Scott Swanson
If OSAA-sanctioned sports begin on Dec. 28 as planned, and if fans are allowed to attend indoor events in the Main Gym, they will get an eyeful, a sparkling, polished auditorium that looks brand new.
That’s the result of a reconditioning effort that began last May and has continued till the present.
“I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out,” said second-year Athletic Director Nate Tyler. “I think it adds a lot to the gym and I think it turned out pretty good.”
The makeover included a resurfacing of the gym floor, new banners, new lines and new standardized Husky logos that include a head, a paw print and a stylized “Sweet Home” and “Huskies.”
“The process started with the logos,” Tyler said. “Every sports program had a different logo and since we are one high school community, it made sense to me to unify behind a single logo.”
He said he consulted with the coaches and they came up with ideas they forwarded to a graphic designer.
A new Husky head banner hangs at the west end of the gym, and new 4- by 6-foot banners celebrate Sweet Home state and district titles and the other member schools of the Oregon West Conference, replacing the hodgepodge of differently shaped banners that hung in the gym previously.
“We’ve redesigned and reorganized things so the banners don’t block the windows,” Tyler noted. “We have cleaner and straighter lines.”
About an eighth of an inch was sanded off the gym floor in a three-week effort, and the wood was stained with a natural finish that is noticeably brighter than the old finish, complementing the new lighting system that was installed a few years ago along with a new sound system to replace the crotchety one that had been in the gym since its construction in the early 2000s.
The area inside the three-point line is stained white.
The lines have also been repainted, and more work will be done on those during the Christmas break, Tyler said.
“Having the floor lighter makes it a lot brighter in there,” Tyler said.
The project’s total cost is in the neighborhood of “$35,000 to $40,000,” he said, noting that the floor was original when the gym was built some 20 years ago.
And if attendance by fans is restricted for OSAA events, the high school has an answer as both the gym and Husky Field have been outfitted with cameras that can live-stream games.
“We had those installed over the summer,” Tyler said. “As long as somebody has internet, they will be able to log in and watch the game. There will be a fee, but the cost will be about the same as attending one or two games.”
For more information, contact the Athletic Department at (541) 367-7629.