How the Region’s Only Interstate High School Basketball All-Star Event was reimagined as ‘WAVOR’ — Sport Oregon Voices

Sport Oregon Voices: Formerly the Northwest Shootout, WAVOR showcases the top Washington and Oregon players on April 3 with a new look, fresh approach

For the better part of the last three decades, the Portland area has been home to one of the premier high school basketball all-star games in the country. This year, the event – which will be held Sunday, April 3, at Liberty High School in Hillsboro – has undergone a fresh rebrand as organizers look to build on the considerable history of the event and reimagine the ultimate impact it can have on the community.

Now known as WAVOR, the game is the region’s only interstate high school basketball event featuring the top female and male high school seniors. With state supremacy and bragging rights on the line, it’s always been about Washington v Oregon, as the rebrand now reflects.

The story of how WAVOR came together in its new form really showcases the connective value of Sport Oregon as an organization, and through its strong board membership. Made up of over 90 leading sports and business leaders in the state, the Sport Oregon board of directors, especially in this case, has the innate ability to join forces and combine their collective resources to make an impact in the state through sports.

When Sport Oregon assumed operations of the Northwest Shootout in 2018, it saw an established event that had strong upside, one that had the potential to accomplish even greater goals. As the organization prepares for its first Washington-Oregon high school all-star game since 2019 (due to pandemic cancelations), it does so with a host of additional resources and a new focus on shaping the event into an important mechanism that benefits youth groups and programs.

The primary goals of the WAVOR rebrand, and refocus, were threefold. One, Sport Oregon wanted to identify a strong beneficiary component and generate more funds for it. To accomplish this, the organization also required more operational support, with expanded roles and responsibilities. Lastly, organizers wanted to modernize the brand to better communicate the spirit of the event and reflect its continued growth.

That’s where Sport Oregon joined forces with a host of energized and qualified board members to address these goals, connecting John Herman, David Lucas and Marcus Harvey, among others.

“This is a great example of how our board can create a win-win for all parties involved by staying true to our mission to create economic and social impact through sports,” said Maika Janat-Vennemann, Sport Oregon’s senior director and general manager.

Herman, a longtime Sport Oregon board member, has been with the Northwest Shootout since the beginning and, along with area basketball coaching icon Nick Robertson, provided invaluable institutional support in shaping the new direction. Herman started the event as a function of his efforts, originally, with the Multnomah Athletic Club Foundation in the early 1990s, with the first Northwest Shootout taking place at the University of Portland in 1994. Robertson has been a critical foundational resource, essentially since the beginning, by scouting and working with coaches to select players that participate in the game. Longtime associates of the group, Mike Allen and Scott Cress, also continue to contribute to the event’s success.

“I’ve been delighted to work with Sport Oregon, virtually since it began. (Sport Oregon CEO) Jim Etzel has really taken this to the next level, and he has a wonderful group of people around him who are really pitching in and making it happen,” said Herman, who was on the original Sport Oregon board and continues to fundraise for WAVOR through his vast network established over the years. “We are enthusiastic about being back at it, and we’re looking forward to April 3 at Liberty High School.”

To address the growing operational and sponsorship responsibilities, fellow Sport Oregon board member David Lucas joined in the efforts to build up WAVOR. Lucas, who is the executive director of the like-minded Maurice Lucas Foundation, has focused on expanding the event through his connections in the community and enhancing the appeal of the game to participants, sponsors and fans.

“I enjoy being part of Sport Oregon board, and being able to collaborate and connect with all of the board members,” David Lucas said. “It’s a great experience to be a part of Sport Oregon and to help make sports in Oregon great.”

This year, net proceeds raised from the event will benefit the Maurice Lucas Foundation, whose mission is to teach life lessons through education and sport, and the Sport Oregon Foundation, which will dedicate funds to its SHE FLIES initiative, which works to empower girls and women through sports. The Sport Oregon Foundation provides grants and conducts programs to support youth sports activities, with an emphasis on both underserved youth and increased physical activity. With these resources, SHE FLIES also will collaborate with Camps for Kids, a charity co-founded by Robertson. Camps for Kids provides scholarship opportunities for local students who would like to attend athletic academies, sports camps or other activities of choice, such as dance schools, art academies and summer schools.

David Lucas, for one, is excited to collaborate with so many like-minded individuals and organizations on the event, and the positive impact it will have on the Maurice Lucas Foundation, which offers a robust array of programs for kids built on academics, character development, physical activity and community.

“Financially, it helps our program grow and expand to more schools,” he said. “Through WAVOR, we’re able to put more resources back into the foundation to further assist all of the students and families that are part of the Maurice Lucas Foundation.”

On the rebrand front, Sport Oregon collaborated with Harvey and his company, Portland Gear. The new look and feel both modernizes the event and also is reflective of Portland Gear’s mission to bring community together through product and design.

As is tradition, this year’s event at Liberty High School will feature both a girls and boys game. The schedule includes the girls game at 1 p.m., followed by the boys game at 3 p.m. New this year, a social event for the participating players will take place during a Final Four viewing party at Concourse Coffee.

If You’re Going
This year’s WAVOR will take place at Liberty High School on Sunday, April 3. The girls game tips off at 1 p.m. and will be followed by the boys game at 3 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.

If You Want to Get Involved
Sport Oregon offers a host of sponsorship opportunities to businesses and groups wanting to get involved with WAVOR. Please contact Jared Rose, Sport Oregon’s director of strategic partnerships, at jared@sportoregon.org for more information.

Sport Oregon Foundation
To learn more about the Sport Oregon Foundation and the SHE FLIES initiative, click here.

Maurice Lucas Foundation
For more information about the Maurice Lucas Foundation and all the work it does to benefit kids, click here.

Camps for Kids
For more information about Camps for Kids, click here.