DREAD OF THE CLASS.Byline: Steve Mims The Register-Guard CORRECTION (ran 10/12/2005): A headline on Page E8 Tuesday incorrectly stated that the Midwestern League is united in opposition to an Oregon School Activities Association proposal to create a six-classification system. Marshfield and Lebanon are not against the proposal. Fittingly, South Medford athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic Dennis Murphy used a sporting metaphor to sum up his thoughts on the six-classification proposal for prep sports that would move his Panthers into a league with Sheldon and South Eugene. "When somebody makes a dramatic move, some group will win and some will lose and we lost," Murphy said. "Our league has been blown apart and if you look at the mileage we have to travel, we lost. Is there a win in this for us? I'd say not." Murphy's sentiments have been echoed by nearly everyone in the Midwestern League since the Oregon School Activities Association classification and districting committee made its recommendation two weeks ago. The OSAA OSAA Oregon School Activities Association OSAA Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (United Nations body) OSAA Ocean State Aquaculture Association OSAA Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (Philippines) executive board will vote on the proposal on Oct. 24, and any changes will begin with the 2006-07 school year. "I'm very disturbed by it," South Eugene principal Randy Bernstein said. "I don't think it's a good thing for our school or our league personally." Yet the committee's recommendation has generated mostly positive reviews from around the state. The proposal is aimed at improving competitive balance by reducing the enrollment difference between schools in a league. For example, the current four-classification system puts all schools with enrollment greater than 901 students at the 4A level so Marshfield, with 1,127 students, is in the same league as South Eugene, which has 1,694 students. The six-classification system would cut the gaps between schools in the same league by putting schools with an enrollment between 851 and 1,520 in the 5A class and those greater than 1,521 in 6A. South Eugene and Sheldon are the only two Midwestern League schools that fall into the proposed 6A category, so they would be put into a league with the four current Southern Oregon This article is about the southern region of the U.S. state of Oregon. For the University, see Southern Oregon University. Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. Conference schools at that level - Grants Pass, Roseburg, South Medford and North Medford North Medford is the name of some places in the United States of America:
While the changes are not as big of a concern in the Portland area, where schools do not have to travel far to face league opponents, the recommendation has drawn concerns from South Eugene, Sheldon and the larger Southern Oregon schools because of a potential large increase in travel costs. "I can't help but think that although Sheldon and South Eugene will be asked to go to play in Southern Oregon, I do not see any Portland schools having to come down here at all," Sheldon principal Bob Bolden said. "None of them has to go down a straight highway 112 miles when we have to send our kids three and a half hours over all kinds of summits. The trip is not without concerns for the highways. I don't think it's fair. Some consider it fair, but being one of the schools that gets the major brunt brunt n. 1. The main impact or force, as of an attack. 2. The main burden: bore the brunt of the household chores. of it, it is not fair to our community or kids." Willamette athletic director Barry Bokn agreed that the recommendation would be questioned if schools in the Portland area were forced to face longer bus trips. "My viewpoint is that it's crazy to ask metropolitan schools like those in Eugene to move to Medford," Bokn said. "It would be like asking Portland schools to travel to Eugene. People would cry bloody murder if instead of going across the Burnside Bridge The Burnside Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The original Burnside Bridge was a swing span bridge that opened in 1894. The replacement was part of a $4. you had to travel 110 miles south and play somebody in this league. People would say, `Are you nuts? What did you do that for?' That is what they are asking Sheldon and South Eugene to do and it is no different. That is why people down here are scratching their heads." Travel costs, missed class time Pat Latimer, the Eugene School District Eugene School District (4J) is a public school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. It serves the city of Eugene Elementary schools
He said that the combined travel budget for South Eugene and Sheldon athletics would increase by at least $100,000 per year. That figure includes mileage and the hourly wages for bus drivers, and it could go up if gas prices continue to rise. South Eugene athletic director Dave Hancock said such numbers could force drastic changes below the varsity level. "I don't think I can send my JVs on a bus Thursday and then the send the varsity on Friday," he said. "For a charter bus it is $900 and a yellow bus is $700, so if we are talking about volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. on Tuesday and JV football on Thursday and then varsity football Friday Football Friday is a football news and analysis television show on ESPNEWS every Friday, year round, at 8pm ET to 9pm ET and reairs at 11pm ET, the same day. Since debuting in 2004, the show has been hosted by Stan Verrett along with analysis from former pro fullback Merril at South Medford, that's $2,100 and I haven't talked about soccer yet. With one soccer match we're now at $2,800 and we have gotten through one week of sports. "Realistically, if it came to that I'd have to look at a lot of things real Same as See also: Thing quick, including only fielding varsity in that league. We might travel by activity vans and have coaches be drivers of those vans. I couldn't imagine all of a sudden this place sending four buses a day between us and Sheldon to Grants Pass, Roseburg and Medford. There are too many other things they have to do with all the high schools and middle schools. It is one thing to get a bus from here to Churchill and another to get it even to Roseburg." Another issue is missed class time, and Latimer currently estimates a student playing sports misses five hours of class per term due to athletics. Latimer said that number could increase to 25 hours of missed class time per term with increased travel. That seems to be the biggest concern among local educators. "I have no doubt we would compete well against those schools, but my thought isn't toward the athletic part," Bolden said. "I can't get away from thinking that in `student-athlete' we are forgetting the student part and focusing on the athletic part. It will be hard for my students to endure the long trips to Southern Oregon. We've gotten used to five- or 10-minute trips around here, and now we are looking at three and a half hours on a yellow bus. We talk about wanting kids to do well academically, and they could miss up to 10 days of school if they are a multisport mul·ti·sport also mul·ti·sports adj. 1. Composed of, involving, or accommodating several sports: a multisport competition; a multisport stadium. 2. athlete." Hancock had similar sentiments. "I just think that everyone gets caught up in winning, winning, winning," he said. "We have really lost sight of the fact that these are student-athletes, and their No. 1 job is academics and their No. 1 goal is to come out with a diploma and go to college." Murphy, who coaches boys basketball at South Medford along with his athletic director duties, is opposed to the recommendation for similar reasons. "If you consider having to take kids out of school more often and hiring substitutes for teachers and then the kids get home later and get up early the next day, I don't think it is real conducive to good learning styles and experiences," he said. Bolden added concern that Sheldon could lose some athletes and coaches if they are forced to travel greater distances. "With the possibility of not having families being able to see kids play because they are so far away, some may rethink whether or not to have their kids participate," Bolden said. "I have some young coaches with young families, and I'm afraid we will lose some of them because of the extra time away from their families." League asks to stay together The new classifications would affect Sheldon and South Eugene more than any other local school, but those two are receiving support from Churchill, North Eugene, Springfield, Thurston and Willamette in the form of a declaration signed by three district superintendents District Superintendent may be:
The five schools slated to be in the 5A classification said they would agree to play up to the 6A level if they were put in the same league as Sheldon and South Eugene. "I think we're interested in keeping the league together and we don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. whether its 6A or 5A," Churchill athletic director Tim Carmichael said. "If I was to prioritize pri·or·i·tize v. pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing, pri·or·i·tiz·es Usage Problem v.tr. To arrange or deal with in order of importance. v.intr. what's important to us, I thing geographic proximity is more important to us than how we would fare in the playoffs at the 5A level vs. the 6A level." Springfield School District superintendent Nancy Golden said she considered all sides of the issue before deciding to sign the declaration stating that Springfield and Thurston would move up to 6A. Springfield athletic director Matt Binkerd said he would support Golden's decision, although he would prefer to keep the school at the 5A level. "In my eyes In My Eyes was a Boston straight edge band that spearheaded the 1997 youth crew revival along with Ten Yard Fight, Bane, The Trust, Fastbreak and Floorpunch. The band and its members were a part of the hot bed that was the Boston music scene in the late 90's and early 2000's. , I don't see how the declaration to move up helps us," Binkerd said. "I don't see any benefit for us here at Springfield. When I look at our programs and where we are at and the competition level, without a doubt it is in our best interest to stay in the classification chosen." Marshfield will play at the 5A level and would be put in a league with North Eugene, Churchill, Willamette, Thurston and Springfield unless the OSAA board approves the request to move those schools up to 6A. "That would be our ideal situation because it is the best in terms of travel for us," Marshfield athletic director Greg Mulkey said of staying in a league with Eugene and Springfield schools. "It maintains some of the integrity of the league with six out of the nine staying together, and I believe it would be one of the toughest leagues at the 5A level. Most of the proposals that came out prior to the final recommendation had us going south, so we're pleased." However, Marshfield would be left all alone if the other five schools move up to 6A. The committee would then move Marshfield into a different 5A league. "What that would do is throw us back on our own, and we would be at the mercy of the decision of where we would go," Mulkey said. "There are only two choices. One would be Southern Oregon with Klamath Falls Klamath Falls, city (1990 pop. 17,737), seat of Klamath co., SW Oreg., at the southern tip of Upper Klamath Lake; inc. 1905. It is the processing and distribution center of a lumber, livestock, and farm area. and Mazama and the other would be with Lebanon, Dallas and the Albany and Corvallis schools." Schools had until last Wednesday to declare to the OSAA that they wanted to request a change in their classification or league placement on the recommended proposal. The five local schools who agreed to play up to the 6A level made their request in a declaration that included the contingency that the schools would stay at 5A if they were not put in the same league as Sheldon and South Eugene. "If we are told we can all stay together, we would all jump in a heartbeat immediately. See also: heartbeat ," Bokn said. "What we are afraid of is stating we want to play 6A and then Willamette would be a prime example as a one-horse district that if they wanted to form a six-team 6A district with Eugene or Springfield then they might send us someplace some·place adv. & n. Somewhere: "I didn't care where I was from so long as it was someplace else" Garrison Keillor. See Usage Note at everyplace. else that has only five schools. I don't want to shoot my own foot in that regard." Three schools in the state declared their intention to move up a classification last week and five asked to be moved down. Five Portland Interscholastic League The Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) is a high school athletic conference in Portland, Oregon that is a member of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA). Competition among member schools dates back to at least 1900. schools that previously announced plans to play up to 6A declared that they would prefer to be in a 5A league by themselves with the contingency that they would move to 6A if that request was not accommodated. Five schools requested to be moved to a different league in the same classification. "Only 14 or 15 out of 287 schools made a request for change, so I'd say the committee did a pretty good job," OSAA executive director Tom Welter said. There could be more requests, and one that would likely affect the Midwestern League schools would be if Crater moved up to 6A. The school board there voted to stay at 5A, but athletic director John Beck John Beck is the name of:
"If Eugene does that and pulls South Eugene and Sheldon out of the SOC, that leaves them with four teams and I don't think that's a good idea," Beck said. "So we would probably re-evaluate what options we might have to make." Ashland has also indicated that it is still considering a move up to 6A, and if both Ashland and Crater were to move up, that would seem to help the case for keeping the Midwestern schools together. "If Crater is going to play up and if Eagle Point and Ashland decide to play 6A also, that balances the leagues out," Hancock said. Tradition is strong Marty Johnson played in the Midwestern League at Marshfield, served as an assistant football coach at Willamette for seven years and is now in his ninth season as head football coach at Sheldon. He cringes at the thought of moving the Irish out of their traditional league. "I don't really favor it because of the rivalries that have been created, and it will take a long time to establish a new set of rivalries," Johnson said. "I feel bad for the incoming ninth-graders and kids who will be sophomores who grew up wanting to play Willamette, Marshfield and Thurston and they may not get the chance now." It could be a similar demise for the rivalry between Churchill and South Eugene. "To me, our win over South Eugene last year in boys basketball was as exciting as any playoff game Noun 1. playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" playoff - any final competition to determine a championship we've been around, and their win over Churchill in football two years ago was just as exciting to them after not winning in many years," Carmichael said. "It is a great rivalry between us and South and Sheldon and North Eugene, so we want to keep playing them. It does not make sense to drive by a school two miles away and head to Southern Oregon and play." It is uncertain if the local schools would continue to schedule games against each other if they were in different classifications. The 6A schools may elect to play nonleague games against teams in the same classification rather than compete against 5A schools. "There is no guarantee that we will play them in nonleague because that is considered playing down," Hancock said. "We have nothing to gain and everything to lose. That's why you don't see a lot of 4A schools playing 3A schools." The six-classification system is designed to give schools a better chance to compete by putting them in classifications with schools of a similar size, but Murphy said that will not solve all the problems. "We don't live in a world where everything is fair," he said. "We'd like that, but it is not the real world we live in. I'm sorry those schools are not winning. "I really think we are making a huge change for a few people. If you look at that one league that has Parkrose, Sandy and Milwaukie, to their credit somebody is going to be successful that hasn't been, but some of those other teams are still going to lose. Eight years ago, South Medford football was 1-8 and were we crying that we can't play? No, we said we have to work harder and try to improve." There are less than two weeks remaining until the executive board has the final word on the issue. "We happen to be the school district most affected, and South Eugene and Sheldon happen to be the two schools most impacted," Latimer said. "Whether we can generate enough noise to make a change, I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. . That's my fear to be honest, but we're sure looking at it." CAPTION(S): South Eugene and Sheldon would join the Southern Oregon Conference's larger schools if the OSAA's executive committee approves the six-classification plan on Oct. 24. "My viewpoint is that it's crazy to ask metropolitan schools like those in Eugene to move to Medford. It would be like asking Portland schools to travel to Eugene. People would cry bloody murder if instead of going across the Burnside Bridge you had to travel 110 miles south and play somebody in this league." BARRY BOKN WILLAMETTE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR How the rest of the state's leagues would look under the OSAA's plan DISTRICT 1 Grant: 1,807 Wilson: 1,490* Benson: 1,462* Franklin: 1,459* Lincoln: 1,430* Cleveland: 1,283* Madison: 996* Marshall: TBD TBD abbr. to be determined * Roosevelt: TBD* Jefferson: TBD* DISTRICT 2 Westview: 2,322 Southridge: 1,921 Beaverton: 1,916 Sunset: 1,890 Aloha: 1,796 Jesuit: 1,122* DISTRICT 3 David Douglas
David Douglas (June 25, 1799 – 1834) was a Scottish botanist. : 2,569 Reynolds: 2,411 Gresham: 1,793 Barlow bar·low n. An inexpensive, one- or two-bladed pocketknife. [After Barlow, the family name of its makers, two brothers in Sheffield, England.] : 1,789 Centennial: 1,762 St. Mary's Academy: 1,122 Central Catholic: 791* DISTRICT 4 Oregon City There are two places named Oregon City in the United States:
n. Scots 1. A waterfall. 2. A steep ravine. [Scottish Gaelic linne, pool, waterfall.] : 1,521 Putnam: 1,342* Lake Oswego Lake Os·we·go A city of northwest Oregon, a residential suburb of Portland. Population: 35,800. : 1,235* Lakeridge: 1,050* DISTRICT 5 McMinnville: 1,883 Tigard: 1,834 Tualatin: 1,675 Canby: 1,635 Forest Grove: 1,549 Newberg: 1,525 DISTRICT 7 McNary: 1,852 North Salem North Salem is the name of several towns in the United States:
A river, about 322 km (200 mi) long, rising in the Cascade Range of southwest Oregon and flowing generally south and southwest to the Pacific Ocean. : 491 Illinois Valley: 442 Pleasant Hill: 424 DISTRICT 7 Ontario: 735 Baker: 650 McLoughlin: 437 La Grande: TBD DISTRICT 1 Rainier Rai·nier , Mount A volcanic peak, 4,395.1 m (14,410 ft) high, of the Cascade Range in west-central Washington. It is the highest point in the range and the highest elevation in the state. : 344 Clatskanie: 298 Oregon Episcopal: 260 Catlin Gabel: 259 Neah-Kah-Nie: 258 Warrenton: 255 Portland Adventist Academy: 240 Vernonia: 238 Portland Christian: 227* DISTRICT 2 Valley Catholic: 353 Willamina: 327 Dayton: 324 Gervais: 300 Westside Christian: 300 Amity am·i·ty n. pl. am·i·ties Peaceful relations, as between nations; friendship. [Middle English amite, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *am : 295 Colton: 265 Sheridan: 259 DISTRICT 5 Riverside: 350 Vale: 311 Nyssa: 309 Umatilla: 295 Grant Union: 261 Burns: TBD DISTRICT 1 De La Salle De La Salle is the name of several educational institutions affiliated with the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, also known as the Lasallian Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious teaching order founded by French priest Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle: n. A dove or pigeon. [Middle English, from Old English culufre, from Vulgar Latin *columbra, from Latin columbula, diminutive of columba, dove.] : 166 Delphian School: 142 Western Mennonite: 120 East Linn Christian: 97* DISTRICT 4 Lakeview**: 304 Cascade Christian: 223 Lost River: 191 St. Mary's: 188 Bonanza Bonanza saga of the Cartwright family. [TV: Terrace, I, 111–112] See : Wild West : 179 Chiloquin: 164 Glendale: 149 Riddle riddle, puzzling question, specifically one that consists of a fanciful description or definition of something to be guessed. A famous riddle was asked by the Sphinx: "What goes on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, on three at night?" Oedipus guessed the : 139 Gilchrist: 120 Canyonville Christian Academy: 116 Milo Milo, athlete of ancient Greece Milo (mī`lō) or Milon (mī`lŏn), fl. 500 B.C., athlete of ancient Greece, b. Crotona. Adventist Academy: TBD DISTRICT 5 Weston-McEwen: 216 Enterprise: 163 Union: 157 Stanfield: 150 Heppner: 140 Imbler: 127 Pilot Rock: 125 Elgin: 125 Irrigon: TBD |
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