The Study of Sports Podcast Dec. 30, 2025: A look ahead to 2026 with WIAA amendments, a year in review in high school sports, plus remembering the Mariners’ magical run

Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2025

in: Podcasts, Sports

The latest Study of Sports Podcast looks ahead to proposed WIAA amendments, reviews high school sports in 2025, and reflects on the Seattle Mariners’ memorable run.

Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland talk about high school sports first from the perspective of our jobs, then our fandom comes out when we talk pro sports

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

It has been a minute since our last podcast.

Life gets in the way sometimes. But we promise, it is still free to listen to our podcast!

Anyway, today we look forward to 2026 in high school sports and talk about a number of WIAA amendments that will be voted on soon by member districts.

We also do a 2025 in review in high school sports.

Plus we must revisit Tony’s great story of the Wedge Jersey Sacrifice for the Mariners. Did it work? Let us know what you think with an email.

Plus, I give an additional minute at the end of the podcast for a special salute.

This latest episode was recorded on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

Our podcast format is simple: A longtime sports reporter (Paul Valencia) discusses high school sports, and more, with longtime sports administrators and former coaches. Cale Piland is the former head football coach at Evergreen and Union and is now the athletic director for Evergreen Public Schools. Tony Liberatore is a former assistant coach and athletic director at Columbia River and is now an associate principal at Fort Vancouver.

We’re always interested in subject ideas for a future podcast. Email us a subject idea.

Send us your thoughts at: paul.v@clarkcountytoday.com.