The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) is a non-profit, board-governed organization that regulates high school athletics and competitive activities via athletic conferences in the U.S. state of Oregon, providing equitable competition among its members, both public and private. The OSAA is based in Wilsonville.
History
OSAA offices in Wilsonville
Originally created in 1918 as the "Oregon State High School Athletic Association", the name changed to the "Oregon School Activities Association", or OSAA, in 1947.
Currently, the OSAA sponsors seventy-four state championships in nineteen interscholastic activities including athletics, music, and forensics and is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Starting in the 2006–07 school year, the organization's four school classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A) were divided into six classifications (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A). This caused some controversy as some school districts complained about the new classifications and sought legal action.[1] OSAA voted to keep a six classification system in 2017.[2]
Classifications and leagues
The OSAA divides schools up into classifications and leagues (or conferences).
There are six classifications, with the smallest schools in class 1A and the largest schools in class 6A. Within each classification, there are between five and eight leagues and conferences. Each league or conference has between four and 15 schools. Prior to 2006, there were four classifications (4A, 3A, 2A, 1A), prior to 1990, there were four classifications (AAA, AA, A, B), and prior to 1970, there were either three or four classifications (depending on the sport), but they were designated as A, A-2, B, B-8 for football, A-1, A-2 and B in basketball and A, A-2, & B for baseball.[3][4][5]
According to OSAA's classification system for 2022-26, a 1A school has fewer than 74 students, 2A between 75 and 145 students, 3A between 146 and 310 students, 4A between 311 and 607 students, 5A between 608 and 1004 students, and the largest schools, 6A, have 1005 or more students.[6][7] However, some schools choose to "play up" in a larger classification than they would normally be assigned.
As of the 2022-23 season, OSAA's classifications comprise the following:[8]
Schools often compete in different divisions for football; in other sports, conferences are constructed to aim to preserve historic rivalries, regardless of current enrollment. As of the 2022-23 season, OSAA's classifications comprise the following:[9]
Historic conferences made defunct by 2006 reclassification
4A Southern Oregon Conference : The final year of the Southern Oregon Conference consisted of South Medford, North Medford, Klamath Union, Eagle Point, Ashland, Crater, Grants Pass and Roseburg. This league was for 4A schools located near the Oregon-California border.[10][11]
3A Tri-Valley Conference: The final year of the Tri-Valley Conference consisted of La Salle High School (Milwaukie, Oregon), Madras High School, Valley Catholic High School (Beaverton, Oregon), Estacada High School, Molalla Highschool, Sherwood High School, and Wilsonville High School. This league was for 3A sized schools located in or near the Portland-Metro area.[10][11] The Tri-Valley conference is currently active once again as of the 2009 season. It is a 4A Conference for schools located in the Portland-Metro Area.
2A Trico League: The final year of the Trico League consisted of East Linn Christian Academy (Lebanon, Oregon), Harrisburg High School, Jefferson High School, Waldport High School, Monroe High School, Central Linn High School, and Oakridge High School. This league was for 2A sized schools located in the central Willamette Valley.[10][11]
2A Wapiti League: The final year of the Wapiti League consisted of Grant Union High School, Vale High School, Nyssa High School, Elgin High School, Enterprise High School, and Union High School. This League was for 2A sized schools located in far-eastern Oregon.[10][11]
