News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The term “community” may not do justice to what the town of Sisters — and with it the Sisters Folk Festival — is known for, but the word got uttered repeatedly during Folk Festival week by attendees, artists and volunteers. Several thousand people absorbed the music and fellowship of the three-day festival September 6-8. At Sunday morning’s free community concert at the Village Green, singer/songwriter/poet Beth Wood began the gathering with a heart of grate... Full story
After nearly three years abroad in Germany, Tim Roth and his family have returned to the Sisters School District with Roth stepping into a new role as an assistant principal for both Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School. Roth’s official title is Assistant Principal of Student Success, which means he will play an integral role in helping students stay on track to finish their high school diploma with their cohort. This effort is part of a statewide initiative t... Full story
After a three-day camp near Tillamook last week, head coach Josh Nordell sees plenty of promise in his charges as the Outlaws prepare for the 2019 competitive season. Nothing will come easy in the tough Oregon West Conference, but Nordell has clear proof that many of the Sisters runners did a fair share of summer training, which will bode well as the season progresses. “I’m excited about the fitness of the athletes coming into the season,” said Nordell. “Overall I feel li... Full story
We are all athletes. That is the premise on which I have stood as a coach of cross-country and track for the past 35 years. Not everyone views themself as an athlete, however, and perhaps for good reason. As an overweight 59-year-old, I don’t look nearly as athletic as I did in my 20s and 30s. By the same token, someone who has never really used their bodies beyond getting through 9th grade P.E. doesn’t view themselves as an athlete, but they are, nonetheless. The human body has an uncanny ability to adapt to what we ask it... Full story
The 2019 edition of the Sisters Kiwanis Run to the Top Hoodoo Challenge trail race held Saturday, July 27 had the best turnout in the event’s three-year history under nearly perfect conditions. Course designer Eugene Trahern made adjustments to both the 5K and half marathon (13.1-mile) courses this year. Both courses started in the Hoodoo parking lot and finished at the top of Hoodoo Butte giving the competitors and both races the opportunity to climb the steep road to the top... Full story
As a lifelong Oregonian I have a deep appreciation for our state, and now that I am retired from my work as a school counselor I see more opportunities than ever to explore. This column’s purpose is to invite others, especially those not so familiar with what Oregon has to offer, to get out of town and make adventure on some day or weekend trips. Yesterday I woke up wishing for some fresh blueberries, so when my wife, Deirdre, asked me how I wanted to spend the day, I had a re... Full story
The annual Rally on the Runway 5 kilometer run and walk kicked off the Fourth of July festivities at the Eagle Airport early Thursday morning. The Rally includes a unique kick-off of a hot rod truck “racing” a plane flying above the runway, which got the runners off to an adrenaline-filled start. The course headed eastward down the runway, looped over to Camp Polk Road, traversed back past the airport to Barclay Drive and finished on the runway. The race, which is a fun... Full story
It’s now July and summer’s long days provide me with more time for reading. While I have a variety of interests — historical fiction, mysteries, spy thrillers, and travel—I tend to enjoy most those books that have to do with running or related endurance challenges. A fellow cross-country coach recommended my latest read, titled “Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru who Unlocked the Secret of Speed” by Matthew Futterman, which chronicles the coaching career of Bob Larson and the impact he had on help... Full story
A visit to the historic Camp Polk Cemetery last week led to the discovery of a pair of military veterans representing the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post and the local chapter of the American Legion, planting new American flags at the gravesites of their deceased “brothers and sisters” who had also served in the United States military. Earl Schroeder and Lance Trowbridge of Sisters are dedicated to giving honor to those service people who are laid to rest at Cam... Full story
A rocking rendition of Queen’s “We are the Champions” by members of the Sisters graduating class of 2019 highlighted the commencement ceremony for Sisters High School on Friday, June 14, in the gymnasium packed with faculty, family, and friends. Prior to the rocking performance led by graduating senior Tyrell Beatty, Principal Joe Hosang briefly welcomed everyone before turning the attention to the jazz choir, directed by Rick Johnson, in a moving national anthem. All of th... Full story
Graduates from the Sisters High School class of 2019 were showered with scholarship money at the annual GRO Senior Celebration on Thursday, May 30. Sisters GRO (Graduate Resource Organization) has continued to expand local scholarship offerings each year, resulting in over $208,000 of locally generated awards, represented by 69 separate scholarships that included 140 individual awards. Sisters School employee Rick Kroytz is on the GRO board and operates the high school’s ASPIRE program, which is designed to help guide student... Full story
Five years ago this month, Brandon Pollard, then a senior at Sisters High School, stood atop the podium at Hayward Field, crowned the state champion in the 800 meters. Two hours earlier, he had engaged in an epic battle in the 1,500 meters, where he finished a very close second in 3:58.83, that left him so spent he was not certain at all about even making it to the starting line for the 800. He regrouped and won the title, going away in 1:57.69 Such is the courage, tenacity,... Full story
Golfers at the Outlaw Open, June 1, enjoyed great weather, delicious food, and fun times, according to organizer and Head Football Coach Neil Fendall. Nearly 90 golfers took part in the event, which included 18 holes of golf, a catered dinner, as well as raffles and other contests within the day, netting approximately $15,000 for the football program. Team members were on hand to help check in clubs, load carts, sell raffle tickets and bus tables. The volleyball team staged a... Full story
For Skyler Larson, a year of preparation paid off as he cleared 6 feet 2 inches in the high jump to win the state title at the OSAA 4A State Championships held at Mt. Hood Community College on May 17 and 18. Sophomore Brody Anderson reached the top of the podium as well with a stellar race in the 400 meters. Larson’s win in the high jump Saturday included a bit of drama. The State leader coming into the meet, Larson and Garrett Hagarty of Hidden Valley, who had cleared 6 f... Full story
Imagine choosing one out of every two people who currently reside in Bend, Oregon, outfitting them in running gear and sending them out on a 7.4-mile course around the city. Do this, and you have an idea of just how many people take part in the Bloomsday Run, which has taken place every year in Spokane, Washington, since 1977. At its peak the race, originally known as the Lilac Bloomsday, attracted 62,000 runners, while the 2019 edition included an estimated 41,000 finishers,... Full story
Sean Meissner’s first year as director of the Sisters “Better-Half” Marathon turned out to be a success as just under 100 runners took part in the 13.1- and 6.55-mile courses on Saturday, May 11. Starting and finishing at the Village Green, runners traversed a course around the outskirts of town on a sunny morning that turned quite warm, making Meissner’s decision to move the start to an hour earlier, 8 a.m., a wise one. The 24 finishers in the half-marathon made two loops of... Full story
Sisters High School will be well represented at this week’s OSAA 4A Track and Field Championships after some clutch performances at the Oregon West Conference District Meet held May 9 and 11 at Reed Stadium. Athletes qualify for state by placing in the top two, meeting a qualifying standard, or being selected as a wildcard. The OSAA added the wildcard qualification in all events this season so that one additional athlete in each event who owns the best third-place mark a... Full story
Sisters High School students from Rima Givot’s chemistry class took to the field on Thursday, May 2, for the now-annual science balloon launch. It was the fourth consecutive year Givot has led this effort with her chemistry class. Givot, along with her student teacher Samantha Petrie and a number of volunteers, worked with the students throughout the project from planning, to launch, and all the way to retrieval. The launch of the two balloons took place early Thursday morning... Full story
The annual Meet of Champions, held at Sweet Home High School on Saturday, April 27, featured an array of Outlaws standing high on the podium following season-best performances. The meet, which in recent years has been staged at Willamette University, took place at Sweet Home this year due to scheduling challenges. Due to the state meet being held a week earlier than normal, meet calendars for the 2019 season have been complicated for many schools since traditional dates for annual meets got jammed up, including the Sisters... Full story
The Summit Invitational attracted 30 teams from across Oregon, and even a few from Idaho. The meet included depth of talent rivaling the 4A state meet — which is what Coach Jeff Larson loves about the event. “Truly, each event was deeper than our state meet field will probably be in May,” he said. “It was an excellent mid-season test for our kids.” With so many schools involved, multiple heats were necessary to get everyone to the starting line, resulting in a meet that took about nine hours to complete. “It’s a... Full story
The track is finally clear of snow and the Outlaws boys track team got its first real taste of competition in meets last week. The Outlaws hosted Oregon West foes Sweet Home and Cascade, along with 2A Culver on Wednesday, April 10, under somewhat chilly conditions in the squad’s first true head-to-head competition of the season after only competing in the Crook County Relays to start the season before spring break. The team then traveled to La Pine for the annual La Pine I... Full story
The loss of some top performers to graduation last year has given the 2019 girls track team some big shoes to fill, and Coach Jeff Larson is pleased with the team’s spirit and performance now that the competitive season is getting into full swing. The team competed in two meets last week with a home meet April 10 and the La Pine Invitational April 13. “It’s hard to compare to last year since we lost two state-level sprinters and one state placer in the distances, but we’re... Full story
Sisters ultra-runner, Ashley Nordell, 38, put another feather in her cap with a big-time win at her favorite event, the Three Days of Syllamo, a three-day ultra-marathon stage race challenge held in northern Arkansas. Counting this year, Nordell has taken part in the Syllamo race nine times and the event remains her favorite among ultra marathon competitions, due in large part to the camaraderie that has developed among runners over the years. “It’s a very low-key sort of eve... Full story
After three-plus weeks of training, largely indoors, one canceled meet, and other challenges, the Sisters High School track and field team got its first taste of competition at the Crook County Relays held in Prineville on Thursday, March 21. A total of nine teams competed, including La Grande, Mountain View, North Lake, Redmond, Ridgeview, Paisley, Madras, and Sisters, along with the host Cowboys. Relay meets are common at the start of the season as a way to give athletes more of a “soft” entry into the season as vir... Full story
The 400 meter oval at Reed Stadium still lies a couple of feet beneath the snow from the massive storm two weeks ago, but the track team led by head coach Jeff Larson and his crew of assistants has not missed a beat as they train for the competitive season. “Of course we would much rather be out on the field,” said Larson, “but part of preparing athletes is teaching them to overcome adversity. The biggest challenge is taking a sport intended for outdoors and making it an indoor sport. Add to that limited gym space, large... Full story