UIL Leaguer

Every two years the reclassification and realignment of all UIL member schools occurs. This process impacts every school in the state that participates in UIL activities. All across Texas, patrons will be anxiously waiting to see the new reclassification and realignment that will be released Feb. 1, 2010.

Schools were mailed a reclassification and realignment form in September. All schools are required to submit enrollment figures for Oct. 15 on the R&R form. This form must be faxed to the UIL office no later than Oct. 20.

It is extremely important for all schools to take their enrollment on the same snapshot date of Oct. 15 and not prior to this date. Believe it or not, the staff has already contacted several schools that faxed the R&R form to the UIL before the snapshot date. To ensure that there is equity for all schools in the R&R process, it is crucial that enrollments are collected on the same date.

The UIL staff will carefully review every form submitted. These forms will be proofed and verified for accuracy. The enrollment figures for all schools choosing to participate in football and basketball for the 2010-11 school year will be processed.

Schools will submit a participation form in January indicating other activities in which they wish to participate. The alignments for all activities other than football and basketball will not be released until after the completion of appeals of the Feb. 1 release.

I would like to take a few moments to express my gratitude to everyone for their support and well wishes since I started last February. I have gained valuable experience these past few months that will continue to help me as we go forward in the new school year.

Now that we have had a solid start to the school year, I would like to revisit a “coach’s favorite,” the Previous Athletic Participation Form (PAPF). The athletic staff continues to revise and tweak the form in an effort to have a document that is clear, concise and easy to follow.

The latest revisions to the PAPF were made July 2009. It is important to pay particular attention to the items in red bold print on both pages of the form. These are usually areas that get overlooked and cause the PAPF form to be incomplete.

It is also important to know which students actually need the form. Before participation at the VARSITY level at a new school, all NEW STUDENTS in grades 9-12 who have ever practiced or participated in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball or wrestling in grades 8-12 at another school in the United States or Mexico before, during (in school athletic period) or outside the school day must complete a PAPF. The form must be sent back to the last school of participation for that individual student-athlete. However, it is the recommendation of UIL that the PAPF form is completed the first day a new student steps onto your campus.