SPORTS
8A — THE OBSERVER
THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021
BMR seeking high school soccer referees
By CARLOS FUENTES
The Observer
WHO TO CONTACT
LA GRANDE — Blue
Mountain Referees, the
organization that coordi-
nates high school game offi -
cials between La Grande
and Baker City, is searching
for soccer referees for the
upcoming fall season.
The organization, which
is responsible for varsity
and junior varsity matches
for La Grande High School
and Baker High School,
currently has three senior
referees and two regular
offi cials.
“There’s been a shortage
of referees recently, in all
sports, but specifi cally for
soccer in this area,” BMR
Soccer Referee Commis-
sioner Brandon Torres said.
The association hopes
to hire up to three referees
more by late August, when
the high school soccer
season begins. Varsity
games require three offi -
cials and JV requires two,
although they have played
games with just one offi cial.
“It’s hard to fi nd people
that are passionate about
the sport and want to learn,
but that’s the kind of person
that I want to hire,” Torres
said. “I just need people. As
long as they’re willing to
learn, I’m willing to train
them.”
Those interested in being a
soccer offi cial can reach BMR
Soccer Referee Commissioner
Brandon Torres at kraos1.bt@
gmail.com.
soccer team, said promoting
a strong sense of sports-
manship and respect is key
to making referees feel
comfortable — something
he tells his team before
FRIDAY, JUNE 11
Prep boys basketball
Union at Wallowa, 6:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Union at Wallowa, 5 p.m.
Ontario at La Grande, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 12
Prep boys basketball
Pine Eagle at Enterprise, noon
Wallowa at Enterprise, 3 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Wallowa at Enterprise, 1:30 p.m.
Prep wrestling
La Grande at 4A-SD4 District
Wrestling Championship, La
Grande, 10 a.m.
MONDAY, JUNE 14
Prep boys basketball
Powder Valley at Enterprise,
2:30 p.m.
Union at Nyssa, 4:40 p.m.
Nixyaawii at La Grande,
5:30 p.m.
Joseph at Grant Union,
6:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Nixyaawii at La Grande, 1 p.m.
Powder Valley at Enterprise,
1 p.m.
Joseph at Grant Union, 5 p.m.
TUESDAY, JUNE 15
Prep boys basketball
La Grande at Vale, 4:30 p.m.
Union vs. Crane, Powder Valley
High School, TBD
Crane at Powder Valley, TBD
Prep girls basketball
Vale at La Grande, 5:30 p.m.
Union vs. Crane, Powder Valley
High School, TBD
Crane at Powder Valley, TBD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16
Prep boys basketball
Crane at Enterprise, 1:30 p.m.
Crane at Joseph, 6 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Crane at Enterprise, noon
Crane at Joseph, 4:30 p.m.
Andrew Cutler/The Observer, File
FRIDAY, JUNE 18
Prep girls basketball
Baker City at La Grande, 5 p.m.
Damascus Christian at Powder
Valley, 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 19
Prep boys basketball
Joseph at Grant Union, 3 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Powder Valley at Grant Union,
1:30 p.m.
Helping you cook
your bounty!
La Grande’s Lewis Wright is upended during a nonconference win
over Pendleton on Sept. 7, 2016. Blue Mountain Referees, the or-
ganization that coordinates high school game offi cials between La
Grande and Baker City, is searching for soccer referees for the up-
coming fall season.
According to Torres,
most new referees leave the
position because of unac-
ceptable parent and fan
behavior.
“Some teams and the
people around them have
fostered an attitude that if
their team loses, it’s our
fault,” Torres said. “I’ve had
people scream at me, curse
at me, but I’m stubborn
enough to keep on doing it
because I love it.”
According to Hank
Hudson, a high school ref-
eree in the area since 1988,
parents should be more con-
cerned about having ref-
erees at all. Over the last
fi ve years, several games
have been rescheduled
because of the issue.
“Without referees, they
can’t have the sport,” he
said. “Games have had to
be cancelled in the past
because there weren’t
enough refs, so that’s what
parents should be worried
about.”
Sidronio Rangel, the
head coach of the La
Grande High School’s boys
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THURSDAY, JUNE 17
Prep boys basketball
Powder Valley at Joseph,
3:30 p.m.
Union at La Grande, 6 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Powder Valley at Joseph, 2 p.m.
Union at La Grande, 4:30 p.m.
Prep wrestling
La Grande at SD4 District Meet,
Gladstone High School, TBD
anyone who is passionate
about the sport and wants to
uphold these values should
consider applying, and
Rangel agrees.
“It’s a good opportu-
nity to get to know the sport
of soccer and also make
some money,” Rangel said.
“We’ve had to rearrange
some games, but the refs
have been great and I think
it’s a good chance for edu-
cation for anyone who loves
the game.”
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ON THE
SLATE
THURSDAY, JUNE 10
Prep boys basketball
Union at La Grande, 6 p.m.
Enterprise at Joseph, 6:30 p.m.
Powder Valley at Nixyaawii,
7:30 p.m.
Prep girls basketball
Union at La Grande, 4:30 p.m.
Powder Valley at Nixyaawii,
6 p.m.
every match.
“I’ve asked everyone to
be sportsmanlike. There’s
no tolerance for any sort of
backtalk, abusive behavior
or anything like that,” he
said. “I want this to spread
beyond the team itself, to
the parents, fans, opponents
and community members
that are at our games.”
For Torres, the two main
priorities for offi cials should
be integrity of the game and
team safety. He said that
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