UIL approves proposals aimed at addressing ‘complex’ eligibility challenges
The University Interscholastic League Legislative Council passed several staff proposals that are aimed at student-athlete eligibility during the general session of its annual fall meetings in Round Rock.
Monday was a significant day for schools across the state as the University Interscholastic League passed several proposals aimed at what deputy director Jamey Harrison defined as “remarkably complex challenges” when it comes to student-athlete eligibility.
Perhaps the biggest measure passed was granting the UIL State Executive Committee the authority to investigate schools with inordinate numbers of transfer students who intend to compete in sports.
It appears to be aimed at cracking down on athletes changing schools for athletic purposes.
Those changes represent what UIL deputy director Jamey Harrison says are “just the first step” in helping the organization more effectively deal with some of the eligibility issues it's facing when it comes to the ever-changing landscape of high school athletics.
“We know that we have some keystone eligibility rules that we need to keep at our core,” Harrison said. “All of that is related to having community and educational basis to our activities and to having as level of a playing field as we can possibly provide to schools.”
“There are some instances where that doesn’t feel like it’s happening anymore, and we need to find new ways to address it. We’ve talked about a number of those over the past several years. To be honest with you, I think we were guilty of trying to find simple solutions to remarkably complex challenges, and what we’ve learned is it’s going to take a more complex set of solutions.”
Perhaps the most significant change came with an amendment that specifically grants the UIL State Executive Committee authority to investigate schools with an inordinate number of Previous Athletic Participating Forms (PAPF).
The PAPF is a two-page document required to be filled out by students changing schools who intend to participate in athletics. The form asks 18 yes-or-no questions, focusing on things from the student’s residence and family situation to potential recruiting violations.
Also passed was a proposal to update the requirements for filing the PAPFs, which the UIL says are not always completed in a timely manner. The change mandates that any new student at the high school level must complete the questionnaire prior to participation in athletics.
Another change approved Monday prohibits athletes found to have changed schools for athletic purposes from participating in contests against varsity teams from other schools, barring an exemption from the UIL athletic director. Athletes ruled ineligible for changing schools for athletic purposes are allowed to play in sub-varsity games, but now that participation is stipulated even further.
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The NHC continues tracking two systems in the Atlantic, one of which could strengthen to a tropical depression later this week. It’s doubtful they’ll have any impact in Texas:
www.facebook.com/share/xxsAsZyvLafmDqdB/?mibextid=WC7FNe
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K-TIMe Fayette County Weather - Wednesday: Clear overnight with a low around 60. Light and variable wind becoming east northeast 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Elevated fire weather conditions are expected across most of South-Central Texas Tuesday evening through Monday. Sunny throughout the afternoon with a high near 75. East northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. East wind around 5 mph.
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Cooler days beggining later Wednesday through the weekend with slight chances for showers especially over the Hill Country Friday and Saturday.
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What happening tonight? Well, a cold front is going to push across our area overnight with lows in the lower 50s to lower 60s.
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We finally decided to go comet hunting.
It’s very faint, and a camera can pick it up better than the naked eye, but it’s there.
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