What’s in a name? For Oregon’s athletic conferences, it’s often not much imagination

By Mike Wilson 

Right here we’re, close to the tip of the primary sports activities season underneath the newest OSAA classification and districting plan. One side of making these districts that could be under-publicized is, how do they get their names?

Peter Weber, government director of the OSAA, answered that query in an e-mail:

“Usually league names are carried over through the classification course of. When new leagues are shaped, or two earlier leagues mixed, the Classification committee will listing a proposed identify for the brand new league. 

“As soon as the classification course of is finalized, every league has the chance to vary their league identify if they need. Normally, the league will vote and tell us if a change is required.”

Nobody’s saying any league wants to vary its identify. However league names and their membership, it appears just a little extra creativeness may have been a assist. With some leagues, the custom embodied by a sure identify in all probability outweighs any arguments for a change, however we will not less than have a look at some potentialities.

Under are some observations in regards to the OSAA Class 6A and 5A districts.

CLASS 6A

District 1: Portland Interscholastic League

Not quite a bit to argue about this one. One may counsel inserting “public” someplace, or possibly utilizing the identify of the varsity district PIL groups belong to (Portland Public Faculties), however PIL has a cachet attributable to its lengthy use that appears price maintaining.

District 2: Metro League

“Metro” was an excellent description for a league that ranged from Hillsboro on the west to David Douglas on the east and included Central Catholic of Southeast Portland and Parkrose of Northeast Portland.

However now? Now, it’s the Beaverton colleges and Jesuit. What to name the trendy model of the league?

What in regards to the Suburbran Sprawl League? Or, in recognition of the principle roads used to entry the faculties, the two(10)-26 League (for Oregon routes 10 and 210 and U.S. 26). Perhaps the Beaverton-Hillsdale League (though Jesuit isn’t within the Hillsdale neighborhood of Southwest Portland)? Or simply the Beaverton Plus One League?

District 3: Pacific Convention

There’s nothing unsuitable with this identify. It’s not as if it was named the Atlantic Convention.

However extra vital, there’s nothing proper about it, both. It’s like naming a canine Buddy.

About 30 seconds of map gazing reveals that the seven colleges on this convention have one among two options: They’re both a couple of par 5’s distance from a golf course or inside sniffing distance of a wine-industry institution.

· Century: The Reserve Winery and Golf Membership

· Forest Grove (5A in soccer): Sundown Grove Golf Course

· Glencoe: Pumpkin Ridge Golf Membership

· Liberty: Rock Creek Nation Membership

· McMinnville: Michelbook Nation Membership

· Newberg: Chehalem Vineyard Tasting Room

· Sherwood: Hawks View Vineyard

So, for a reputation, we may go the Woods and Wine League (not more likely to be OK’d for a highschool league) or the Greens and Grapes League.

District 4: Mt. Hood Convention

First issues first: There has to be a convention named for Oregon’s most outstanding geographic characteristic. That’s only a given. (However can the OSAA please spell out Mount in Mt. Hood Convention? Doesn’t price way more for the additional ink on the packages.)

The quibble with this convention’s identify for its present membership is that Sandy, the convention’s nearest highschool to Mount Hood, is nearly 60 miles away.

Provided that we’re retiring the Metro League for District 2, what about Metro East for these colleges?

District 5: Three Rivers League

I’ll spot you the Tualatin and the Willamette rivers for 2 of the three rivers. I assume the third is the Clackamas River, however that looks like dishonest. The Clackamas doesn’t stream previous any of the league’s colleges, and with Clackamas Excessive Faculty now within the Mt. Hood Convention, it’s time to retire this league’s identify for these colleges.

The entire colleges within the Three Rivers League are south or southwest of Portland. To repeat that annual get-together of cool youngsters in Austin, Texas, how about calling this league the South by Southwest League and abbreviate it SXSW?

District 6

Most soccer packages name this league some variation of the South Central Convention. However doesn’t south central, in Oregon, appear nearer to Klamath Falls and Lakeview than the Interstate 5 area of Salem and components south?

This assortment of groups, by the way in which, may rightly be referred to as the Three Rivers League: Willamette, Umpqua and Rogue. 

As an alternative of reusing a reputation, although, contemplate this. Who, when driving on Interstate 5 just a little north of Salem, hasn’t seen the signal within the median marking the forty fifth parallel — the midway level between the equator and the North Pole?

Each faculty on this convention lies on the forty fifth parallel or south (McNary is at 45.0001 North). Why not the 45 and Under League? It’s a little bit of an if-you-know-you-know factor, however it’s correct and extra descriptive than South Central.

CLASS 5A

Northwest Oregon Convention

Northwest Oregon Convention definitely suits the convention’s membership. They’re all in Northwest Oregon.

A corollary to the requirement that there have to be a Mount Hood Convention, nonetheless, is that its membership ought to include Hood River Valley Excessive Faculty. Wherever that college is, there’s your Mount Hood Convention.

It’s a stretch to say Canby and Wilsonville are within the shadow of Mount Hood, however with a mountain that large, an enormous sweep appears becoming. How about Class 5A District 1 turns into the Mount Hood Convention?

Midwestern League

This identify certain match its membership higher a few many years in the past, when it consisted of faculties in and close to the Eugene-Springfield space. Midwestern doesn’t appear to account for Ashland, Crater of Central Level and Eagle Level.

We’d counsel the Jackson Lane League in recognition of the faculties’ counties, however nothing named for President Andrew Jackson goes to fly (nor ought to it).

What about one thing incorporating Siskiyou? Perhaps the Willamette-Siskiyou League for the nationwide forests close to the faculties?

Mid-Willamette Convention

Can’t actually quibble with this. Woodburn appears just a little north to be “mid” Willamette Valley, however this identify fairly properly nails it.

Intermountain Convention

That is one other vestige from many years in the past, when the convention stretched from Bend to Baker (now Baker Metropolis). However now, it’s all Bend and Redmond.

The most important protrusion between Bend and Redmond is Pilot Butte, which is about 500 ft above the encircling space. 5 hundred ft ain’t a mountain.

Potential replacements for Intermountain Convention embrace the Deschutes, the Juniper or the U.S. 97 Convention. Or what in regards to the 4-Wheel Drive League — enjoying off its district quantity and the recognition of a sure mode of transportation within the Bend-Redmond space?

In lessons decrease than 5A, there are undoubtedly some head-scratchers, misnomers and generically nondescript names (we’re you, Class 3A Mountain Valley League), which we gained’t cope with. Besides one.

Oregon West Convention

Huh? What’s the Oregon West? And is there an Oregon East?