The Hermiston High School athletics director gave a presentation about student activities to the Hermiston School District Board of Education on Monday, Oct. 23.
HHS Director of Athletics and Activities Larry Usher began his presentation with an update on HHS athletics, informing the board that the girls soccer team would be competing in a playoff game against University High School in Spokane on Oct. 24.
He said the girls volleyball team would also compete in a single-game playoff against Southridge High School on Oct. 28 with the location to be determined.
Usher finished off the high school updates telling the board that the football team will play in the postseason but the opponent and site have not been determined. He said the game would take place Nov. 4.“We are looking at postseason play. This will be our first postseason football game since we played Silverton in the state championship in 2017,” he said.
He then moved on to middle school athletics updates, stating the middle schools have seen a large increase in student participation in soccer, baseball, softball and basketball. He said new coaching positions will be added this winter because each middle school will now have six basketball teams.
He ended the presentation with an update on the new HHS physical education credit class, Fundamentals of Sports, that focuses on sports officiating.
“In that class we have taken all of the students in there and they have all actually signed up for the OSAA and WIAA Officials Association,” said Usher.
He said six of those students have put this knowledge into practice by officiating middle school athletics games.
“They are making some money. It’s a great job for these kids that fills a gap in something they absolutely love to do to begin with,” said Usher.
Usher finished by explaining that giving students the knowledge and opportunity to officiate games will not only help them but also create a community change where for the first time Hermiston locals will be officiating games.
