Area Players to Compete in Elite Clinic

Four former South Bay prep standouts are among 15 players who have been invited to the second annual USA Basketball Women’s Premier Post Program, an elite clinic designed for players 6-foot-4 or taller who have completed at least one season of college competition.

Among those invited are 6-5 twins Heather and Heidi Burge, former Palos Verdes standouts who recently graduated from the University of Virginia; 6-5 Lisa Leslie, a Morningside graduate entering her senior year at USC; and 6-6 Jeffra Gausepohl, a Peninsula graduate who will be a sophomore at Virginia.

Leslie and Heather Burge are members of the U.S. women’s national team.

The clinic is scheduled July 31 to Aug. 4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The staff is led by former U.S. men’s Olympic coach Pete Newell and includes 6-8 Anne Donovan, a three-time U.S. Olympian and current Old Dominion women’s assistant, and former Olympian and UCLA standout Ann Meyers.

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For the fourth time in 10 years the Torrance Volleyball Club boys’ 18-and-under team won a gold medal at the U.S. Junior Olympics. The four-day event in Kansas last week featured 75 of the country’s top junior volleyball teams.

Torrance defeated Balboa Bay, 15-7, 15-4, in the championship match. Torrance setter Zane Smythe (Mira Costa High) and middle blocker Chris Walmer (Mira Costa High) were named All-Americans.

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The El Camino College youth summer baseball program has two sessions left. The first one starts Monday and ends July 17. The second is from July 19-23.

Warrior Coach Nick Van Lue conducts the clinics, which begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. daily.

The program includes individual videotaping, instruction, a weightlifting program and daily games. Daily and weekly awards are given and all participants get a T-shirt.

The cost is $90 per session. El Camino assistants Ken Medlock and Bob Grant and North Torrance High Coach Dan Campbell are scheduled to be camp instructors. Information: (310) 715-7679 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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The Inglewood recreation department will sponsor the second annual City of Champions karate tournament Aug. 8 at Roger’s Park Recreation Center. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information: (310) 412-5508.

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John Britton, a former coach of the L.A. Heat pro soccer team, will conduct a series of youth soccer camps.

The first camp begins Monday and ends July 16 at Gardena High. The second runs July 19-23 at Hermosa Valley School. Two camps will be conducted in August at La Marina South in Manhattan Beach.

The cost ranges from $75 to $100 and campers receive a soccer ball and T-shirt. There is a 10% discount for enrolling more than one family member per camp. Information: (310) 376-9354 after 4 p.m.

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The Amateur Athletic Foundation will bring beach volleyball to the inner city this summer.

The AAF built sand volleyball courts at six inner-city parks to conduct youth clinics through Aug. 6. South Bay parks offering instruction and league play are Normandie Park at 22400 S. Halldale Ave. in Torrance and Rosecrans Park at 840 W. 149th St. in Gardena.

Members of the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. and the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals are scheduled to be instructors. Clinics are free for youths 11 to 17. Information: (213) 730-9600.