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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
THE UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

Legislative Council Approves a Few Changes for 2009-2010

By Peter Contreras | Friday, November 07, 2008 10:05 AM

Having attended some 19 UIL Legislative Council Meetings over the years, this past month’s meeting may have been the quietest yet. There were proposals, ideas and concerns that were discussed, but at the end of the two-day public meeting, minor changes seemed to rule the day.

What has not changed over time is that proposals that were passed by the 28-member committee are an attempt to fix a problem or concern and, at the same time, ensure that the school children of our state continue to have a very positive and educational experience in our school programs.

New proposals were passed for swimming and diving, softball and golf to strength those programs. Please note, none of the proposals passed are effective until the 2009-2010 school year.

Swimming & Diving

Like the state meet, each regional meet is now allowed to conduct consolation finals, and those events also will be scored.

Texas Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (TISCA) representatives Toni Schramme, Dave Johnson and Penny DiPomazio each spoke to the proposal during the course of the meeting, explaining that the swimmers were already in attendance on the second day of the two-day regional meet.

Allowing the swimmers in the pool that had not advanced to the regional finals would allow them a continued opportunity to compete and also allow for a more manageable supervisory situation for school coaches.

After talking to regional directors prior to the October Legislative Council meeting, most mentioned that while the addition of consolation finals would add time to the meet on the second day, they favored the proposal. Regional directors in the past have built in some “drag” time during the finals, allowing athletes that swim in more than one event some much needed recovery time. The addition of consolation finals allows swimmers to experience the same format that will be used at the state meet two weeks later.

Softball

The Texas Girl’s Coach Association (TGCA) introduced a proposal this past June at the Athletic Committee Meeting that would allow softball teams the same length of season as baseball. The amendment that was passed will alter the beginning of softball practice outside the school day.

The girls’ softball plan will now allow softball practice to begin three days earlier, on a Friday instead of a Monday. While this change may cause some possible conflict with the girls’ basketball season, it was a change that the TGCA and UIL staff both supported.

Golf

Maybe the most significant change from the athletic sub-committee came in golf. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, golf coaches will be allowed to coach their players from green to tee.

It is the hope of both the Legislative Council and the UIL athletic staff that coaching from green to tee (box) will help on two fronts — coaching and supervision. Golf coaches for years have requested the opportunity to coach their players during the course of a tournament. One of the biggest arguments for the change was that other coaches in other UIL sports were allowed to coach their players during competition.

While final language still needs to be developed and approved, the intent of the rule change will allow a golf coach to talk, advise or coach players from the point of the last player in the group holing out UNTIL the first player in the group tees off on the next hole.

Only one coach per team will be allowed to coach. At district, regional and state tournaments, coaches will need to be credentialed and identified as the only individual allowed to talk to their players. In a nutshell, anything a coach wants to discuss with their player at this time is allowed (i.e. motivation, club selection, course management, etc.), but the player (and coach) still need to be mindful of the pace of play.

This change was met with some resistance. What turned the tide this time, in my opinion, was monitoring at district and regional tournaments.

I’m in my 19th year at the UIL and I cannot remember a Legislative Council meeting where monitors and the ability, or inability, for a player to keep a correct score on a hole being discussed.

For whatever reasons, many believe having a monitor accompany each playing group during district and regional play would ensure that the correct teams and individuals would advance to the next round.

Players forgetting their actual score, misapplication of USGA rules and other reasons has been cited as problems. I have long maintained that the only viable solution to this problem was the golf coach. This might be the first step in that direction.

If a player needs help with a score, now the coach can help. Need a ruling? A coach can also help find a rules’ official.

The mere presence and involvement of the coach during the players competitive round, if done properly, can go a long way in changing the perception some have about scores during invitational tournaments and certainly district and regional tournaments.