiple levels of competition.
The PHR program has produced multiple 1st round draft picks, most recently, Eric Hosmer of Plantation, FL. Hosmer was drafted third overall, by the Kansas City Royals in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Christopher Parmalee, of Chino Hills, Calif., was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2006 MLB Player
Draft, and in 2003, the Chicago Cubs drafted Ryan Harvey, of Dunedin, Fla., as the sixth overall pick.

Perce's Kenpo Karate Studio recently competed in an inter-school tournament that took place at St. John's Lutheran School in Oxnard on June 21. The event was a success for the students as they competed against three other Ventura County studios.
The results of the event are as follows: Little Tigers 3-6 yrs. 1st place Dave Bustos Jr., Jacob Merkord, Julian Jimenez, Blake Boren. Kata White: 4-6yrs. 2nd place Dave Bustos Jr. Yellow 4-6 yrs. 4th place Blake Boren. Yellow 8-9 yrs. 4th place Jaylin King. Yellow 10-13 yrs. 1st place Brandon Hickle, 2nd place Anthony Murray. Orange/Purple 5-7 yrs. 2nd place Faith Bustos, 3rd place Julian Jimenez. Green 6-7 yrs. 4th place Tyler Bode. Green 8-10 yrs. 1st place Heather Hess, 3rd place Michael Hess, 4th place Iliana Hernandez. Blue/Green 12-13 yrs. 3rd place Valery Rodriquez, 6th place Sandra Ponce. All Belts Teen and Adult- 1st place Davin Banks, 2nd place Samuel Hernandez, 3rd place Maggie Carrillo, 4th place Sabian Howard.
Jr. Brown and Black 11-13 yrs. 2nd place Andy Topete. Showmanship All Ages- 3rd place Tyler Bode. Self-Defense All Ages- 1st place Anthony Murray, 2nd place Sabian Howard, 3rd place Brandon Hickle, 4th place Tyler Bode, 5th place Heather Hess, 6th place Maggie Carrillo. Sparring Tigers- 3rd place Julian Jimenez. Purple/Blue/Green 9 - 13 yrs. 5th place Valery Rodriquez. For more information please call Paul Perce at 524-6870.

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The Alumni game was a huge success bringing in $500 to FHS softball. FHS 2008 Team won both games at (over 30) 5-1, (under 30) 1-0. Judy Ortiz (79), pictured above smacked a long single to Left Center. Nicole Ortiz (96) Diana Ibarra (04) and Naomi Qualls (98) had 2 strikeouts each. Brenda Martinez (91) came to the mound to pitch to her daughter. Mary Riesgo (89) pictured left held on to her arm for two innings. Catchers Sally Alvarado (98), Chastity Gongora (99), Cynthia Chessani (88) and Tracy Vaughn (89) still held their own behind the plate. Umpire Frank Lopez called the game as he did for most of these ladies back in the day. Yep, they all still have it! See you next year.