Ida B Wells Athletics Weekly

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability." -John Wooden

Guardian Athletics

Be Courageous

Be Encouraging

Be Helpful

Be Gracious

Be Energetic

Be A Guardian

It Costs Nothing to Be Kind

• Kindness is empathetic
• Kindness is inclusive
• Kindness sees suffering
• Kindness reflects kindly
• Kindness is beautiful

Greetings Sports Fans!

We are entering the final weeks of the Winter Season! Our Basketball Programs have just four regular season games remaining. Our Swim Program had a fantastic week at Districts this past week. Our Women’s Wrestling Program had a fantastic showing at Regionals, and our District Wrestling Meet for the Men’s Program is this weekend. Finally, our Cheer Program capped of their season with a great showing at State. What a great time to Be A Guardian!

First up, our swimmers had a great time at Districts this past week. The JV Team had a terrific showing at the meet posting some great scores. The Varsity Teams also had a great showing this past week our women finishing 3rd and our men getting the 4th spot. Top swimmers Keelin Shockley, Claire Niemeyer and Eian Peng all qualified for the State Meet this upcoming weekend…….. Well done Swimmers and Coaches!

Next up, our Women’s Wrestling Program traveled to Sandy for the Regional Tournament and not only did the Guardians show up and compete, the entire PIL did!! We finished 5th out of 26 teams and are sending four wrestlers to the state meet (Zorina Johnson, Misha Russo-Yanowitz,

Genevie Mondero and Saya Grigg), however, the PIL is sending nineteen in total!! The program had a great final event against Jefferson this past week to wrap up the regular season for the Wrestling Program and celebrated a great senior group!!! You can find out more in their own newsletter https://app.smore.com/n/8b60g

Both Men’s and Women’s Basketball Programs faced off against Franklin and Roosevelt this past week. The Men’s Team went 2-0 while the Women’s Team went 1-1. Both programs have big weeks as they face off against Jefferson and Cleveland.

Our Cheer Programs traveled to Oregon City this past weekend for their culminating event at the State Meet. Our Cheerleaders performed well and had a great showing in their final event. Thank you Cheerleaders and Coaches for a great year!

Finally, we host our final Unified Game next Monday, 2/23 at 4pm vs. Grant. We will be celebrating our Unified Seniors at the game. We would love for you to come out and support this awesome program.

Swim Team Seniors with Coaches Nathan and Shelley

For a complete listing of the weekly athletic schedule, please visit the athletic dept. website:IBW Athletics/THIS WEEK. Links to team schedules can also be found on their team pages on the athletic website and in the 2025-26 Winter Season Media Guide. Use the QR Code or this link 2025-26 Winter Season Media Guide

Our Women's Wrestling Team with Coaches Cindy, Lance and Olivia

We have some big home contests coming up so mark your calendars now and come out and support our teams!

Friday, February 20 - Women's Basketball vs. Cleveland - Theme: Jailbreak

Monday, February 23 - Unified Basketball vs. Grant, 4:00PM SENIOR NIGHT!

Tuesday, February 24 - Men's Basketball vs. McDaniel SENIOR NIGHT!

Friday, February 27 - Alumni Night! Double Header Varsity Men (5:45pm) and Women (7:15pm) take on Grant! Women's SENIOR NIGHT! Theme: Guardian Out

"It's a beautiful thing to be understood, but a powerful thing to understand yourself."

I. Permission to Pick Up the Pen

Doing is uncomfortable. Commitment is uncomfortable. Accountability is uncomfortable.

• Any endeavor that requires a piece of flesh is uncomfortable.
• But it’s the only way we start a new sentence, that eventually builds a paragraph, over and over, filling the page—our lives—until the chapter changes.

So every day, give yourself the permission to pick up the pen and go to work on a life no one could ever write you.

Source: Nneka Julia, Letters From A Stranger

II. The Company We Keep

May we choose the company we keep with intention—not out of habit, fear, or obligation, but from a place of self-respect.

• May we remember that the most important relationship we will ever tend is the one we have with ourselves, because it teaches us what care feels like when no one is watching.
• How we speak to ourselves, protect ourselves, and show up for ourselves sets the tone for the honesty, effort, and depth we are able to offer others.

And when we get that relationship right, the rest becomes clearer—not easier, but more true.

Source: Alexandra Elle, The Company We Keep

III. The Grace That You Deserve

I hope that when you look back on your life, you have empathy for the well-intentioned version of yourself that didn't always get things right.

• I hope you give yourself credit for trying, persisting, and showing up even when things didn't go as planned.
• I hope that as you continue to learn, grow, and heal, you also continue to find deeper levels of self-acceptance and self-understanding.
• I hope you keep the lessons learned, but leave the guilt and shame behind.

I hope you give yourself the grace that you deserve.

Source: Michell C. Clark, Eyes On The Road

IV. Question

Can you be committed to the process of what you’re doing without being emotionally attached to the results of what you’re doing?

Source: Inky Johnson

V. This Week, I Will

• Prioritize my cup as I pour into others.
• Choose to be a good person.
• Use the power of presence to empower others.
• Act, even if fear is present.
• Focus on improving over impressing.

The Last Words…

“You can be afraid and decisive. Grounded in the present, yet uncertain of the future. You can experience both clarity and contradiction. Being conflicted is not a flaw in your character; it's evidence that you're evolving. You don't need internal unanimity to move forward, only enough honesty to take the next step. True growth doesn't ask you to resolve every inner voice, only to listen without letting them rule you. You can't and don't need to escape tension; you learn how to carry it with grace. True maturity is making decisions without waiting for perfect inner weather. It's allowing different versions of you to coexist. Because you are not one self but many in conversation. Wholeness comes from letting them coexist. From cultivating the capacity to live inside this paradox. It was never about choosing one version of you, but about learning to house them all.”

― Arno Schurmans, Anatomy of the Avatar

Muhammed is asserting his dominance on the basketball court, and no one can stop him. He’s simply too big, too strong, too fast, and too athletic. It simply isn’t possible. Muhammed has been dominating the boards, grabbing rebounds and letting it be known that no one else has a chance to. In addition, he’s been a force going at the rim, throwing down highlight dunks often. He also anchors our defensive presence in the paint, blocking shots with so much force, we need to check the balls to see if they’re flat.

We also had to check the nets at Franklin HS and Wells, to make sure they were too burnt from Blake Karman’s hot shooting. Last week (both wins) Blake shot 11 for 16 from the 3pt line. That is almost 70%! Some players don’t even shoot 70% when they shoot free throws… It isn’t just hot shooting. Blake has been playing tough defense, making good reads and great passes, and helping his teammates get two more wins on the season, boosting the Wells Boys to 3rd place in the PIL standings.

Then, we have Abdirazaq Ali… He has been the ultimate team player this season… His number was called against Roosevelt, and he came into the game with energy, effort, and toughness. He made great passes, ran our plays to perfect, got steals, made clutch buckets, and played inspired defense. The crowd was going nuts! Remember, some of the best players impact the game outside of the stat-sheets, and they make everyone around them better. This is Abdirazaq, constantly cheering on his teammates and making this group of players a real TEAM. There is a lot more work to be done, but Wells is playing their best ball of the season right now. Great job fellas, let’s finish strong.

Abdirazaq Ali, Senior

The Ida B. Wells Women’s Basketball Athletes of the Week are JV backcourt standouts Kaia Hunter and Addie Gartland!

Kaia, our primary point guard, has elevated her role to new heights this season. Already known as a strong defender and rebounder, she took control of our press break and played a vital role in this week's thrilling one-point win over Central Catholic. Handling relentless full-court pressure and frequent double teams, Kaia calmly broke the press, controlled the tempo, and put our offense in a great position to succeed.

Addie continues to shine as our top three-point threat, averaging nearly two threes per game since league play began. She caught fire in our recent win against the Grant Generals, knocking down an incredible six three-pointers. Her confidence and consistency from beyond the arc have made her a constant scoring spark for our team.

Great job, Kaia and Addie!

Kaia Hunter, Sophomore

Addie Gartland, Freshman

I have had a lot of proud coaching moments this season, but this weekend takes the cake. These girls are RESILIENT!! There were so many curveballs thrown at this team leading up to a big week at state. From injuries, to illnesses, and everything else, these girls stood tall, and did what it took for their teammates to put out a performance at state. They had a wonderful performance, and at the end of the routine, there were no tears because something went wrong. There were no tears because they were mad at their teammates, only tears because they were proud of themselves and their teammates. They were in a tough division all season, and never did they let that deter them. Following awards at State, while many teams were in tears because they didn’t take first, or taking to TikTok to express how they were robbed and the first place teams didn’t deserve their win, the guardians had big smiles on their faces… regardless of their placement, they were proud of their performance. These kids know how to win with grace, and they know how to lose with grace, and their ability to demonstrate that level of sportsmanship and maturity is something I am so unbelievably proud of.

First for Swimming, HUGE apologies to Ada Cornett for the incorrect photo last week!

Whether it’s a grueling 8:00 PM practice or the last event of the night at a meet, Ada brings a level of enthusiasm that is second to none. A natural powerhouse in distance events, she thrives where others might fade. Beyond her own lanes, Ada serves as a dedicated mentor, sharing her technical expertise and providing a steady leadership her teammates have come to rely on.

This Friday juniors Keelin Shockley and Claire Niemeyer are headed back to the OSAA State Swim Meet for the third year in a row. They’re joining an elite group from around Oregon with one goal: breaking into that Top 9 to secure a spot in Saturday’s finals and bring home the points for IBW!

• Keelin Shockley: Currently ranked 10th in the 50 Free and 11th in the 100 Breast, Keelin brings more than just speed; she brings a culture of recognition. Known for her keen eye and encouraging spirit, she’s the first to celebrate a teammate’s PR and note the specifics on where they have improved at each meet.

• Claire Niemeyer: Coming off a double-gold performance at the PIL District Meet, Claire is ranked 9th in the 100 Free and 11th in the 200 Free. She continues to prove that consistency is key, showing steady improvement in every single race. Her relentless work ethic in the pool is paying off exactly when it counts.

We are so proud of these two—let’s wish them fast water this weekend!

Claire Niemeyer

Keelin Shockley

We celebrated our seniors during our last Dual with Jefferson. Congratulations to the following seniors:

Lena Mende

Roman Tubay

Gabbi Morejohn

Peter Collins

Josephine Rustvold

Antonio Basilio

Zorina Johnson

Sam Hartoch

Mirja Vahi

Naya Delobel

This year's seniors are an incredible group that range from first time wrestlers to 13 year wrestlers. They bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and energy to practices and competitions. They have helped us build a welcoming and inclusive community that keeps growing and improving every year. Our team wouldn't be the same without their leadership, commitment, and dedication. We wish them the best in all of their future endeavors.

We are in the final stretch of the winter season and we need your help! We have some big nights coming up and we have a few openings THIS WEEK on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday!

Thanks in Advance!!

Gym Shack Concessions: https://signup.com/go/ycboLia

The Ida B Wells Awesome 80s auction will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. We hope you will join us to support our student community!

Here's how you can support now:

• Attend: Get your tickets now here.
• Collect donations: IBW clubs, organizations and athletic teams are collecting donations for items for the auction and they get to keep the money raised. Rally the groups you are affiliated with to start procuring! Want to learn more? Check out this video.
• Sponsorships: Does your business want exposure to our community? Auction sponsorship is a great way to reach our community. More details here or email fundraising@ibwboosterclub.org for more information.

We are still collecting donations to run our Zero Period Weight Training for the remainder of the school year. Student-Athletes from many of our programs take advantage of this opportunity to lift weights before school. Donations of any size are very appreciated!

Registration but now open and ready for you to register for baseball, softball, golf, tennis, lacrosse, track and field and boy's volleyball. See our website for all the details and links needed for registration https://www.ibwathletics.com/registration

SchoolPay is also open to make the payment for the Spring PIL Pay-to-Play Fee. It is important to note the $400/individual or $800/family maximum for the year. For many, the spring season is free. Lacrosse is still a club sport and does not count towards the maximums. More information to come regarding Boy's Volleyball.

We increased to 256 from 202 spring season registrations last week but still have a ways to go building towards 500! Keep it up!

Registering early informs coaches of intent to participate and they can then add you to their email lists otherwise you may miss out on receiving important information. Here are all our Spring Coaches. Contact them if you have specific questions about the program.

Baseball: Head Coach, Jeremy Shetler, jshetler@pps.net

Golf - Men: Chris Hudson, chudson@pps.net
Golf - Women: Mick Mulligan, mimulligan@pps.net

Lacrosse - Men (Club): Kyle Hincks, kylehincks@rocketmail.com

Lacrosse - Women (Club): Hyland Cullen-Musengo, coach.hyland.musengo@gmail.com
Softball, Krissy Govertsen, kgovertsen@pps.net

Information Meeting, February 18, 4pm, Room 127

Tennis - Men: Welcome Frankie Moua! fmoua@pps.net
Tennis - Women: Dyllan Fitzgerald, dfitzgerald@pps.net

Parent/Player meeting on February 25th at 6pm in the Cafeteria

Track and Field: Thor Esbensen, tesbensen@pps.net

Volleyball - Men (Club): Mark Mendak, mmendak@pps.net

Get Your IBW Sports Button! Show your school spirit by purchasing a IBW sports button for just $5-- add up the amount of buttons needed and pay that x5 ! Once your button is ready, we’ll deliver it directly to your student to bring home or you can email ecaldwell@pps.net if you prefer to pick it up from our school. Don’t miss out—support your student and represent our team! https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Photo-Buttons-w-IBW-Athlete-Photo/SeywSvE

Thank you to all of our sponsors - both to those who are continuing on this year and to some brand new sponsors! It's not too late if you are Interested in being a sponsor this year? See the different options below and contact Athletic Director, Mike Nolan, at mailto:mnolan@pps.net

Website:www.ibwathletics.com

Phone: 503-916-5280, ext 75318
Athletic Director, Mike Nolan,mnolan@pps.net
Athletic Assistant, Leanne Van Horn,lvanhorn@pps.net
Instagram: ibwhs_athletics
Facebook: Ida B Wells HS Athletics
Trivory App: A great way to see the daily Athletic Schedule