The Hood River Valley athletics program and director Trent Kroll will be awarded the Quality Program Award (QPA) by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). Kroll will accept the award during the annual National Athletic Directors Conference in Denver. During the conference, high school athletic directors from across the country will be in attendance to hear keynote speakers, network with other ADs and participate in workshops.
Hood River is the first school in the state of Oregon to ever be honored with the QPA. The school district employs an education-based athletics experience.
“Our goal is to win,” said Kroll. “But building character, integrity and culture comes first.”
He also credited the work of athletic directors and coaches before him that set the course for this award. Keith Bassham and Tom Ames held the position before Kroll was hired in 2018. After reviewing the criteria for this award, Kroll noticed that HRV had already implemented many of the strategies and standards set by the NIAAA. Sports medicine was one of 10 categories the NIAAA based their final decision on. In a collaboration with Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, HRVHS has a new athletic trainer. Lauren Oaks was hired by Providence in March and is now working at the high school, through their community engagement program.
As the first school in Oregon to receive the award, Kroll hopes to set the standard for all athletic programs across the state.
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