WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A11
SPORTS
Grid Kids sign-ups nearing
HERMISTON HERALD
Hermiston Grid Kids
Football sign-ups will be
held Aug. 25-27 at Sunset
Elementary from 6-8 p.m.
The league is for players
entering the third through
sixth grades, and will com-
pete in two age divisions.
Cost is $80 and is due
at sign-up. The league will
provide all equipment ex-
cept for cleats.
A player draft will be
held on the 27th for new
players and all ¿ fth graders.
Practices will begin Aug.
31 with the ¿ rst games be-
ing played on Sept. 16.
The Grid Kids tradition-
ally ¿ eld ¿ ve teams in each
age group, and plays an
eight-game season.
Every player will play
in every game, and every
player will get a turn to
start.
The league champion-
ships will be played on Oct.
31.
To get involved as a vol-
unteer, or for more infor-
mation about sign-ups con-
tact league president Joe
Gutierrez at 541-314-5399
or go to the league web site
at HermistonYouthSports.
com.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
Half marathon opens
registration
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BARBEE
During his À rst fall camp as head football coach, Hermiston’s David Faaeteete works with offensive lineman at practice.
Registration is open
for the Columbia River
Power Half Marathon,
which will be run this
year on Saturday, Oct. 3.
The course will again
begin and end at Big
River Golf Course and
crosses the McNary Dam.
Along with the half
marathon, racers can
enter the 8-kilometer
walk/run and the Half
Marathon Relay.
More information
on the course route
and registration forms
can be found online at
ColumbiaRiverMarathon.
com.
The Columbia River
Power Half Marathon
is sponsored by the
Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce.
Youth pheasant hunt
coming to Hermiston
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BARBEE
Though David Faaeteete is Hermiston’s new head football coach, the vision set forth by his predecessor, Mark Hodges, is still the
program’s vision, Faaeteete said.
COACH:
continued from Page A10
so you don’t feel over-
whelmed. And I think I’ve
done a good job of that.”
At practice, Faaeteete is
a nomad. He peeks in on
receiver drills at mid¿ eld,
then wanders over to the
lineman in the southeast
corner and gives pointers
there. But he rarely runs
a drill. Ordinarily he lets
Bradis McGriff, coach the
lineman, or Scott Ham-
mond, coach the defensive
backs, handle the drills.
He’s taken the delegation
seriously.
“That’s a state cham-
pionship coaching staff,”
he said. “I mean, coaches
don’t win games; players
do. But we gotta put guys in
the best possible positions
to make plays. (The staff)
knows what they’re doing.
They know their craft. It’s
about getting better. If I
don’t let them coach the
way they coach and moti-
vate the kids, then I’ll come
off like I’m micro-manag-
ing my team. And you don’t
get any happy people.”
Senior wide receiver Ethan
Snow, just one of four return-
ing starters from last year’s
state championship squad,
said Faaeteete hasn’t changed,
on the surface at least.
“He’s a lot of the same
coach, but he has a lot of
responsibilities off the
¿ eld,” he said. “To me, he’s
looked really like the same
coach. He’s just stepping
up a bit.”
After a team defense ses-
sion ended last Thursday,
Hermiston’s running back
group stayed in the middle
of the ¿ eld with Faaeteete.
A defensivee player and
coach by trade, his new role
has forced him to coach
other aspects of the game,
as well.
He set up cones for the
backs and had them prac-
tice jump cutting to their
left and right. After a few
repetitions — or reps —
Faaeteete wasn’t satis¿ ed
with the effort and demon-
strated what he wanted
to see. His feet were still
quick, a remnant of his Di-
vision I football career, and
he tossed a ball to the next
back and had him go. The
reps were better after the
demonstration.
“I think he’s taking this
program in a really good
direction,” senior lineman
Trey Neal said. “Workouts
have been a little more in-
tense, but other than that
I think we’ve had a really
good atmosphere, a family
atmosphere.”
Faaeteete is the new
face of Hermiston’s foot-
ball program, but he said
the program’s vision hasn’t
changed.
“I took this head coach-
ing job knowing the vision
that Mark had set up for
what he wanted to set up for
Hermiston,” he said. “It’s
the same vision, it’s just a
different person carrying it
on, passing the torch. Ev-
eryone on the team is on
board with the vision, so
we know where we want to
go and what it takes to get
there.”
Registration for
youths (aged 17 and
younger) is open for a
free pheasant hunt at the
Irrigon Wildlife Area
on September 26 and 27
beginning at 8 a.m., and
with a
second
HUNT
session
at 1
p.m.
The hunt itself is free,
but participants need a
valid hunting license
that can be purchased for
$14.50, and a Harvest
Information Program
validation, which is free.
Hunters ages 14-17
require an upland bird
validation ($8.50). An
adult older than 21 must
supervise the participants
on the hunt. Children
must have passed a
hunter registration class
to participate.
Both hunter and
supervisor must wear
an orange hunter hat
with eye protection and
an orange vest and the
items will be provided
if necessary. Contact
Pendleton ODFW at
541-276-2344. You
may register at http://
www.odfwcalendar.
com/?tribe_events=free-
youth-pheasant-hunt-
irrigon-2.
Registration for adult
leagues ends soon
Registration for
Hermiston Parks and Rec
adult flag football and
volleyball closes Friday
at 5 p.m.
The 4-on-4 volleyball
league costs $145 per
team and runs eight
Sundays starting Sept.
20 and culminates in
a single-elimination
playoff.
The 8-on-8 flag
football league costs
$475 per team and
runs eight Saturdays
starting Sept. 19 and also
culminates in a single-
elimination tourney.
Captains must sign up the
teams.
You may register
oneline at https://apm.
activecommunities.com/
hermiston/Activity_
Search or you can call
541-667-5018 with any
questions.
GO SEE IT
Wednesday, August 26
GIRLS SOCCER
No events scheduled
Hermiston vs. Umatilla, 1 p.m.
Thursday, August 27
Sunday, August 30
No events scheduled
No events scheduled
Monday, August 31
Friday, August 28
No events scheduled
CROSS COUNTRY
Hermiston Time Trial, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 1
Saturday, August 29
Hermiston vs. La Grande, 7 p.m.
Umatilla vs. Weston-McEwen, 7
p.m.
Echo @ Pilot Rock, 5 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
BOYS SOCCER
Hermiston vs. Umatilla, 11 a.m.
Place a Yard Sale Ad
25 words, 3 days, private party only
$20.00 East Oregonian & Hermiston Herald
Yard Sale Kits - $5.00
Includes 2 signs, stakes
& price stickers.
Call Paula
541-278-2678