A New Year Brings Fresh Approach to Oregon Sports Awards – Sport Oregon Voices

Sport Oregon Voices: New format to spotlight high school athletic achievements with three individual awards shows, beginning Jan. 8

For more than 70 years, the Oregon Sports Awards have honored the top athletes from a variety of competition levels in the state. From prep student-athletes, to collegiate athletics and professionals, the annual awards have honored thousands of area athletes, teams, coaches and administrators for their excellence over the decades.

Beginning in 2022, the annual awards format will take on a new look, primarily in its refined approach to shining an even brighter spotlight on the many high school athletic achievements in Oregon each year. What has been a singular, catch-all event each year, the OSAs now will be divided into segments, including three separate shows to honor high school sports achievements. The change in format will allow for a greater emphasis on the prep accomplishments immediately after each of the fall, winter and spring seasons.

Each of the three “Oregon Sports Awards: Rising Stars” shows — presented by Pacific Seafood and Point S Tire and Auto Center — will feature a one-hour broadcast on KATU, starting with the fall season awards show on Saturday, Jan. 8. The first show will include award presentations for Prep Boys and Girls Cross Country and Soccer Players of the Year, Prep Volleyball Player of the Year, and Prep Football Player of the Year.

“This new format gives us a bigger platform, being on television for three separate shows,” said Jim Etzel, CEO of Sport Oregon. “It allows us to really celebrate the many high school achievements, and give them that moment in the spotlight. And now with the Rising Stars honoring high school athletes right after their respective seasons in the fall, winter and spring, the celebration is even more relevant to the moment than it was in the past.”

The winter season show, slated for April 2022, will feature awards for boys and girls basketball, swimming and wrestling. The third high school awards show, for spring sports, is slated for June on KATU, and will include honors for the top baseball, softball, tennis, golf, lacrosse and track and field achievements.

A year-end “Celebration of Champions” for the high school athletes will recognize all the winners and announce the Boys and Girls Johnny Carpenter Prep Athletes of the Year and the Boys and Girls Special Olympics Athletes of the Year.

“We’re really excited to see the new format come to life,” said Hannah Roxas, event manager for Sport Oregon who has helped develop the new programming structure. “Our main focus is to make the Oregon Sports Awards a year-round endeavor that stays at the forefront of people’s minds throughout the year.”

The traditional collegiate and professional honors will be announced each year during a gathering of the state’s top sports figures.

The history of the awards dates back to 1948 when the Oregon Sports Writers and Sportscasters Association hosted the first-ever Bill Hayward Banquet of Champions, honoring past and present Oregon sports greats. Later, in 1986, the event was rebranded as the Oregonian Banquet of Champions. In 2001, it became the Oregon Sports Awards, presented by Nike. From 2001-2018, the event was held at the Stanford Theatre at Nike World Headquarters. In 2019 and 2020, the finalists and winners were revealed over live television and radio in lieu of a live show, which makes its return in 2022.

As one of its most prominent annual events, Sport Oregon is pleased to build on the extensive tradition of the Oregon Sports Awards while ushering in a new era that honors the many deserving winners in a more even and relevant manner in relation to each of the various sports seasons.

“The Oregon Sports Awards have evolved numerous times over the years, and now is the next evolution to keep the event top of mind and relevant,” Etzel said. “The core mission remains the same, though, and that is to recognize the best high school, amateur, college and professional athletes and teams. It’s always been a moment to celebrate the athletic achievements across our state. That’s the one constant; just the way we celebrate it continues to evolve.”

To Tune In
Mark your calendars for the first Oregon Sports Awards: Rising Stars broadcast on KATU, coming up on Saturday, Jan. 8, at 9 p.m.