Dr. Poole of Barber’s Hill ISD Elected as Chair of Legislative Council
By Kate Y. Hector, Media Coordinator | Tuesday, November 20, 2012 10:47 AM
Dr. Greg Poole, the newly elected Legislative Council Chair, drapes medals on winners at the Cross Country State Championship
Photo by Kate Y. Hector
At the October 2012 University Interscholastic League Legislative Council Meeting, Dr. Greg Poole, superintendent at Barbers Hill ISD, was elected as the new chair.
“I am more proud of the position that has been entrusted to me than any other accomplishment I have been blessed to receive,” Poole said.
Dr. Charles Breithaupt, UIL executive director, said Poole’s greatest attribute is his leadership. Poole served on the teacher retirement board for six years and has been a progressive leader during his time at Barbers Hill ISD.
“He is a champion for young people,” Breithaupt said of Poole. “He is a champion for coaches and directors, and he is one who pursues excellence. I think he will have a great year as Legislative Council chair.”
Poole’s history with the UIL dates back to his high school days as a member of the State Championship Football team at Cameron Yoe High School in 1981. That was the first, and only, state championship in Cameron’s history. Poole also competed in UIL typing at the state level. Poole said he learned as much from his UIL extracurricular activities as he did from his school curriculum.
“I really learned lessons that are more lasting,” Poole said. “The power of team, the power of we, of sacrifice, and probably the most important one, which is so foreign to much of what today’s society preaches and teaches, is the concept of deferred gratification.”
Those lessons have helped Poole throughout his career. His first job after college was a math teacher and coach at Bellville High School. When Poole was working toward his doctorate at Texas A&M University, he was the only person in his class who wasn’t a current administrator. The lesson of deferred gratification from his UIL experience gave him patience and helped him focus.
“I wasn’t sure how it would help, or when, but I knew that just like the practice for competition,” Poole said. “You do the hard work, and it will pay off. You store up for the future and plant seeds.”
He has now served as superintendent of Barbers Hill High School for seven years, and he has experienced UIL from nearly every angle. Poole says that breadth of experience gives him ownership in the UIL and its mission.
“I have ownership, but I can’t help but use a track analogy,” Poole said. “I absolutely think that it’s the baton that is entrusted to me. And we are in the lead, so it is pressure, because the baton can’t be dropped. We’ve got to pass it on to the next person and be in the lead then, as well. So I think there is ownership, but there is also the sense of tradition, and carrying on, and not letting down those influential, strong leaders who have paved the way for truly the best in the nation.”
Poole compared the Legislative Council to the Who’s Who of superintendents. Legends such as Curtis Culwell and Vernon Newsome have served as chair of the Legislative Council.
“The quality of people is just intimidating, really, to follow in their steps,” Poole said. “I just could not be prouder of being a part of something.”
Breithaupt also spoke of the outstanding history of the Legislative Council chair position, saying that legacy is sure to continue under Poole.
“We have had some outstanding chairpersons through the years,” Breithaupt said. “They are really to be honored and given the accolades they deserve because they give of their time free of charge to represent the entire state of Texas. We are blessed to have their service. “
Poole said he spoke for the Legislative Council when he said he could not be more confident in the leadership of UIL Executive Director Charles Breithaupt and his staff, crediting them for the UIL’s leadership position among state organizations around the country.
“I am a sixth-generation Texan and could not be more proud of my state,” Poole said. “When people ask, ‘What makes Texas good?’ I think the UIL is a classic example of what makes Texas good. We are setting the standard. We don’t follow others. We set the standard. We are the standard.
“We do understand, and thankfully our legislators and our past leaders have understood, the innate, powerful value of healthy, fair competition.”
Poole has served on the Legislative Council since the 2007. Since then, he has served as vice chair of the standing committee on Academics (2008-09 and 2009-10 school years) and the chair of the standing committee on athletics (2011-12 school year).
The honor that Dr. Poole feels in his new position of chair of the UIL Legislative Council is best summed up by this question.
“As a former coach in Bellville, Texas – who was in charge of washing football apparel, marking the field, keeping the field watered – I would have been fired if the field had not been watered. How could I have envisioned being entrusted with such a role?”