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05-14-2007, 03:12 PM
UIL studies defining football districts by enrollment
03:00 PM CDT on Monday, May 14, 2007
By CAMERON MAUN / The Dallas Morning News
cmaun@dallasnews.com
AUSTIN – A study to group high school football districts by enrollment size shows promise, University Interscholastic League officials said Monday.
Athletic director Charles Breithaupt, speaking at The Associated Press Sports Editors' Southwest Region meeting, said the UIL is studying whether to create districts defined by enrollment rather than geography.
Breithaupt said he feared that such an alignment would make travel more difficult and be more costly. UIL officials were surprised when they began studying potential alignments.
"When we plotted it, it didn't look too bad," Breithaupt said. "5A and 4A would not be impacted too much. In some cases, it would even help travel."
Breithaupt said the study stemmed from Wylie High School's appeal after the 2005 realignment. Wylie, with an enrollment figure of 2,247, is one of the smallest 5A schools and was aligned with Allen and the Plano schools – which have enrollments ranging from 4,156 to 5,652 – to create District 9-5A.
There are approximately 240 schools competing in Class 5A. The study looks at taking the largest 120 schools and placing them in 16 districts across the state. These schools would compete for the Division I championship. The smallest 120 schools would be divided into 16 districts and compete for the Division II championship.
UIL officials stressed this was only a study and has not been proposed. The earliest it could come to fruition would be the 2008 football season. The study is modeled after the six-man alignment. Breithaupt said if implemented, it could be used for just 5A alignment or it could include other classifications.
In other news, UIL officials:
• Declined comment about San Antonio Cornerstone's lawsuit to require the UIL to admit private schools. Bill Farney, executive director of the UIL, said member public schools have expressed concerns about allowing private schools to join the organization. Breithaupt cited an example of a private school in Austin that has students registered from 87 different zip codes but its enrollment would allow it to compete as a 2A school.
• Continue to monitor the progress of Senate Bill 8, which would require random steroid testing. There is disagreement in the House over funding. The Senate passed a version to fund testing through appropriations but a House proposal calls for an event fee to be included upon admission to athletic contests.
• Said that a recent survey showed more than 1,300 high schools now have at least one automated external defibrillator on campus.
• Said it was pleased with the 5A football championships, which were played at one site for the first time in 2006. The UIL will discuss adopting a similar approach for other classifications.
03:00 PM CDT on Monday, May 14, 2007
By CAMERON MAUN / The Dallas Morning News
cmaun@dallasnews.com
AUSTIN – A study to group high school football districts by enrollment size shows promise, University Interscholastic League officials said Monday.
Athletic director Charles Breithaupt, speaking at The Associated Press Sports Editors' Southwest Region meeting, said the UIL is studying whether to create districts defined by enrollment rather than geography.
Breithaupt said he feared that such an alignment would make travel more difficult and be more costly. UIL officials were surprised when they began studying potential alignments.
"When we plotted it, it didn't look too bad," Breithaupt said. "5A and 4A would not be impacted too much. In some cases, it would even help travel."
Breithaupt said the study stemmed from Wylie High School's appeal after the 2005 realignment. Wylie, with an enrollment figure of 2,247, is one of the smallest 5A schools and was aligned with Allen and the Plano schools – which have enrollments ranging from 4,156 to 5,652 – to create District 9-5A.
There are approximately 240 schools competing in Class 5A. The study looks at taking the largest 120 schools and placing them in 16 districts across the state. These schools would compete for the Division I championship. The smallest 120 schools would be divided into 16 districts and compete for the Division II championship.
UIL officials stressed this was only a study and has not been proposed. The earliest it could come to fruition would be the 2008 football season. The study is modeled after the six-man alignment. Breithaupt said if implemented, it could be used for just 5A alignment or it could include other classifications.
In other news, UIL officials:
• Declined comment about San Antonio Cornerstone's lawsuit to require the UIL to admit private schools. Bill Farney, executive director of the UIL, said member public schools have expressed concerns about allowing private schools to join the organization. Breithaupt cited an example of a private school in Austin that has students registered from 87 different zip codes but its enrollment would allow it to compete as a 2A school.
• Continue to monitor the progress of Senate Bill 8, which would require random steroid testing. There is disagreement in the House over funding. The Senate passed a version to fund testing through appropriations but a House proposal calls for an event fee to be included upon admission to athletic contests.
• Said that a recent survey showed more than 1,300 high schools now have at least one automated external defibrillator on campus.
• Said it was pleased with the 5A football championships, which were played at one site for the first time in 2006. The UIL will discuss adopting a similar approach for other classifications.