Lsassasr"W ^jLg0^r Packing up & Moving Out A MAJOR HEADACHE UIL ATHLETIC director Bill Farney hates the fall of odd-numbered BIENNIAL years. For at that ti«te, he RECLASSICAnON, and his staff put together the reclassification and re­ REALIGNMENT alignment list, which as­ COMES WITH signs schools to conferences and districts. Investigative BUILT-IN journalism notwithstand­ DISSATISFACTION ing, the task is often a thankless one. "Basically, you have built-in dissatisfaction," Farney said. "The smaller schools in a conference don't think it's fair that they have to play schools often twice or three times as big. Or Conference A schools who play football don't think it's fair that they have to play schools who don't play football and practice basketball." Then, there's the prqblem of the so-called "super high school," consisting of 3,000 or more students. "The organization of these schools, with ninth and tenth grades over here and eleventh and twelfth grades over there, creates a lot of concern," Farney said. "Even though Conference 5A now has a two-division football playoff system, the schools in the lower end of enrollment still perceive themselves to be at a disadvantage, especially in football." Scramble in the ever-growing girls' athletic program, the public concern with loss of school time, spiraling transportation costs, and the intangible problems involv­ ing team rivalries and you've got one majot headache. Farney knows. "We try to take as detached a view of UIL state headquarters moving to temporary site the situation as possible" he said. "Rivalries are not taken into consideration. We try to place schools in districts For more than 20 years, the UIL state the League grew, offices were made out of totaling six or eight members because with two teams OUTTA HERE advancing into the playoffs, there are only 10 dates to play offices have been headquartered in a three' bathrooms and halls. Manuals and contest 10gamesinConfetences5A,3Aand2A. Anoddnumber of teams cteates an open date duting the district schedule. story former sorority house on the north end New League's new materials were stacked in every comer. The In some cases, unless there is anothet disttict close by with street address: 3001 of The University of Texas campus. third floor became overrun by the athletic an odd number of teams, this date cannot be filled, thus Lake Austin Blvd., creating a nine game season fot some teams." According to Wayne Brasler, a Chicago- Austin, TX 78703. department. Somewhere along the way, the areajournalism teacher arulself-prcclaimed Telephone numbers green sofa was tossed out. Factors determining district assignment include en­ rollment and location. "We try to eliminate as much psychic who was in Austin for a journalism will remain the same. Today, the UIL is literally bursting at The UIL drama de­ unnecessary travel as possible, but some hardship is inevi­ convention several years ago, the buildingis partment will remain the seams. Toremedy this, the League has table because of the size of the state and the proximity of haunted, although the ghosts, he assured, at 2622 Wichita embarkedonanambvtiousproiecttoconstxuct schools of the same size to each other," Farney said. "No school wants extreme travel problems and no areharmless. until late February or anew headquarters. However, the building early March. After school wants to be in a district with a traditional power­ At one time years ago, employees could Feb. 7, the telephone isn't scheduled for completion until 1995 at house. Sometimes, those two concerns clash." While fans and administrators may be willing to sneakuptothetlwdfloorforaquicknapon number for the UIL the earliest. Until then, the UIL office staff Drama Department travel 150 miles for the varsity football games, many are the pale-green Naugahyde sofa and feel secretary and drama except for the drama department, wSl be less than thrilled to make the three-hour trek for a junior loan library will be moving south, to an office building recendy varsity volleyball game. "In realigning, we have to keep in secmemknowingti\at^hewafterrvoonsnooze mind the total competitive program, including academics 512/471-9996. Lynn wouldn't be disrupted, no matter how long purchased by UT. While it may offer newer and fine arts," Farney said. "Oddly enough, we had a Murray's direct line committee study the problem a few years ago, and it they napped. will continue to be carpet and more space, it wiR be some time concluded that, despite the problems, the current system 512/471-4517. Not so today. The building at 2666 before it feels as much like home as the handled the problem about as well as possible. At least, Wichita is a fire marshal's nightmare. As creaky, crowded, hauntedoldsororityhouse. • CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Volume 78 • Number Five • January/February, 1994 • ISSN 0897-4314 ettstera Solving a complex problem COMMENT Near the end of the team sport in at least one case during the last What benefits do interscholastic activities programs seasons each year, schools are re­ school year, it was found that the provide? ported to the UIL for any number of school using an ineligible student rule violations including playing in­ withheld information from the dis­ Certainly as a school-sponsored activity, the program eligible students, playing two games Bailey trict executive committee. This should be expected to educate. One activity might teach during the school week and/or chang­ i¥l0jjtSOi3yUl information would have made the blocking and tackling skills, another might teach dribbling ing grades in violation of state law. student ineligible from the start of and shooting skills, another might teach throwing and Normally these reports are the year. Therefore the school that made during the last week of the had the ineligible student could be batting skills, and still another might teach marching and season when it has been decided considered in violation of the Ath­ drumming skills. But all the activities provide education in which teams will advance to the play­ tion to the team that did not qualify letic Code for withholding informa­ specific physical and/or intellectual skills. offs. In virtually all instances schools because it was defeatedhy the qualify­ tion. Surely this cannot be excused. that are reported are those that have ing team. Often, the petson calling So, what's the answer? Currently The emphasis might be strength in one course, agility qualified for a spot in the playoffs by attention to the alleged violation is the UIL rules, and the rules of all other in another, endurance in another, rhythm in another, then, win/lpss record in district. The upset with the team that won and has amateur athletic associations that we breath control in another, articulation in another. Regard­ problem is ftu*«io«omplicated because known this information for some time. are aware of, carry an automatic forfei­ less, physical and/or mental development is emphasized. the information regarding A*, violation When die school administration re­ ture of games for using an ineligible has been known by someone for1 ws«V,., ceives these complaints, it is obligated student. Is there a way we can better The interscholastic activities program provides for or in some instances, all season. tbita&.team and community to report handle these cases? How else can we emoticfflaUlevetopment. The arena of participation is a Itshouldbeeasytoreduceorelimi- them. If administrators did not report insure that youngsters who were eli-^ laboratory where students learn practical application of nate this problem. Unfortunately, as alleged violations, they could lose their gible or the team can prraHtrifflfXne with most problems, it is more complex jobs in their community. playoffs? What if ffiefrcoaches and their skills. Specifically, students learn poise, self-control, than it appears. It is not always a case of On occasion, however, it is quite administration tried to evade the rules team work, and grace in both winning and losing. school officials withholding informa­ evident that the reporting school had g by withholding information? What if Also, students learn problem-solving skills in a coopera­ tion until it is beneficial for them to the information, or someone in their the player or the parents lied? What if report it, causing the other team to school system or a parent had the ijjfor- the player was a good player - or a tive learning environment. These lessons in teamwork- forfeit or be disqualified. If this were the mation prior to the game between the substitute? What if? What if? Whether learned in the gymnasium, the band hall or the case, rules to handle these types of cases two teams. This is certainly unethical If this were a perfect world, and yearbook lab - are transactional. That is, they can be could be constructed without many and in fact, if it can beproven that the everyone was completely open and hon­ applied to future endeavors, whether professional or complications. school coaches or administration knew est, this could be dealt with rather eas­ Quite frequently, the team that of the problem prior to the season or ily. In fact we wouldn't have these educational. reports the violation received the infor­ prior to the two teams playing, it is a symptoms arising. Unfortunately due But students are not the sole beneficiaries of the mation from some person outside their violation of the Athletic Code. That to the pressures to win at all costs in our interscholastic program. The program performs certain community at the end of the season. team or coach should be penalized. Usually this person gives the informa­ To further complicate the matter, • CONTINUTED ON PAGE 11 functions for the school, the community, and society as a whole.