SOCCER : Kirk Becomes Time Traveler for Summer Competition

Up until a few days ago, the farthest Joey Kirk had ever traveled could be summed up in minutes--as in, “How long does it take to get to Cal Poly Pomona?” or “How far to Riverside?”

In the past month, though, Kirk has spent more time living out of a suitcase than the trunk of his car, more time checking flyways than highways.

Fresh off an airliner after competing in the President’s Cup tournament in South Korea, the Cal State Northridge senior played in Mexico City with a San Pedro club team last weekend.

Kirk scored three goals for San Pedro--the defending Greater Los Angeles Soccer League champion--on the trip.

“Down the line, playing against as many different teams as possible can only help,” he said.

Somewhere down the line, and preferably soon, Kirk hopes to get a phone call. He is an alternate for the West team that will compete this month in the U.S. Olympic Festival in Raleigh, N.C.

Sure, winning can be hard work. But in one instance, an area team did as much work off the field as it did on it, just for the opportunity to win.

A Winnetka girls team of 12- and 13-year-olds associated with the American Youth Soccer Organization began play in the Hawaiian Rainbow Tournament on Thursday in Honolulu, but the team had to conduct 16 months of fund-raisers to earn the money for its place in the sun.

“Car washes, garage sales, raffles, selling grocery-store script, you name it,” Coach Bob Horn said.

The team won 11 games without a defeat this season against local competition.