LOCAL NOTES : ANNOUNCEMENTS . . .

Soccer: Jennifer Hinkley, an eighth-grade student at Park View Intermediate School in Lancaster, and Allyson Taylor, a sixth-grader at Sacred Heart School in Lancaster, were chosen to represent District 4 in the Olympic Development Program soccer tryouts. The tryouts will select a team to represent the Southern California section of the California Youth Soccer Association in the girls' under-14 age group.

Both Hinkley and Taylor play for the local Ambush girls' under-14 team, coached by Bill Kneifl. Hinkley, a midfielder, and Taylor, a striker, have played for Kneifl for the past three years. The team also benefited from some additional coaching this past year from Chuck Gordon, the captain of the Cal State Northridge men's team.

ODP has been in existence since 1977. The program was introduced to help potential national team youth soccer players through an organized series of trials which begin at the district level, progress through the state, region and finally national level.

The ODP process begins each year with the ODP tryouts at district level in the fall. With the completion of the district tryouts, approximately 140 girls under age 14 will try Feb. 8 and 9 in Bakersfield for the state level. Twenty-four players will be selected to represent the state for the regional level of the ODP process. The state teams will then play in State Cup and tournament games throughout the spring and summer of 1997.

Soccer: The Antelope Valley Sharks soccer club, under-11 boys' team was crowned champions in the 16th Annual Bakersfield Presidents Cup on Jan. 18 and 19. Coach Jose Ruiz, assistant coach Jose Salcedo and manager Patti Cinco run the team. MVPs Brian Carlston and Jorge Duran, both defenders, did not allow a goal in the whole tournament. Goals were scored by Andres Guzman, Danny Meza and James Kitajara. The boys' under-13 team took second place in its division.

Football: The Santa Clarita Valley Athletic Association needs coaches. The SCVAA Warrior football program boasts an annual participation of more than 600 youngsters. The program is accepting applications for coaches for the upcoming 1997 season. For information, call Eric Heberer at [phone] or Peggy Hetman at [phone].

Little League sign-ups: The Parkview Little League will hold sign-ups next Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parkview Little League field at Avenue J-4 and Hardwood Street behind Parkview Intermediate School in Lancaster.

Football: The Castaic-Santa Clarita Valley Cougars are expanding and need youth tackle football coaches for the 1997 season. The Cougars participate in the Valley Youth Conference.

Interested coaches can call Pete Gregory at [phone] or Bob Stevens at [phone].

Baseball: The Mojave Desert Baseball League will open its seventh season March 9. Teams are forming two divisions that will play at least 23 games from March to September. There will be four teams representing the Palmdale-Lancaster area. Games will be played at Rawley Duntley Park in Lancaster and tentatively at Quartz Hill High School. Playoff games will be held during October. An all-star game is scheduled for July. Games will be played Sunday mornings and afternoons, except for Mother's Day and holiday weekends.

In addition, Mojave league teams will be formed to play in men's adult baseball league tournaments Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. In October, a tournament team will be formed to participate in the league's World Series tournament held in Phoenix.

The minimum age for players is 16 and there is no maximum age limit. The first managers meeting will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.

For information, contact Lou Houlemarde at [phone].