OROVILLE — The Oroville School Board met Nov. 28 to discuss district issues and changes to the school’s boys high school football program.
“I think moving the boy’s football to 1B is best for the safety of the athletes as well as it would give us the ability to run both an offense and defense,” Athletic Director Amy Harris told the board.
The school is classified as a 2B school based on enrollment and free or reduced lunches. In January 2019, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association changed the athletic classification system.
“We have to become more flexible in providing opportunities for schools to have the kind of competition that is appropriate for their school,” Greater Spokane League/District 8 director Herb Rotchford told The Spokesman-Review.
“We can’t continue to put them in situations where there is no hope,” said Rotchford.
“We had boys playing both sides of the ball all season, and the risk of injury kept me up at night,” Oroville School District Superintendent Jeff Hardesty said.
“Moving the boy football program to 1B would be the best for our athletes as the competition would be closer to what we have and not risk the boys to injury playing Iron Man Football,” school board Chairman Mike Egerton said.
“I opened up eighth-grade participation in both practice and competition for basketball and wrestling as the WIAA allows eighth graders to participate if the total enrollment is below 165 students in nineth through 11th grade,” Harris said.
The School Board approved for eighth graders to practice and compete in high school wrestling and basketball this year. One eighth grade girl is practicing with the high school girls’ basketball team.
“The Oroville High School wrestling team has four eighth graders practicing with the team, and two of the eighth graders are girls giving the one high school girl wrestler someone to practice with,” Harris said.
The board ultimately approved to let eighth graders participate in high school basketball and wrestling with the understanding of coaches and sports staff that younger students would be safe.
“Our high school athletes and upperclassmen know how important it is for the eighth graders to practice and play in some games, not just for the experience but for them to have enough players to have games,” Harris said. “Our seniors know that without the eighth grade participation, they could be without a senior season.”
“Having girls on the wrestling team is amazing, and having two eighth grade girls is adding more competition opportunities,” high school wrestling Coach Chuck Ricevuto said. “Like I tell the parents, the girls and younger kids sit next to me, or where I can see them clearly.”
In other school business, the board:
• Approved the hiring of April Mathis-Para and Kahlil Butler-Para, custodian and food services, pending background checks.
• Approved hiring Nicolas Perez as assistant junior high school wrestling coach.
• Approved a donation of $500 from Yvonne McDougall for high school baseball.
• Approved a donation from Oroville Building Supply for the greenhouse class management.
• Approved the CBA with the Oroville Coaches Association from September 2022 to August 2025.
• Approved a STEM professional learning cooperative agreement with NCESD for interlocal agreement and cooperative services programs.
• Approved a resolution certification of 2023 levy.
• Approved to surplus playground equipment, a 2000 Ford Taurus, commercial double oven, gym lockers and empty oil tank.
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