Leave the OSAA classifications alone

Over at the Portland Tribune, BlueOregon regular Brian Wagner editorializes about the proposed reclassification of Oregon high school athletics.

At a time when school districts are unable to guarantee support for programs from year to year, traditions and rivalries gain so much more significance because of their stability. And the money problem essentially is about long-term, large-scale funding questions; minor changes to transportation costs amounts to little more than kicking the tires when a new engine is needed. ...

The OSAA has the right to act as it plans to, in contravention of the wishes of most school athletic directors, but the right to act does not mean that action should be taken as one sees fit. The Grant Generals, my alma mater, should not be forced to leave behind all old rivalries and traditions. High school is not the time to prioritize professionalism and bureaucratic interests over fun, teamwork and good old grudge matches.

Read the rest of Let a good thing stay that way at the Portland Tribune.

Also, be sure to check out Brian's earlier posts on the topic here at BlueOregon:
OSAA Realignment: Tradition vs. Modernization
Taking on the OSAA's classism
Knocking on the OSAA's Door

Discuss.

July 07, 2005 Posted in in the news 2005.