SPORTS NOTES: Track, slo-pitch, hockey

The Northern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (NOSSA) track and field championships will begin today and continue through Friday.

A few events are scheduled to begin today at 4:30 p.m. and will continue with a full slate of action on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Jo Forman Track at Queen Elizabeth Park.

The top high school athletes from the Sault, Sudbury and North Bay will compete for a chance at a birth at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) meet June 5-7 in St. Catherines.

Last week at the city championships, Korah's Clyde Bridge set a city record in the senior boys 100 metres, White Pines' Tyler Koskenoja set a record in senior boys javelin while Janine Olthius from Sir James Dunn set a junior girls standard in the 400 metres.

*** SLO-PITCH TOURNEY: The Northern Slo-Pitch Association is hosting the Soo Slo-Pitch Tournament June 7-8 at Strathclair Field. The tournament will be a Slo-Pitch Ontario provincial qualifier with entries being accepted in men's and co-ed divisions. Winners receive cash and prizes courtesy of Labatt. A $100 deposit is required by Friday to confirm entry. Contact Steve McLeod at 542-7088 for more information.

*** NATIONAL JUNIOR COACHES: Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League announced today that Mario Durocher will be the head coach of Canada's National Junior Team that will compete in the 2004 championships in Finland.

Durocher, head coach of the QMJHL's Lewiston Maineiacs, was an assistant under Marc Habscheid this past year. Durocher will be assisted by Kingston Frontenacs coach Jim Hulton and Dean Chynoweth, coach the the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.

*** NEW RADIO DEAL: The Soo Greyhounds will continue to have all games broadcast on Q104-FM for the next three years. The team reached an agreement with Q owners Rogers Broadcasting Limited and will continue with the team of play-by-play man Gino Cavallo and colour commentator Scott Turnbull.