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

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. OSAA voted to keep a six classification system in 2017.

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. 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. 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:

6A classification

6A-1: Portland Interscholastic League

6A-2: Metro League

6A-3: Pacific Conference

6A-4: Mt. Hood Conference

6A-5: Three Rivers League

6A-6: Central Valley Conference

6A-7: Southwest Conference

5A classification

5A-1: Northwest Oregon Conference

5A-2: Midwestern League

5A-3: Mid-Willamette Conference

5A-4: Intermountain Conference

4A classification

4A-1: Cowapa League

4A-2: Tri-Valley Conference

4A-3: Oregon West Conference

4A-4: Sky-Em League

4A-5: Skyline Conference

4A-6: Greater Oregon League

3A classification

3A-1: Lewis & Clark League

3A-2: Coastal Range League

3A-3: PacWest Conference

3A-4: Mountain Valley Conference

3A-5: Far West League

3A-6: Eastern Oregon League

2A classification

2A-1: Northwest League

2A-2: Tri-River Conference

2A-3: Central Valley Conference

2A-6: Blue Mountain Conference

1A classification

1A-1: The Valley 10 League

1A-2: Casco League

1A-3: Mountain West League

1A-4: Skyline League

1A-5: Mountain Valley League

1A-6: Big Sky League

1A-7: Old Oregon League

1A-8: High Desert League

Former members

Football Classifications

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:

6A classification

6A-1: Portland Interscholastic League

6A-2: Metro League

6A-3: Pacific Conference

6A-4: Mt. Hood Conference

6A-5: Three Rivers League

6A-6: Central/Southwest Valley Conference

5A classification

5A-SD1: Special District 1

5A-SD2: Special District 2

5A-SD3: Special District 3

5A-SD4: Special District 4

5A-SD5: Special District 5

4A classification

4A-SD1: Special District 1

4A-SD2: Special District 2

4A-SD3: Special District 3

4A-SD4: Special District

4A-SD5: Special District 5

3A classification

3A-SD1: Special District 1

3A-SD2: Special District 2

3A-SD3: Special District 3

3A-SD4: Special District 4

3A-SD5: Special District 5

3A-SD6: Special District 6

2A classification

2A-SD1: Special District 1

2A-SD2: Special District 2

2A-SD3: Special District 3

2A-SD4: Special District 4

2A-SD5: Special District 5

2A-SD6: Special District 6

1A classification, 8-man football

No League Yet

1A[8]-SD1: Special District 1

1A[8]-SD2-E: Special District 2, East

1A[8]-SD2-W: Special District 2, West

1A classification, 6-man football

1A[6]-SD1: Special District 1

1A[6]-SD2-N: Special District 2, North

1A[6]-SD2-S: Special District 2, South

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. 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. 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 Columbia Basin Conference: The final year of the Columbia Basin Conference consisted of Culver High School, Heppner Junior/Senior High School, Pilot Rock High School, Sherman High School, Stanfield High School, Umatilla High School, and Weston-McEwen High School. This league was for 2A sized schools located in central-eastern Oregon. 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. 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.

OSAA-sanctioned activities

The OSAA oversees the following activities: