Moorpark Trio Competing in N.Y. Polo Tournament

Three Moorpark students will be competing today in the interscholastic polo competition at Cornell University in New York.

Trails Hale, 14, his sister, Sunny, 16, and Rima Akkad, 14, will represent the Moorpark Unified School District in the 12-team invitational tournament, which runs through Sunday.

This is only the second time a public school polo team has been represented in the tournament.

The Hales have mostly competed against adult teams in previous tournaments. Sunny, the most experienced of the trio, is one of the top-rated juniors in the sport. Akkad, who has competed primarily in women’s tournaments, will compete against juniors at the Cornell tournament. Trails, the youngest member of the group, has been playing polo since he was 7.

In preparation for the four-day tournament, the three have been working with six different horses a day because all the competitors’ horses will be provided at Cornell. They say their ability to handle different types of horses will probably be the key to the competition.

CSUN Sponsors Softball Tournament

The Cal State Northridge softball team will play host to nine teams in the Tournament of Champions April 1-3 at Lady Matador Stadium.

CSUN, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, has won the tournament both years it has been played. In addition to California Collegiate Athletic Assn. rivals Cal State Bakersfield, UC Riverside and Cal State Dominguez Hills, four Northern California Athletic Conference teams--Cal State Sacramento, San Francisco State, Sonoma State and Chico State--will join the action. There will also be two teams from out of state: Minnesota’s Concordia College and Iowa’s Buena Vista College.

The Lady Matadors (24-10 overall and 6-2 conference) and the other nine teams will participate in pool play April 1-2 to determine seeding for the single-elimination tournament, which will be played April 3.

CSUN’s offensive leaders are center fielder Barbara Jordan (.307), third baseman Michey McAnany (.303) and outfielder Becky Drake (.295).

Robinson at CSUN Football Clinic

Los Angeles Rams Coach John Robinson will be the featured speaker at the second annual Cal State Northridge Football Clinic on April 13.

Rams assistant Hudson Houck (offensive line), Chargers assistant Gunther Cunningham (defensive line), Canyon High Coach Harry Welch (offensive strategy) and Occidental College defensive coordinator Gary Etchevary (defensive strategy) will speak on their specialties as well. Northridge Coach Tom Keele will talk about the run-and-shoot offense he plans to employ this fall.

A $20 pre-registration fee includes a steak dinner and an opportunity to see a Northridge spring football workout.

Information: Contact Keele at (818) 885-2061.

Senior Citizen Softball

The San Fernando Valley Senior Softball League is now forming teams for its third season of slo-pitch softball. Those 55 years or older may sign-up for the season, which begins April 11 at 4 p.m. at the Hjelte Sports Center on Burbank Boulevard in Encino.

Information: 738-0738.

Woodland Hills Tennis Classes

Registration is also under way for tennis classes at Woodland Hills Park. The eight-week session will include classes for beginning, intermediate and advance classes for adults and children.

Information: (818) 883-9370.

Newbury Park T-Ball Begins

The Newbury Park Shetland Pony T-Ball League will hold opening ceremonies March 30 at 10 a.m. at Sequoia Intermediate School in Newbury Park.

The league, for boys and girls aged 5 to 6, will consist of seven teams. Team pictures will be taken from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Information: (805) 499-9549.

Sylmar Basketball Gym to Be Built

The Los Angeles City Recreation and Park Department has approved final plans for a new 6,000-square-foot, regulation-size basketball gymnasium in the Sylmar Recreation Center.

The $800,000 project will include a full-size indoor basketball court, a lobby connecting the gym to the center and improvements in the lighting, heating and ventilating systems. Funding for the project will come from a 1984 state bond.

Sylmar recreation director Mike Johnson said the existing gym, which was opened in 1974, is too small for adults and is used only by youngsters. Many of the area’s 22 basketball youth leagues use nearby high school and junior high courts.

“The new gym will be a great boost for our youth and adult sports programs,” Johnson said. “At present our gym is operating at full capacity.”

Rafer Johnson to Be Honored

Former Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson will receive the Bronze Halo Award of Special Merit from the Southern California Motion Picture Council on April 3.

Johnson, who lit the Olympic flame last summer, will be presented with the award for his Olympic achievements at a luncheon next Wednesday in the Sportsman’s Lodge Empire Ballroom.

Johnson, who served on the 1984 Olympic Committee, won a silver medal in the decathlon in 1956 and a gold medal in 1960.

Chamber Plans Golf, Tennis Tournament

Woodland Hills’ Chamber of Commerce will hold its third golf and tennis tournament on April 8. The golf competition will take place at the Woodland Hills Country Club, 21150 Dumetz Road. Tennis will be played at the Calabasas Tennis Club, 23400 Park Sorrento, Calabasas.

Tee-off time for golf will be at 11:30 a.m. Check-in is an hour earlier. The tennis begins at noon, with check-in at 11:30 a.m.

An awards dinner will be held at the country club immediately following the tournament. The costs for the event is $60 for golf and dinner, $40 for tennis and dinner and $28 for the dinner.

Information: 347-4737.