By Mike Wilson
Here we are, near completion of the very first sports season under the most recent OSAA category and districting strategy. One element of producing these districts that might be under-publicized is, how do they get their names?
Peter Weber, executive director of the OSAA, addressed that concern in an e-mail:
“Typically league names are rollovered throughout the category procedure. When brand-new leagues are formed, or 2 previous leagues integrated, the Classification committee will note a proposed name for the brand-new league.
“Once the category procedure is settled, each league has the chance to alter their league name if they desire. Usually, the league will vote and let us understand if a modification is required.”
No one’s stating any league requires to alter its name. But taking a look at league names and their subscription, it appears a bit more creativity might have been an aid. With some leagues, the custom embodied by a particular name most likely surpasses any arguments for a modification, however we can a minimum of take a look at some possibilities.
Below are some observations about the OSAA Class 6A and 5A districts.
CLASS 6A
District 1: Portland Interscholastic League
Not a lot to argue about this one. One might recommend placing “public” someplace, or perhaps utilizing the name of the school district PIL groups come from (Portland Public Schools), however PIL has a prestige attributable to its long usage that appears worth keeping.
District 2: Metro League
“Metro” utilized to be an excellent description for a league that varied from Hillsboro on the west to David Douglas on the east and consisted of Central Catholic of Southeast Portland and Parkrose of Northeast Portland.
But now? Now, it’s the Beaverton schools andJesuit What to call the contemporary variation of the league?
What about the Suburbran Sprawl League? Or, in acknowledgment of the primary roadways utilized to access the schools, the 2( 10 )-26 League (for Oregon paths 10 and 210 and U.S. 26). Maybe the Beaverton-Hillsdale League (although Jesuit isn’t in the Hillsdale community of Southwest Portland)? Or simply the Beaverton Plus One League?
District 3: Pacific Conference
There’s absolutely nothing incorrect with this name. It’s not as if it was called the Atlantic Conference.
But more vital, there’s absolutely nothing right about it, either. It’s like calling a pet Buddy.
About 30 seconds of map looking programs that the 7 schools in this conference have one of 2 functions: They’re either about a par 5’s range from a golf course or within smelling range of a wine-industry facility.
· Century: The Reserve Vineyard and Golf Club
· Forest Grove (5A in football): Sunset Grove Golf Course
· Glencoe: Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
· Liberty: Rock Creek Country Club
· McMinnville: Michelbook Country Club
·Newberg: Chehalem Winery Tasting Room
·Sherwood: Hawks View Winery
So, for a name, we might go the (* )and Woods (not most likely to be okay ‘d for a high school league) or the Wine League and(* ). Greens 4:Grapes League
District things initially: Mt has Hood Conference
First to be a conference called for There ‘s most popular geographical function. ‘s simply an offered. (Oregon can the OSAA please define That inBut Mount? Mt’ t expense far more for the additional ink on the programs.)Hood Conference quibble with this conference’s name for its existing subscription is that Doesn, the conference’s closest high school to
The, is nearly 60 miles away.Sandy that we’re retiring the Mount Hood for
Given 2, what about Metro League for these schools?District 5: Metro East I’ll identify you the
District and the Three Rivers League
rivers for 2 of the 3 rivers. I presume the 3rd is the Tualatin, however that appears like unfaithful. Willamette does not stream past any of the league’s schools, and with Clackamas River now in theThe Clackamas Clackamas High School, it’s time to retire this league’s name for these schools.Mt of the schools in the Hood Conference are south or southwest of
All Three Rivers League copy that yearly party of cool kids in Portland, To, how about calling this league the Austin by Texas and abbreviate it SXSW?South 6Southwest League football programs call this league some variation of the
District
Most does not south main, in South Central Conference, appear closer to But and Oregon than the Klamath Falls 5 area of Lakeview and parts south?Interstate collection of groups, by the method, might appropriately be called the Salem:
This, Three Rivers League andWillamette Umpqua of recycling a name, however, consider this. Rogue, when driving on
Instead 5 a little north of Who, hasn’t discovered the check in the average marking the 45th parallel– the middle in between the equator and the Interstate?Salem school in this conference lies at the 45th parallel or south (McNary is at 45.0001 North Pole).
Every not the 45 and North? Why’s a little an if-you-know-you-know thing, however it’s precise and more detailed than Below League.It CLASS 5ASouth Central definitely fits the conference’s subscription.
‘re all in
Northwest Oregon Conference
Northwest Oregon Conference.They A corollary to the requirement that there need to be a Northwest Oregon, nevertheless, is that its subscription needs to consist of
Mount Hood Conference that school is, there’s your Hood River Valley High School.Wherever’s a stretch to state Mount Hood Conference and
It remain in the shadow of Canby, however with a mountain that huge, an enormous sweep appears fitting. Wilsonville about Mount Hood 5A How 1 ends up being the Class?District name sure fit its subscription much better a number of years earlier, when it included schools in and near the Mount Hood Conference-
Midwestern League
This location. Eugene does not appear to represent Springfield, Midwestern of Ashland and Crater.Central Point ‘d recommend the Eagle Point in acknowledgment of the schools’ counties, however absolutely nothing called for
We is going to fly (nor needs to it).Jackson Lane League about something including President Andrew Jackson?
What the Siskiyou-Maybe for the national parks near the schools?Willamette-Siskiyou League’ t truly quibble with this.
Mid appears a little north to be “mid” Willamette Conference
Can, however this name quite well accomplishes.Woodburn is another vestige from years earlier, when the conference extended from Willamette Valley to
Intermountain Conference
This (now Bend). Baker now, it’s all Baker City and But.Bend most significant protrusion in between Redmond and
The is Bend, which has to do with 500 feet above the surrounding location. Redmond hundred feet ain’t a mountain.Pilot Butte replacements for Five consist of the
Possible, the Intermountain Conference or the U.S. 97Deschutes Juniper what about the 4-Conference– playing off its district number and the appeal of a particular mode of transport in the Or-Wheel Drive League location?Bend classes lower than 5A, there are certainly some head-scratchers, misnomers and generically nondescript names (we’re taking a look at you, Redmond 3A
In), which we will not handle. Class one.Mountain Valley League? Except is the
Oregon West Conference
Huh? What exists an Oregon West?And
