November, 1981 Volume 66 Number Three The Leaguer USPS 267-840 Athletics in general, soccer in particular Soccer kicked around: hogs spotlight during busy council meeting The usual and the unusual marked the an­ soccer team, which travels to Europe in camps. nual meeting of the Legislative Council, April for a tournament, he then will be as­ In other major sports actions, the coun­ November 1 in Austin. sessed a one-game penalty for each day of cil: The usual: Athletics dominated delibera­ class missed. If he misses four days of Other Council action • Voted to place on referendum ballot a tions. school, then the next year, he would be inel­ proposal, presented by Steve Buck of Abi­ lene, representing the Texas Tennis The unusual: Soccer — not football or igible for the first four varsity games in a Music changes, page 3 basketball — paced discussions. Council which he otherwise would be eligible to coaches Association, implementing a team- D Literary/academic, page 3 tennis program in the fall for all conferenc­ members established guidelines for next play. D More sports, page 7 year's inaugural soccer season as a Un­ While it didn't hold the spotlight, football es sanctioned activity. Working from a set of did gamer its share of attention. In the long Each conference will vote separately so basic recommendations from a select run, the most controversial item coming that team-tennis may be approved in soccer steering committee, the council from the meeting was a recommendation suffered a disadvantage during the basket­ AAAAA but not A, AA, AAA, etc. voted to begin the soccer season December by the council not only to place the abolition ball season strictly because many schools • Refused to place on the referendum 15, with no interschool games or scrim- of spring football training in Conference specialized in basketball only. ballot proposals to sanction wrestling and mates prior to January 3. the final day for AAAAA on the referendum ballot but also The proposal would divide conference A gymnastics. Both sports failed approval in certifying district champions will be March to urge that it pass. into a 32-district conference of schools play­ last year's balloting and it is the council's 12 and the state soccer tournament will be The council also placed on the ballot a ing football and basketball, and another 16- policy not to place any proposal on the bal­ played in Austin, April 7-9. proposal which, if passed by Conference A district conference of schools playing only lot for two consecutive years. schools, would divide the conference among basketball. Each conference would play to • Placed the 3200-meter run as the first Students will be allowed to participate on a state basketball championship. a non-school soccer team after the close of schools participating in basketball only and event of the track and field meet. the spring soccer season, but will be penal­ those playing both football and basketball. In basketball, the council refused to sanc­ • Voted to place on the referendum bal­ ized for school time missed in order to par­ The proposal, brought to the council by tion the Texas Association of Basketball lot a proposal allowing private and parochi­ ticipate on a non-school soccer team. For Supt. R.D. Elsom of Trinidad, contended Coaches winter all-star game or to consider al schools to join the UIL. The council rec­ example, if a student plays for a city league that schools playing basketball and football approval of TABC summer basketball ommended that the proposal be denied. Slaton's McClesky named vice-chairman Know League rules Council chairmanship goes to Mcleroy before filing lawsuit James McLeroy of Borden County was tee, to adjudicate appeals from the district • Gave independent school districts with­ unanimously elected chairman and J. C. executive committees. out high school the power to vote on rules for junior high and below. Since January, the League has defend­ McClesky of Slaton vice-chairman of the • Passed a proposal making the results ed its rules in district court six times. Legislative Council, in concluding action of of the referendum ballot secret. The State • Allowed a school to change to the next Five times, the local district judge the group's annual meeting. Executive Committee was enpowered to re­ lower classification if figures warrant, due agreed with UIL officials and upheld the Past president Bill Vardeman of Level- count the ballot if necessary. to de-annexation. This change is not to be rules. land guided the council through a maze of • Passed, effective immediately, a pro­ made after the list for the suceeding year proposals, submitted to the League's ru­ posal assigning magnet schools or special has been released unless all schools in that The one loss in the district court was district agree to the school being admitted. appealed and won at the next higher lemaking body, November 2. schools for academically gifted students to court. Action taken by the policy committee in­ districts in a conference equal to the high­ • Passed a proposal calling for election In most cases, the litigant received a cluded: est classification school within their inde­ of Legislative Council members in May to pendent school district for literary, speech, temporary restraining order allowing • Refused to place on the referendum Turn to POLICY, page 7 him or her to participate pending a for­ ballot a proposed regional appeals commit­ drama and music activities. mal court hearing. In the case which went to the Court of Appeals, the school played the student and was forced to forfeit all the games in which that stu­ dent participated. Fortunately, the school was not in contention for the dis­ Four new members elected to Council trict championship and was not forced to forfeit an opportunity to advance in the Sitting in for the first time as a voting state playoffs, Dr. Bailey Marshall said. member of the Legislative Council were "According to the rules, any contest three superintendents, elected to four-year in which an ineligible student partici­ terms on the council in a preferential bal­ pates must be forfeited," Marshall said. lot, conducted in October. "A good many students, parents and New members of the council included members of the judiciary are unaware Jim Payne of Bruceville-Eddy, represent­ of this League rule. ing Region IV, Conference A; S. T. Brown "The arbitrary granting of temporary of George West, representing Region IV, restraining orders is quickly circum­ Conference AAA; Frank Moates of DeSoto, representing Region II, Conference AAAA; venting a good many League rules," he B. J. Stamps Jim Payne S. T. Brown Frank Moates and B. J. Stamps of Amarillo, representing added. "Students receive permission versity. A coach for 12 years, he has served from the courts to participate and do so, Region I, Conference AAAAA. Bruceville-Eddy. He served as district ex­ Incumbents reelected to their seats were ecutive committee chairman from 1978 to as chairman of the Region VIII UIL music confident that the hearing will not be executive committee. Moates was a princi­ held until after the season ends and the Supt. James McLeroy of Gail, representing the present and as spring meet chairman in Region I, Conference A; Supt. Don Whitt of 1977. Payne replaced James Kile of pal one year, an assistant superintendent point is moot. What they don't under­ five years and has served as superintendent stand is that if they advance into the Wylie, representing Region II, Conference D'Hanis. AAA; and Supt. Jerry Gideon of Frankston, Brown is a graduate of Texas A&I Uni­ for 10 years. He replaced Gordon Cocker- playoffs, then the entire team will be ham of Lancaster, who is now superintend­ penalized." representing Region III, Conference AA. versity and former football, tennis and de­ All incumbents up for re-election won their bate coach. He served as spring meet direc­ ent at Burleson. Marshall urged school administrators seats. Ed Irons of Lubbock choose not to Stamps received degrees from East Tex­ and coaches to make students and par­ tor three years and as district executive seek re-election, even though his name was committee chairman twice. In his 20 years as State University, and Nova University. ents aware of the League's rules and to placed on the ballot. He has been a teacher and administrator explain the purpose for the regulations of public school administration, he was Payne is a graduate of Baylor Universi­ served as an elementary, junior high and for 24 years, serving as elementary, junior which have been voted into the Constitu­ high and high school principal, assistant su­ tion by the member schools of the UIL. ty, Sam Houston State University and the high school principal and superintendent. University of Houston. A former coach, he Brown replaced Kenneth Flory of Hondo. perintendent, associate superintendent of "I'm confident this would save a lot of served as principal at Grapeland for three instruction and superintendent of schools. grief in most instances," he said. Moates is a graduate of the University of years and six years as superintendent at Texas at Austin and North Texas State Uni­ Stamps replaced Ed Irons of Lubbock. Opinion page 2 Unethical few spoil progress others achieve The League enjoys a good working rela­ by their behavior. We would imagine other tionship with the media. At times, we are responsible reporters would be furious. upset over what we feel may be biased or As one reporter said, "It really makes incomprehensive coverage. As a whole, the me mad because the rest of us sat back and state's newspapers, and radio and televi­ assumed we'd all get it at the same time." sion reporters do an admirable job covering Director's corner No doubt, the actions of these two will and promoting extracurricular activities.