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Dr. Charles Breithaupt Appointed UIL Executive Director
By Jeanne Acton | Monday, February 16, 2009 11:02 AM
As the newly appointed executive director of the University Interscholastic League, Dr. Charles Breithaupt said he feels both blessed and challenged.
“When they offered me the job, I was kind of in awe,” he said. “Here I was, sitting in the tower of the main building at the University of Texas with the vice president, thinking, ‘How could a small town boy like me be here?’ I am so grateful and can’t thank everyone enough for this opportunity.”
But Dr. Gregory Vincent, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement at UT and head of the nationwide search committee, had little doubt that this former “small town boy” was up for the challenge of executive director.
Since 1995, Breithaupt, a graduate of Buna High School, served as associate director and director of athletics for the League. He was promoted to UIL associate director in August 2004.
"Dr. Breithaupt is undoubtedly committed to the UIL's mission and programs,” Dr. Vincent said. “It was clear to the search committee that his experience has won him the respect of superintendents and coaches across the state. He is very familiar with the challenges of the position as well as the challenges that schools and districts face every day."
Seewald Resigns as Athletic Coordinator
By Chris Schmidt | Thursday, February 05, 2009 11:04 AM
Rachel Seewald, athletic coordinator of the University Interscholastic League, resigned Jan. 30 after more than 16 years of service with the organization.
Seewald began working at the UIL as an office assistant only four months after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She was promoted to director of public information one year later.
“As a young college graduate they trusted me and weren’t afraid to challenge me with added responsibilities,” Seewald said. “They never wavered in their faith of my abilities.”
In 1997, Seewald earned her master’s degree in education from UT, and two years later she became the athletic coordinator for volleyball, girl’s basketball and track and field.
During her tenure, volleyball went through possibly the most significant changes of any other sport with the switch to rally scoring and the change of venue for the state tournament, moving from Austin to San Marcos. She believes these changes to be her greatest accomplishments while at the UIL, and those who worked with her give her great credit for making these transitions as smooth as possible.
“Rachel will be greatly missed by all of us,” Dr. Charles Breithaupt, UIL executive director, said. “She is well respected across the state by coaches and officials and will be very difficult to replace.”
After More Than 3 Decades, Dr. Farney Retires From UIL
By Jeanne Acton | Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:14 AM
On the wall in his office hangs a plain wooden plaque. It reads, “Success is never final. Failure is never fatal.”
Simple words with a powerful message.
This message sums up the Executive Director of the University Interscholastic League Dr. William Farney’s philosophy: “The winning doesn’t make you a better person. The competition does.”
For more than three decades at UIL, Dr. Farney has lived and led with that philosophy. But Jan. 30, 2009, after 14 years as executive director, Dr. Farney will take down that plaque and retire from the League.
“I really feel like it’s time,” he said. “We have people in place — strong people — to take care of this organization. I’d put this staff up against any staff in the U.S.”
In 1977, Dr. Farney started his career at the UIL as the athletic director and assistant director under then-director Bailey Marshall.
Nation Chooses Poverty as 2009-2010 Policy Debate Topic
By Jana Riggins | Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:12 AM
The people have spoken. The vote is in. Results from national balloting conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations confirm that cross-examination debaters in 2009 – 2010 will debate the topic: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.
Ballots were first sent to states, the District of Columbia, the National Forensic League, National Debate Coaches Association and the National Catholic Forensic League last August with five topics included on the ballot: space, healthcare, immigration, poverty, and federal elections. The voting was intensely close with the top two vote getters, health care and poverty, then placed on a final ballot.
Dr. Farney Was More Than a Strong Leader; He Was and Still Is a Great Friend
By Charles Breithaupt | Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:10 AM
I thought this would be an easy job. My task was to write an article about my boss, my mentor and my friend. Turns out it is most difficult to put in words all of the great memories from the past 17 years.
Dr. Bill Farney is retiring on Jan. 31, 2009. After a stellar 45-year career in education, 31 at the UIL — the last 14 as Executive Director, he has decided to hang up his spurs. He is well-deserving of whatever joys retirement can bring to him. But, I can’t let him ride away without a few words of appreciation and admiration.
Dr. Farney grew up in the Waco area and attended Chilton High School where he graduated as class valedictorian. He participated in a variety of UIL activities, including academic and athletic competition. He received a scholarship to Paris Junior College where he played both football and basketball. From there he went on to the University of Tulsa where he played football and graduated with a degree in English.
He began teaching and coaching football, basketball and track at Lorena High School and later went to Robinson as high school principal. He was eventually hired as superintendent at Crawford ISD. He was the youngest superintendent in the state at age 29. While at Crawford, he served as head football coach, head girls’ basketball coach and track coach. He won a state championship in girls’ basketball in 1975.
In 1977 he was hired at the UIL and served as Athletic Director and Assistant Director until he assumed the duties of Executive Director in March 1995.
Dr. Farney is a member of the Texas Girls Association’s Hall of Honor where he also served as state president. He was inducted into the Texas Basketball Hall of Honor in 2006. He has served on numerous National Federation committees including the NFHS Board of Directors.
Wishing Directors and Students a Successful Contest Experience
By Penny Meitz | Friday, January 23, 2009 11:15 AM
What makes a UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest a success? Certainly it is much more than earning a Sweepstakes trophy or a Division I plaque. A successful contest has multiple components. Was the competition smoothly organized and implemented? Did students learn and grow musically from their preparation and participation? Did you, as director, learn from the UIL experience and/or the judge’s comments? These are all important components of a successful contest experience.
Do you remember participating in UIL as a student and how you felt after a UIL performance? Many of you will recall the exhilaration from knowing you performed well and received a high rating for the performance. Whatever the rating outcome, students should have a positive impression about their participation in the contest.
Coaches and Others Must Complete Safety Training Program
By Cliff Odenwald | Wednesday, January 21, 2009 11:17 AM
In the November edition of the UIL Leaguer, Dr. Mark Cousins submitted a list of “things to do.” One of the items on his list was a reminder to complete the safety training required by Senate Bill 82.
The Senate enacted this bill to ensure that coaches, trainers, sponsors, band directors and students were prepared to recognize and handle emergency situations. It requires that students be taught to recognize the symptoms of catastrophic injuries. Another requirement of the bill is that students are educated about the risks of using certain dietary supplements designed to enhance athletic performance. This is not a complete list of the mandates. Please refer to the complete list described under “Safety Training Program” on the UIL Web site’s home page.
Theatrical Design Contest Winners Announced
By Luis Munoz | Friday, January 16, 2009 11:18 AM
Entries for this year’s Theatrical Design Contest exceeded 200 entries. The entries were judged by Kelly Draper, Lamar University; Theresa May, UT Press; Ron Dodson, Austin; Paula Rodriguez, San Antonio College; Tracy Mask Marlowe, Creative Noggin; and Phil Johnson, Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Our thanks to our adjudicators and congratulations to the state qualifiers. State Qualifiers will receive instructions sometime in February. Non-advancing entries will be returned with “critique CD” and certificate(s) in February. Some outstanding Components from non-advancing groups will be exhibited as non-competing entries at state.
STATE QUALIFIERS THEATRICAL DESIGN 2009
GROUP
1. Eastland High School – 2A
2. Harper High School – 2A
3. Henrietta High School – 2A
4. Judson High School – 5A
5. Leander High School – 5A
Online Prescribed Music List Features and Other Music News
By Richard Floyd | Thursday, January 15, 2009 11:20 AM
While growing up in a very rural Richardson, Texas (main street was two blocks long and there was one traffic light) one of the big attractions each week was to take in a movie at the Ritz. It was an old style movie theater where you could catch the latest Hollywood feature for nine cents. As a bonus there was usually a cartoon and the all-important preview of coming attractions. Those previews always built anticipation and sometimes excitement for things to come. So with that childhood thought in mind, allow me to share a “main feature” and a “previews of coming attractions” with you.
NEW ONLINE PRESCRIBED MUSIC LIST FORMAT
In December, the UIL Music Division launched a new version of the online Prescribed Music List. The new format and search engine is the result of input from the UIL Music Selection Committees, countless suggestions from directors across the state and the work of an Internet technology design team at the University of Texas. With the new system, you can search selections by event, UIL ID, title, grade, arranger/composer, publisher and specifications as in the past. However within each of these features, there are additional options available to customize your search.
Texans Earn Top Awards at National Convention
By Jeanne Acton | Tuesday, December 02, 2008 9:56 AM
Texas has a few things to celebrate after the JEA/NSPA fall convention in St. Louis last month.
Former ILPC director and journalism adviser Randy Vonderheid was awarded JEA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given to retirees for lifetime dedication to journalism education.
Two Texas newspapers and one broadcast program earned Pacemakers — The Stampede of Burges High School in El Paso and The Liberator of Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin. MHS-1 from McKinney High School won a Pacemaker in broadcast division.