Thompson Selected to Task Force

Sally Thompson, executive director of the Los Angeles City Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families, was selected by Cal State Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson as the 15th and final member of the university’s Task Force on Intercollegiate Athletics.

BASEBALL

Nykoluk signs: Kevin Nykoluk, a former Simi Valley High catcher who last played at Miami in 1996, was signed as a nondrafted free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nykoluk, an All-Ventura County player at Simi Valley in 1993, will report Sunday to the Cardinals’ winter instructional league team in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Nykoluk was academically ineligible in 1997 after batting .367 for the Hurricanes in 1996. He played at Moorpark College in 1994 and at Seminole (Okla.) Junior College in 1995.

Maine man: Kevin Millar, an Encino resident who attended Hart High as a freshman before transferring to University High, was selected most valuable player of the double-A Eastern League.

Millar, a first baseman, batted .342 with 32 home runs and 131 runs batted in for Portland (Maine), an affiliate of the Florida Marlins.

COACHING CHANGES

Quick moves: Desmond Willows, the Chatsworth High boys’ soccer coach the past four years, has assumed the same position at Chaminade.

Willows, 32, resigned from Chatsworth in June, citing a lack of administrative support. He led the Chancellors to three league titles and four postseason appearances, including the 1996 City Section quarterfinals.

Willows, who will be the program’s fifth coach in four years, replaces Ivan Alzate, who held the job for less than three months. Alzate resigned last week after Chaminade officials discovered it was against Southern Section rules for him to coach both the Eagle boys’ team and a club soccer team featuring members of Chaminade’s girls’ team.

Danny Young has been hired as boys’ soccer coach at Highland High, replacing Lem Galvao, who resigned after last season.

Young, 30, played soccer at Santa Clara University, where his coach was Steve Sampson, coach of the U.S. national team.

Larry Bolster, 45, is the girls’ soccer coach at Antelope Valley High, replacing Renee Bielling, who resigned after last season.

In other girls’ soccer coaching moves, Juliet Dyke (Santa Paula), Brett Knowlin (Calabasas) and Kellee Roe (Fillmore) have resigned. No replacements have been chosen.

Emily Stenzel has been hired as girls’ basketball coach at Santa Paula. She replaces Julie Coert, who guided the Cardinals to a combined 10-36 overall record and a 3-17 league mark the past two seasons.