SHSBulldog00
05-03-2009, 11:01 AM
El Campo Leader-News
UIL playoff rule change could hurt LISD budget
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com
Class A football will be divided into two divisions before the season begins rather than at playoff time, the University Interscholastic League announced last week. The change takes effect during the 2010-2011 school year.
In Wharton County the change will affect the Class A Louise Hornets. Louise ISD Superintendent Andy Peter said Monday he voted against the plan because landing in the small division would mean longer trips for the Hornets and their fans, and more cost.
Class A schools with the largest enrollment will play in Division I, made up of 16 districts.
Schools with smaller enrollments will compete in Division II, which will also have 16 districts.
Each district will send two teams to the playoffs.
Currently, three football teams advance to the playoffs from each district. Once those teams are determined, the school with the largest enrollment among the three playoff teams goes into Division I, and the two remaining playoff teams play for post-season honors in Division II.
As is customary with major rules changes coming out of the UIL, superintendents were asked to vote their preference. The new system passed 203-65.
"I voted against it because of the travel," Peters said.
"I have not seen any preliminary looks at how it might look. But we are the smaller of our (district) teams now. am very worried that we might get put in that small division and they might want us to travel a couple hundred miles to Charlotte, Pettus and Runge. Coach (Mark) Stevens and I talked about it, and we were not for it," Peters said. He said he questions whether or not the superintendents understood what they were voting on. "I was surprised to see that vote count. Most of them grumble now about the travel we already do," he said. The ballot is done by mail and fax. The UIL mails out the ballot, and superintendents are asked to vote and fax their ballot in. Peters said the commissioner of education even signed off on this recommendation.
"If they move us out of our existing district we're looking at going toward San Antonio because there's nothing the other direction unless you go way the other side of Houston. And I don't see them doing that. But I could see them going back toward Woodsboro, Pettus and Falls City," Peters said.
He said the tricky part will be the population of 9th-12th graders in October, which are the numbers that will be used for district realignments. Realignments come out Feb. 1, 2010 at 9 a.m.
"We look good 9-12 for the most part, but overall, school-wise, we're low in the elementary area. That hurts us financially, not necessarily athletically. There's a million dollars difference between Ganado's budget and our budget because they have more little kids than we do. We're at 177 at high school and Ganado is at 190.
"But when they divide that line, where's that going to put us? Will we be with the Ganado, Flatonio, Shiner group, or are we going to be going the other way? Hopefully we'll hang in there and have enough kids to make it into our current district."
"I know we'll be grumbling a lot. Our academic and spring meet division is so big we go all the way to Thrall (north of Austin), and over to a charter school in Wimberly and a charter school in Katy. And every other year we go to Thrall for a track meet. But that's the UIL."
Peters said basketball is already done the way football will now be done.
"No one is thinking about the dollar bills to this thing. But they better start. It's going to get expensive. I can see my board saying let's get rid of a sport rather than putting pressure on people to control costs of playoff games. Nobody asks the price of a gym. Two coaches just get together and they get a gym. The gym in Sealy was $800, then you have to pay for officials and everything else," the superintendent said.
Peters said that the football district could be different than the volleyball district. And most of the cheerleaders are volleyball players. With the long distances, girls could have to decide if they want to be a cheerleader or a volleyball player.
"I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping we'll be in the big division. Otherwise we'll be traveling. Being in the small division is great for winning, but it's not fair on the budget and it's not fair on our parents traveling," the superintendent said.
UIL playoff rule change could hurt LISD budget
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com
Class A football will be divided into two divisions before the season begins rather than at playoff time, the University Interscholastic League announced last week. The change takes effect during the 2010-2011 school year.
In Wharton County the change will affect the Class A Louise Hornets. Louise ISD Superintendent Andy Peter said Monday he voted against the plan because landing in the small division would mean longer trips for the Hornets and their fans, and more cost.
Class A schools with the largest enrollment will play in Division I, made up of 16 districts.
Schools with smaller enrollments will compete in Division II, which will also have 16 districts.
Each district will send two teams to the playoffs.
Currently, three football teams advance to the playoffs from each district. Once those teams are determined, the school with the largest enrollment among the three playoff teams goes into Division I, and the two remaining playoff teams play for post-season honors in Division II.
As is customary with major rules changes coming out of the UIL, superintendents were asked to vote their preference. The new system passed 203-65.
"I voted against it because of the travel," Peters said.
"I have not seen any preliminary looks at how it might look. But we are the smaller of our (district) teams now. am very worried that we might get put in that small division and they might want us to travel a couple hundred miles to Charlotte, Pettus and Runge. Coach (Mark) Stevens and I talked about it, and we were not for it," Peters said. He said he questions whether or not the superintendents understood what they were voting on. "I was surprised to see that vote count. Most of them grumble now about the travel we already do," he said. The ballot is done by mail and fax. The UIL mails out the ballot, and superintendents are asked to vote and fax their ballot in. Peters said the commissioner of education even signed off on this recommendation.
"If they move us out of our existing district we're looking at going toward San Antonio because there's nothing the other direction unless you go way the other side of Houston. And I don't see them doing that. But I could see them going back toward Woodsboro, Pettus and Falls City," Peters said.
He said the tricky part will be the population of 9th-12th graders in October, which are the numbers that will be used for district realignments. Realignments come out Feb. 1, 2010 at 9 a.m.
"We look good 9-12 for the most part, but overall, school-wise, we're low in the elementary area. That hurts us financially, not necessarily athletically. There's a million dollars difference between Ganado's budget and our budget because they have more little kids than we do. We're at 177 at high school and Ganado is at 190.
"But when they divide that line, where's that going to put us? Will we be with the Ganado, Flatonio, Shiner group, or are we going to be going the other way? Hopefully we'll hang in there and have enough kids to make it into our current district."
"I know we'll be grumbling a lot. Our academic and spring meet division is so big we go all the way to Thrall (north of Austin), and over to a charter school in Wimberly and a charter school in Katy. And every other year we go to Thrall for a track meet. But that's the UIL."
Peters said basketball is already done the way football will now be done.
"No one is thinking about the dollar bills to this thing. But they better start. It's going to get expensive. I can see my board saying let's get rid of a sport rather than putting pressure on people to control costs of playoff games. Nobody asks the price of a gym. Two coaches just get together and they get a gym. The gym in Sealy was $800, then you have to pay for officials and everything else," the superintendent said.
Peters said that the football district could be different than the volleyball district. And most of the cheerleaders are volleyball players. With the long distances, girls could have to decide if they want to be a cheerleader or a volleyball player.
"I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping we'll be in the big division. Otherwise we'll be traveling. Being in the small division is great for winning, but it's not fair on the budget and it's not fair on our parents traveling," the superintendent said.