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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
THE UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

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Floyd Honored with Distinguished Music Award

By Staff | Friday, May 01, 2009 1:06 PM

The Texas Music Educators Association recently honored UIL Music Director Richard Floyd with the Distinguished Music Award. The award, which was presented to Floyd during the association’s convention in February, is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to Texas music education. “His commitment to guiding UIL music programs in a most professional manner as well as serving as clinician, conductor and a teacher of teachers through in-service presentations throughout our state and the nation has benefited literally tens of thousands of students,” the association’s publication said. Floyd has worked as a conductor, music educator and administrator for 46 years. He previously received the American School Band Directors Association Austin Harding Award in 2002, and the Texas Bandmasters Association named him Bandmaster of the Year in 2006.

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Doherty Joins UIL Staff

By Stephanie Ramirez | Friday, May 01, 2009 1:02 PM

Susan Doherty is one of the many new additions to the University Interscholastic League, and one that most likely everyone will get to know. Doherty was named the new executive assistant to UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt.


Doherty and her husband moved to Austin, Texas in 1995 after he was transferred from St. Louis for his job with AT&T. Doherty took a job with Southwestern University in Georgetown where she worked in the registrar’s office until 2007. Before coming to the UIL, Doherty worked at the Texas Girls Coaches Association as an administrative assistant for Sam Tipton.


In Doherty’s explanation of her job, it is basically to help out with anything Dr. Breithaupt needs, from booking appointments to updating information about the school districts and Constitution and Contest Rules.

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After 3 Decades, Karen Day Retires From UIL

By Stephanie Ramirez | Friday, May 01, 2009 11:04 AM

At her retirement party, the University Interscholastic League staff joked about how many different times Karen Day had already tried to leave the League and wondered if this was actually Day’s final time to leave. But this time it was.


After 34 years of service with the UIL, Day’s official last day was March 31, 2009.


“My husband retired last year, and this is the time that we can both travel and visit our kids and grandbaby,” Day said.

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Henderson Joins Athletic Staff

By Stephanie Ramirez | Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:13 PM

The University Interscholastic League’s ebsite says that its purpose “aims to provide healthy, character building, educational activities carried out under rules providing for good sportsmanship and fair play for all participants.” 

Sheila Henderson, the newest assistant athletic director for the UIL, says her philosophy for her work goes hand in hand with this goal.

A native Texan, Henderson received her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Texas at Austin, which she has used throughout her career in the Austin area. After a year of working for Taylor ISD, Henderson moved to Austin’s Bowie High School in 1988 where she remained until 2002 when she became the assistant athletic director for Austin ISD.

In February 2009, Henderson made another career change and joined the UIL staff where she is now in charge of girls’ basketball, softball, and co-coordinating track and field with Traci Neeley, a former Round Rock ISD assistant athletic director and now fellow assistant athletic director for the League.

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Neely Leaves Round Rock ISD for UIL

By Stephanie Ramirez | Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:12 PM

Whether it was the cold in Kansas or the appeal she saw in Texas the first time she was here for undergraduate studies that would later bring her back to Austin in 1996, the University Interscholastic League benefited either way as Traci Neely was named one of the new assistant athletic directors.

After graduating from Abilene Christian University, Neely went to work at Arlington Martin High School where she coached and taught from 1987 to 1994. When she decided to return to her home state and attend the University of Kansas for her Master’s in Sports Administration, it did not take her long to realize she wanted to return to Texas.

“I got back as fast I possibly could,” Neely said.

After her return to Texas, Neely took a job with Round Rock McNeil High School as the assistant campus coordinator and the girls’ cross country head coach and the track and field head coach. In 2004 she became the Assistant Athletic Director for Round Rock ISD where she worked for almost five years.

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Journalism Director Wins Paschal Award

By Staff | Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:08 PM

UIL Journalism Director and Interscholastic League Press Conference Director Jeanne Acton accepts the James Paschal Award at the the Columbia Scholastic Press Associaton's spring convention in New York City. CSPA honors state or regional school press association officials who have distinguished themselves in the field with with the award named for the late James Frederick Paschal, a former director of the Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association and a former editor of The CSPAA Bulletin.

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Much Ado About Ethics

By Scott Coulson, TMAA Concert Band Vice President | Sunday, March 15, 2009 1:16 PM

The buzzword in the media today is ethics. Headlines are littered with stories about unethical behavior and those lacking integrity. Investors make poor financial decisions. CEOs of major corporations embezzle shareholder funds. Politicians misuse campaign funds or “forget” to pay their taxes! When I used to get the Leaguer in the mail, I confess that I went straight to the back page to see if I recognized anyone’s name under “Official Notices” and “Public Reprimands.” Come on, admit it, you did too!

The dictionary defines ethics as “principles or standards of human conduct, sometimes called morals” and integrity as “possession of firm principles: the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards.” The Texas Music Adjudicators has its own Code of Professional Ethics. As TMAA members, it is our responsibility and even our mandate to maintain our professionalism and to be beyond reproach as we execute our judging duties. Though brief, the expectations of ethical behavior are clearly defined as follows:

Adjudicators shall know and uphold all rules for music competition in the current issue of the
Constitution and Contest Rules published by the University Interscholastic League.

Adjudicators shall be physically, emotionally and mentally fit to discharge their duties at music
contests.

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Sponsor Excellence Awards Announced

By Kim Rogers | Wednesday, March 04, 2009 9:50 AM

The University Interscholastic League is proud to recognize 15 of the top UIL sponsors in Texas as the 2008 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award winners.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges in the areas of music, athletics, and academics from nominations submitted by school principals and superintendents across the state.

The award, now in its 18th year, was created to identify and recognize outstanding sponsors who enable students to develop and refine their extracurricular talents to the highest degree possible within the educational system.

Each winner receives $1,000 and a distinctive trophy from the UIL in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the pursuit of educational excellence through interscholastic competition. The University Interscholastic League continually strives to strengthen and promote the role of extracurricular activities in Texas through programs like the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award.

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UIL Celebrates Black History Month

By Stephanie Ramirez | Friday, February 27, 2009 10:07 AM

Walking in to the University Interscholastic League office, one of the first things a visitor see is a wall that displays more than just your average office artwork. In honor of Black History Month, the UIL unveiled a display to honor African-American participants over the years.

“I wanted the exhibit to show the same support for Black History Month that is exhibited around the country,” UIL Executive Director Charles Breithaupt said. “At the UIL, we have so much to celebrate in regards to Black History Month because we have had so many gifted actors, musicians and athletes compete.”

When he was principal of Hardin-Jefferson High School, Breithaupt had his students put together a display, which eventually became his inspiration for this project.

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Smith Promoted to Financial Director

By Ty Terrasso | Friday, February 27, 2009 9:59 AM

Dijaira “Di” Smith believes herself to be a pretty lucky person, but luck had little to do with her recent promotion to Financial Director this month. Her willingness to go the extra mile has been instrumental in her professional success over the years.

She grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil with no desire to claim the United States as her place of residence. It would only be by a stroke of her signature luck that she would come to call Austin home.

Smith first came to the United States in 1995 in pursuit of her masters’ degree in Business Finance. For several years she worked within the private sector as a financial manager in Sao Paulo before making her decision to move to Austin. Di sought the upward mobility a Western education would provide her. The professional climate in Brazil at the time made female advancement in the workplace a difficult proposition. She planned to get her MBA in America and return to Brazil with the competitive edge necessary for a woman to compete in upper management.

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