Here’s the HRVHS fall playoff picture

Hood River Valley High School’s first official winter sports practice is Nov. 18.

Trent Kroll, HRV’s athletic director, said there are a total of seven sports competing this winter.

“Winter sports are boys and girls wrestling, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls alpine ski, competitive cheer and boys and girls swimming,” said Kroll.

“Then we have Nordic ski and snowboard, which also fall under the athletic department but don’t have paid coaches through the athletic department. Sometimes people call them clubs, but we still try to keep the kids accountable with their grades and attendance, but the district hasn’t chosen to pay the coaches just yet.”

Currently, there are 21 fall sports teams at HRV and it always creates a puzzle when it comes to coordinating transportation, said Kroll.

Fall post-season update

HRV teams that will play in playoffs are football, boys soccer, cross country and girls and boys water polo.

“When (football) wins on Friday we will be number five or six out of our league,” said Kroll. “We’re probably going to be away on Nov. 8 after we win at Hillsboro.” (Results of the game will be posted on hoodrivernews.com.)

Boys soccer playoff game will be Nov. 6, cross country’s districts were Oct. 31, then off to state Nov. 9, and the water polo teams travel to Newberg for playoffs Nov. 7-9, said Kroll.

‘Open and Closed’

This past May, the Oregon School Activities Association approved a new rule regarding practice for 5A and 6A schools.

The practice limitation rule (6A, 5A Pilot) can be broken down to two rules; Closed Period and Open Period.

These rules apply to out-of-season sports.

Closed Period begins on the first practice date for the Winter (Nov. 18) and Spring (March 2) seasons and lasts six weeks.

During this time, only physical conditioning is allowed. Use of sporting equipment such as balls, bats and protective equipment is prohibited. Open Period begins on the following Monday after Closed Period ends.

During this time, student-athletes can develop their fundamental skill for a maximum of six hours per week per program.

The new rules are designed to keep student-athletes minds and bodies healthy, said Kroll.

“My daughter is a three-sport athlete. She just finished volleyball season, but on Saturdays and Sundays she’s been going to basketball practices and just getting to hang with the coaches a little bit more and get a few more hours in,” said Kroll.

“The whole thing is also keeping your bodies healthy, not overtraining and it’s an important part of being a three-sport athlete.”