SPORTS BRIEFS

NMASA reschedules monthly meetings

The Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association general membership meeting is back on track, as the next monthly gathering will be next week and held at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym conference room.

On Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, all coaches for the 2005 SPG Mini-Games should be prepared with a brief written report covering plans for training and team selection at 6:30pm.

NMASA will also select athletes of the month for June and July. The July monthly meeting was cancelled because of bad weather and a power outage.

All sports federations should have a representative at this important meeting.

National championships on Saturday

The National Track and Field Championships will be staged this Saturday, July 31, at the Oleai Sports Complex’s new track and field facility.

The Northern Mariana Islands Track and Field Federation announced that running events slated are the 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and relays. Field events to be contested are the shotput, discus, javelin, and long jump.

Majority of the events are scheduled to start at 3pm. The NMITFF, however, noted that some events like the 5000m would have to be scheduled at an earlier time.

The National Track and Field Championships is open to everyone and those interested should visit the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium at the Oleai Sports Complex to get registration forms.

For more information please call NMITFF development coach Elias Rangamar at 664-2503 or 664-2508.

Saipan fishing tourney on Aug. 28 and 29

The 20th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament will be held on August 28 and 29 and boats from Guam, Palau, Rota, and Tinian are expected to grace the two-day fishing tourney.

The top three ranks will be awarded in the following game fish categories: Bill fish, yellow fin, wahoo, mahi mahi, and skip jack. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first participant to land a marlin weighing over 624.34 lbs. and a yellow fin tuna weighing over 106 lbs.

Applications for the event, containing the rules and schedules of the event will soon be available at the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Fishing Tackle Shop.

For more information on the 20th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Martin F. Duenas at 664-3200/3201 or Wolf Mojica at 234-6615.

CFL’s Verizon Islanders holding practices

Verizon Islanders of the Commonwealth Football League want is holding practices every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at the airport football field beginning at 5:30pm.

Team representative Gus Romolor is inviting anyone that is interested to practice with the team. He wants his team to be prepared this year and to him, there’s no time like the present.

PACRIM tourney back again

The Pacific Rim Youth Goodwill Tournament will be returning for its third installment later this year, as basketball and volleyball players from around the region will once again be competing at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium in Oleai.

Participants from the CNMI, Japan, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, the Philippines, and the Republic of Belau are invited to take part in all of the scheduled festivities.

The tournament is scheduled to begin Saturday, November 20, continuing through the next Saturday, November 27.

All teams are encouraged to register early in either Division I (12-14 years old), or Division II (15-18 years old). Registration fee is $100.00 per team.

For more information, or to register for the tournament, please call the Youth Affairs Office (664-2248/2229 fax 664-2249), Office of the Governor, Fermin Meriang (664-2215 fax 664-2211), DCCA Division of Sports and Recreation, Elias Rangamar (664-2500 fax 234-1101), Workforce Investment Agency, Michelle Olopai (664-1700 fax 322-7333), PRELL Office, Melissa Magofna (234-6000 fax 234-7735). E-mail requests are to be sent to youngone@vzpacifica.net or govyao@vzpacifica.net.