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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 2020)
Sports 7A Thursday, April 30, 2020 Th e Observer Kohr signs to take to the court for BMCC NCAA may allow paid endorsements By Ralph Russo The Associated Press The NCAA is moving forward with a plan to allow college athletes to earn money for endorsements and a host of other activities involving personal appear- ances and social media content. The NCAA announced Wednesday that its Board of Governors supports permit- ting athletes the ability to cash in on their names, images and likenesses as never before and without involvement from the association, schools or conferences. The next step is for membership to draft legislation by Oct. 30. Plenty of details still need to be worked out, including how to ensure that these sponsorship deals aren’t being used as improper inducements to recruits. A formal vote will be taken by schools at the next convention in January and new rules will go into effect no later than the 2021-22 academic year. The nation’s largest governing body for college sports said it will still seek a federal law to keep individual states from passing their owns laws on compensation for college athletes. The board reviewed detailed recom- mendations that open the door for ath- letes to make money on everything from autograph signings and memorabilia sales to signing endorsement deals with compa- nies. College athletes will not be allowed to use their schools’ logos or markings in any sponsorship deals. TREASURE VALLEY STEEL, INC. Staff photo by Ronald Bond/Observer fi le photo Union’s Brianna Kohr, right, puts defensive pressure on Cove’s Austin Kendall during a game earlier this season. Kohr has signed a letter of intent to play basketball for Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. By Ronald Bond The Observer UNION — Until just a couple months ago, playing basketball at the collegiate level wasn’t in the plan for Union senior Brianna Kohr. Little did she know, though, she was being scouted during her fi nal year for the Bobcats. And now she is set to play for the school that was watching her. Kohr on Wednesday signed her letter of intent to play for Blue Mountain Community College, inking herself an opportunity to continue playing a sport she grew up around and loves. “Sports has always been a big part of my life, and being able to continue that brings joy to me,” she said. “I love being involved in stuff like that.” Kohr, who was honor- able mention all-state and helped the Bobcats take fi fth at state, is a three-sport athlete, also playing volley- ball and softball during her time at Union, and initially had hopes of playing soft- ball collegiately. “That was my dream,” she said. “That is what I really loved. I had a few opportunities but nothing that really popped out to me.” College basketball wasn’t in the cards for Kohr — or so she thought — until she was approached by BMCC assistant coach Chance Norquist at the 2A state tournament in Pend- leton in March. According to Kohr, after the Bobcats’ quarterfi nal win over Port- land Christian, Norquist “came up to me and said he watched a couple times. He told me he really enjoyed my attitude and the way I played. He gave me his card and said to keep in contact.” Basketball is in Kohr’s blood. Her mother, Rhondie Rickman-Johansen, is the girls coach at Union and was a former high school player for the Bobcats. Her older sister, Delanie, also played for Union. Rickman-Johansen said she’s excited not only for her daughter to be able to play college ball, but to do so just over the hill in Pendleton. “I’m super duper excited to have her close by,” the coach said. Playing at the collegiate level is something Rick- man-Johansen set out to do after she graduated high school, but she made a late decision to forego playing at Linfi eld and instead chose to attend the University of Idaho. “I share with all my ath- letes about my late decision not to go play, and looking back you can never get it back,” she said. “You give up opportunities (and) you Manufacturing Zee & Cee Purlins In-HouseCustom Cut Exact Lengths Submitted photo Brianna Kohr on Wednesday signs her letter of intent to join the Blue Mountain Community College women’s bas- ketball team. get sidetracked.” Part of her message to her players is to not “give up things that are of interest to you or are your passion.” Now she’ll get to watch her daughter do just that. “I am looking forward to experiencing the game at a different level with her,” she said. “I want to be her biggest fan — getting to watch (her play) at a dif- ferent level and be excited that she took the opportu- nity that was presented to her.” Kohr said she has played basketball consistently since about fourth grade and always enjoyed the sport, but this past season she found a new passion for the game. “I really learned to fall in love with the game,” she said. “I’ve hit a new level of what basketball has taught me and stuff like that. I feel like last year I really started to open up to what I’m capable of doing. This year we had a really successful basketball season. I opened up and tried new things. By doing that I feel more com- fortable and started to fall in love with basketball.” Kohr said she has a defensive approach and a competitiveness that came from her mom. But she also has range on the court. That was put on full display in Union’s fi rst-round home playoff win in late Feb- ruary when she connected for 10 3-pointers and went off for 35 points in a 65-31 thumping of Lakeview. Rickman-Johansen said Kohr’s touch from deep was another aspect BMCC liked about her. “She’ll fi ll a spot as an outside shooter as well as a defensive specialist,” she said. “They’re setting their sights high. They want to sign the best personnel for their program, and they are positive on her.” Kohr said that Norquist wasn’t at that performance but he “heard about it and mentioned it a few times.” She added she wants to develop her ball-handling skills at the next level. “You also need drivers so my goal is to be more confi dent with my ball- handing skills so I can be a driver and an outside shooter,” she said. Her mom agreed with the assessment and said Kohr already is “getting more comfortable han- dling the basketball. She started a workout program, and handling the basket- ball, making sure she is in tip-top shape, getting into a routine where she is putting up shots” are the focus. • 24 Colors • Custom Trim • 2 1/2” Corrugated • Delivery Available • Full Soffitt Line • 3 ft. Gulf Coast Panel • 3 ft. PBR Panel • 3 ft. Mesa Panel • 3 ft. Tuff Rib Panel • Standing Seam DELIVERY • 2 ft. Delta Rib AVAILABLE • 3 ft. 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