Public outrage lingers over Medford sports

The Medford community’s outcry for change in the school’s athletics department amidst nearly a half-decade of consistent losing seasons continued last week when speakers took to the school board meeting to voice ideas, opinions and frustrations alike.

Undoubtedly the most eye-opening moment of the hour-long session was when Medford senior student-athlete Aleah Vogt spoke during public discussion.

“I really want to see change in both our athletics and our school. I really want to see our administration talking to our kids more often, and I really want to keep our teachers in our school – and stop having a lot of our students leaving our school,” said Vogt.

Vogt has been a member of the Tigers girls basketball team during her years at Medford – that was, until the school canceled the team’s varsity season for 2025-26.

“It is kind of disappointing, but I don’t think we have any seniors at our school that are super motivated to even play basketball. Maybe besides one,” said Vogt.

Vogt’s voice was a powerful one amongst the full room of attendees, who showed their appreciation with a strong applause after her speech.

Also speaking during discussion alongside Vogt was the duo of Stephanie Witter and Naomi Sanow.

Both have helped spearhead the call for change and made their second consecutive appearance since calling for community support last month.

Witter spoke about how she had appeared at a Medford school board meeting three years prior to address the beginning of the Tigers’ troubles with athletics.

The warning signs she had seen years prior began to unfold in front of her eyes when her son entered high school.

“I spoke three years ago in regard to this topic along with something else that was going on at the time. Mainly just addressing the board letting them know that there is going to be a turnover. Unfortunately, my son who’s a sophomore, had 20 students between his freshman and sophomore year leave the school district. And a lot of them, at least 75% of them I’d say, were student-athletes,” said Witter.

Sanow followed Witter and spoke about a major change she believes would be beneficial to the school, and more importantly, its students.

“I feel like our biggest need is getting a qualified and active athletics director who is trained and has a history or background in doing this job. I feel that’s our biggest loss right now. [Our current athletics director] has a split position as dean of students, and that overrides anything with the athletics director position. As I mentioned in my speech, I feel like his position right now is viewed as a small side assignment. And to no fault of his own, that is the structure that he has been placed into,” said Sanow.

Her vision also included a potential plan for measuring performance once a new athletics director had been chosen.

“I would want to see a full review of our athletics programs… The second idea would be the creation of an athletics advisory committee… One that includes parents and students that all come together four times a year. Annually, I would like to see measurable goals for the athletic director and reports on those goals including participation, development and program improvement,” said Sanow.

When speaking during public discussion had closed, the board went through its normal actions before Medford Superintendent Mark Ristau offered an aside to the audience to ease any concerns.

Ristau wanted attendees to know that the school is “actively working” on finding a solution and that he is in agreement that the sports culture needs to change.

According to Sanow and Witter, community members plan to continue attending the monthly school board meetings to keep up with discussion and advocate for improvement.