Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2008)
^(P 08 _ ___ ______________ Forum Non-traditional sports receive little recognition whether or not the OSAA are men who have more recognizes them as a sport. Staff Reporter interest in men's sports than The school sports, women's, but this doesn't Football, boys' basketball except lacrosse explain why the boys' and baseball may not be the which was added games draw more student most successful sports teams spectators. that West Linn has to offer, but to satisfy Title IX, are OSAA \ * West Linn is not a they are undeniably the most sports. Before one sport school. highly recognized, followed the OSAA will Yes, our Varsity and attended. These are the recognize » Volleyball Team most traditional sports in something i y wHMl has been America and have been for as a sport, Jp quite some time, but times over 50 V are changing and students percent of | have developed a wider range the teams at A of interests. Athletes in all the 6A level M sports work and devote time extraordinarily would have f lK and effort to training and successful in the to have a JR competition, but not many \ past, but that fl:.'/”’-' people know about them, or \ doesn't mean that / sport. seem to care. fr'' that when So, for The Girls' Rugby Team is ■fct people rugby to one of the most successful Ip P * become a in the nation, but very few Mr school sport, over people know about it. They 50 percent of all the 6A have won the state title schools in the sport would every year since 2004 and immediately have to have a team, and then have been undefeated since hear the name, "West the OSAA would have to 2005. In 2007, the team was Linn," that they should think create special districts for the ranked ninth in the USA. In only of it. The majority of our teams. 2008 they were ranked second sports teams usually make it Girls' sports teams, as a in the region. to playoffs—at least the first whole, are supremely under And what about round. Volleyball averages recognized in comparison to Girls'Golf, Boys' | about 40 student spectators boys' sports teams. After Title Ski Team, and the g at the majority of their home IX passed, which requires Snowboarding games. People need to attend equal funding, Team? Last year, lesser known sports as well. w opportunities the Girls'Golf On the day of the volleyball JP and recognition playoffs, about a quarter of Team took ¡gSy for female Ajth in state, the student body left school sports, it afternoon to go watch, y ' - . ' liTciuding a M W " X* for the ¡¡¡III would which was great; those fourth place ‘t \ have individual Wmm students were supporting ■ h been finish for ] our school and our awesome ¡ ¡ I expected that Suna Shin, gp J ’ Volleyball Team, but if they girls' and boys' ^ sophomore. M k 1|| are going to go watch The Boys' Ski 4^1'. ^ sports would volleyball playoffs, Team won third flE? ^ ¡1 l l | ^ even out and At , they need to i ^ become in state, which q -T fe /Q* watch golf and ski included David playoffs as well. Hinton's, m This fall, our Football senior, Team, Girls' and Boys' Cross second equally Country teams and Boys' place finish. Soccer Team all worked hard popular. Last year the Snowboarding enough to make it to playoffs. This is nowhere near true—at Team's Tanner Kewley, senior, Recognize all sports; attend least in our area. won second in state in the their games, recognize them The last three years, the Men's Individual Halfpipe at assemblies, and support Girls' Varsity Basketball and Mackenzie Bruns, 2008 them in playoffs. Team has consistently made graduate, earned fourth in the Recognize the it to either the first or second state in Women's Individual round of playoffs, whereas Halfpipe. All of these athletes the Boys' Varsity Basketball work and train just as hard, if Team only made it to the first not harder than our football, round one of those years. boys' basketball and baseball Theoretically, you would players, and people need to think that spectators would recognize this. want to come and watch J Some of these sports, the more successful team J g j such as rugby, ski and play, but the girls' jg lf i snowboarding, aren't listed as school sports. They are classified as club sports. This means that these sports are * achievements affiliated with WLHS of all sports, games and are allowed to use * West Linn. never have even a quarter of the facilities free of charge As the fall sports season the spectators that the boys during the season, but comes to a close and winter games draw. Usually on game receive no funding from the sports begin, think about nights, the student stands at district, while school sports all the games and events the girls' games have about receive pay for coaches, you could watch on Friday 12 people and the student transportation and supplies. evening, not just boys' stands at the boys' games According to Rob basketball. The face of sports have an average of about 85. Holstrom, athletic director, is changing, and maybe your I understand that most of the the difference between school viewing habits should too. people going to watch games rts and club sports is "Girl's Lacrosse doesn't get recognized that much and it should." J ennifer S itton team —Jazzmin Nielsen, freshman "Volleyball team because they won state [last year] and they're good." — Thomas Ward\ so p h " omore S W hat do you think is the most under appreciated sport or activity that deserves more attention and funds? W hy? "Either band and orchestra or the girl's softball team.' — Jenny Cooper, ju n io r "Cross country because they perform very well and it's not represented as much as sports that don't do as well." — Charles Corbett, senior All photos by Avery Breyne-Cartwright
