Hermiston High School in Oregon is joining The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. The WIAA approved Hermiston’s application to join the association beginning with the 2018-19 school year. Hermiston will become the first out-of-state school to join the Association as a full member and has been accepted by the Mid-Columbia Conference.
Hermiston applied for membership in January after being faced with a significant travel hardship based on the proposed changes to Districts and Classifications by the Oregon School Activities Association. Average travel for conference play was estimated at 404 miles round trip, per contest, as opposed to the average of 80 miles estimated in Mid-Columbia Conference play.
“This was a unique situation for both Hermiston and the WIAA,” said WIAA Executive Director Mike Colbrese. “The Executive Board worked closely with the OSAA and IHSAA to put measures in place to evaluate the situation at hand, and set a standard going forward.”
“This move to the WIAA is the right thing for our students,” said Hermiston High School Athletic Director Larry Usher. “Our situation will be much improved in regards to travel distance, lost instructional time, and budgets.”
Hermiston will be a full member of the WIAA for all sports and activities programs and will qualify for postseason play as a member of District 8. Hermiston’s commitment will span through the end of the current cycle in spring of 2020.
(KPUG – Doug Lange via WIAA press release)