Big Changes for Bend High School Athletics

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A decision by the Oregon School Activities Association on Oct. 16 places Bend high school athletic teams in the 6A athletic conference for the 2018-19 school year. Some believe Bend high schools, currently members of the 5A division, lack sufficient competition, due to their ranking as the three largest and most competitive schools in the 5A conference.

The switch allows students to play against teams matched in skill set and school size, with the added benefit of reduced travel time and fewer missed school days for Bend students.

Participation in the 5A Intermountain Conference, which includes Bend, Mountain View, Redmond High, Ridgeview and Summit, forces teams to travel hundreds of miles to compete against other similarly ranked schools, such as Hermiston, Hood River Valley and Pendleton.

The 6A Greater Valley Conference, including Salem area high schools, has Bend schools travelling only as far as 132 miles.

The OSAA's decision is final and has been approved for the next four years.