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SATURDAY EDITION | FEBRUARY 20, 2021 | $1.00
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Out
By Lloyd Little
Siuslaw News
Retired teacher, coach and
game offi cial
Community
&
Lifestyle
With more than55 years as an
athlete, coach, parent and specta-
tor, Lloyd Little has gained some
insights and perspectives regarding
athletics. Each week, he shares
what he's learned about sports
from his multiple points of view.
Vicarious Participation
ODFW REGIONAL
FISHING REPORT
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
LAKE, PONDS, RESERVOIRS:
Mid-coast lakes scheduled to
receive stockings the week of
Feb. 8 include Cleawox, Munsel,
Lost, Carter, Dune, Alder and
Thissel. Tis’ the season for mid-
coast trout. This week (Feb. 15),
the Big Creek Reservoirs near
Newport will be stocked.
SIUSLAW RIVER: Winter steel-
head
Winter steelhead fishing con-
tinues to be slow on the Siuslaw
like all the other coastal rivers
this season. The river has
dropped into shape and will
have good conditions through
the upcoming weekend. Expect
the fishing to improve as
February is typically the peak
month on the Siuslaw. The
Whitaker Creek area is the best
place to target returning hatch-
ery fish.
ALSEA RIVER: Winter steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing con-
tinues to be slow on the Alsea.
Even with the ideal conditions
over the weekend, the fishing
was slow. Anglers are still catch-
ing some fish everyday through-
out the system from the NF
Alsea bank fishery all the way
down to the plunking shacks on
the lowest portions of the river,
but it’s been tough. The later
returning wild broodstock fish
are providing the majority of the
catch now and typically peak in
February and early March
Reminder: The popular winter
steelhead bank fishery around
the Alsea Hatchery remains
open but the hatchery grounds
are closed to the public. Anglers
See
FISHING 3B
Tide Tables
Entrance Siuslaw River
High Tide
Low Tide
Feb. 20
5:32am / 6.6
7:41pm / 4.8
1:04pm / 1.6
Feb. 21
6:32am / 6.6
9:01pm / 5.1
12:15am / 3.9
2:10pm / 1.2
Feb. 22
7:35am / 6.8
9:55pm / 5.4
1:36am / 4.1
3:07pm / 0.8
Feb. 23
8:34am / 7.1
10:36pm / 5.8
2:45am / 3.9
3:55pm / 0.3
Feb. 24
9:27am / 7.5
11:11pm / 6.1
3:40am / 3.6
4:37pm / -0.2
Feb. 25
10:16am / 7.8
11:44pm / 6.5
4:28am / 3.1
5:16pm / -0.6
Feb. 26
11:02am / 8.1
5:12am / 2.5
5:53pm / -0.8
PHOTOS BY NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
Members of the Siuslaw soccer team participate in an optional practice Wednesday.
Siuslaw soccer kicks off
The program is thriving as it heads into its first varsity season
B Y Z EAHNA Y OUNG
Siuslaw News
A
fter being given the
go-ahead by the
Oregon School
Activities Association (OSAA)
board, Siuslaw High School will
begin official soccer practices
this Monday (Feb. 22), with
Season Two matches beginning
the week of March 1.
Fortunately, the Vikings have
been able to run optional prac-
tices since Season One began.
Coach Londi Tomaro had much
to say about the upcoming sea-
son.
“Well, it's definitely a differ-
ent year with all of the COVID
considerations,” said Tomaro.
“But it was going to be a differ-
ent year for us anyway, because
this is the first year we've had a
varsity team, [and] the first year
we've had enough kids for more
than one team [JV].”
The soccer program at
Siuslaw High School has grown
quickly since its recent induc-
tion, with this year being their
third year competing.
According to Tomaro, “Our first
year, we formed in August,
[and] basically our athletic
director was getting us games
wherever he could fit us in. We
were scrambling that whole first
year. Last year, we had an actual
schedule, all JV, and then this
year, we're varsity and JV. So,
things are changing every year,
and nobody's had a chance
See
SOCCER 2B
Siuslaw soccer coach Londi
Tomaro (above right) works
with a player during drills;
This year's team will include
boys and girls on both teams.
OSAA Executive Board addresses Culminating Week options
The
OSAA
Executive
Board met in a work session
Wednesday (Feb. 17) to re-
ceive updates from the OSAA
staff on recently updated
guidance from the Governor’s
Office and Oregon Health Au-
thority (OHA) and to finalize
decisions on Season 2 Culmi-
nating Week sports events.
During the meeting, the
board discussed the current
realities associated with con-
ducting large-scale events
during a pandemic.
Differences between team
and individual sports, antici-
pated issues with establishing
equitable qualifying proce-
dures, district adopted travel
restrictions, gathering size
restrictions based on coun-
ty risk level capacity limits,
and impacts associated with
schools forming regional
pods were just a few of the
topics discussed.
Ultimately,
the
board
reached consensus that the
best course of action to take
for Season 2 is to return that
week to the schools to coor-
dinate and execute local/re-
gional culminating events at
their discretion.
This lengthens the already
truncated season and pro-
vides additional participation
opportunities for all students
at all levels in a program.
The board directed staff to
support schools as they orga-
nize these events at the local/
regional level.
“The OSAA Executive
Board does not want to put
any undue pressure on schools
to participate in a statewide
event that could potential-
ly place their students and
school community at risk,”
said OSAA Executive Direc-
tor Peter Weber. “Recommen-
dations from the OHA advise
restricting unnecessary travel
between counties, especially
when they are at different risk
levels.
"The group felt that requir-
ing schools to travel across
the state with the potential for
overnight stays for events is
not prudent at this time.”
The board acknowledge
that the decision means some
schools will not be able to
start participating on time,
See
OSAA 3B
Th ose who can play, will
play. Th ose who cannot play,
will play in their minds.
Whether you are sitting in
the stands or watching your
favorite team or individu-
al on television, many fans
imagine themselves on the
fi eld.
Th ere is little harm for peo-
ple to see themselves making
the plays of their favorite
sports star. Th ere should,
however, be a limit to this vi-
carious enthusiasm.
Turning to a friend and
commenting that you could
have caught that pass, hit that
pitch or made that putt is far
diff erent than yelling and
screaming about a missed
opportunity by a player on
the fi eld.
Individuals and teams
love loud vocal support at
their home competitions
when they play. Th e Seattle
Seahawks have dubbed their
home fans their 12th man.
Th eir noise is so loud it
disrupts the visiting teams’
off ense.
Whenever they cause a
mistake because of their
noise I am sure they feel they
have contributed to the victo-
ry. It makes it uncomfortable
for a family attending the
game. Th e game should not
be decided because the vis-
iting team gets fl agged for a
false start because they could
not hear.
Th roughout my playing
and coaching career, I have
witnessed parents, usually
the Dad, verbally confront
their son or daughter shortly
aft er the ending of a contest.
Th e most common nega-
tives are “You should have...”
in regards to a physical or
mental mistake their athlete
has made.
It seems to me the expec-
tations of a parent vicariously
participating through their
athlete are set too high. Pro-
fessional athletes being paid
millions of dollars can and
do make mistakes.
It is unrealistic to expect
your athlete to be perfect.
I played one sport or an-
other for over 25 years. I have
experienced the highs and
lows of competition. I did
not need to vicariously play
through the multiple games
I attended for my four chil-
dren. Th is does not mean that
I sat quietly and observed
their team as they played.
As I matured, I found my-
self appreciating good plays
from each athlete on the
fi eld. I cheered good plays
and groaned with the crowd
on disappointing plays.
One day, a long time ago,
my brother and I were in a
store in Warrenton, Ore. An
adult friend of our dad came
up to us and told us our dad
was really bragging about our
play in the previous nights’
game. It seems whenever our
dad went to morning coff ee
at the local café, he would
talk about how well his sons
played the previous night.
It was a surprise to us both.
We remember getting home
aft er games and hearing
about all the things we could
See
LITTLE 3B