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Review Precautions Before Starting Your Season
By Traci Neely | Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:58 AM
The brutal Texas temperatures just won’t let up, but that doesn’t keep the cross country season from starting. By the end of August, runners will be ready in time for the first meets of the season.
Practice for most high school cross country athletes continues through the summer months, which does tend to help prepare student athletes for the heat and humidity in August and September. Heat stress and heat stroke are extremely serious conditions. The chances of heat stress or stroke can escalate for an athlete during a practice session or during a long meet day. Coaches, athletes and parents must be proactive in regards to hydration, rest and recovery in order for this season to be successful.
Another serious issue that comes to mind when I think about the cross country season is training safely. Coaches can easily overlook or take for granted that athletes know how to train safely on the roads and in the parks. Every cross country coach prior to the training season should address the safety issues concerning how athletes are required to train.
Cross country participation has inherent possible dangers because most training takes place off campus. Coaches should make every attempt to train their runners in a familiar environment. During my coaching years, the following list of guidelines helped me secure a safe running environment for all athletes.
Lessons from the Past Help Shape UIL’s Future
By Charles Breithaupt | Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:54 AM
The UIL Centennial Committee began planning for the celebration of the 100th birthday of the UIL nearly two years ago. The first stage of this celebration was a student leadership conference held in conjunction with the UIL Legislative Council summer meetings. The highlight of the conference and the Council meetings was the presentation by these students we called the Elite 100.
The Elite 100 was made up of 100 of the best and brightest students in our state. Nominated by their principals, these students represented those who currently participate in UIL activities. Their presentations to the Council were significant and served the purpose of opening a dialogue regarding the direction of the League for the next century.
Listening to the desires of our students is an important step in assuring that our activities remain viable. After all, these activities belong to the students. While school leaders sponsor and administer extracurricular activities, if students are not interested in what we offer or how we run them, we risk losing their participation.
The students of the Elite 100 expressed gratitude for the activities already offered. They suggested several new activities as well as modifications to the processes of current activities.
UIL Kicks Off Centennial Anniversary With Student Conference
By Chris Schmidt | Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:23 PM
In June, 100 student leaders from across the state descended on the University of Texas campus to attend the UIL Elite 100 Conference and to kick off the centennial anniversary for the League.
Softball State Championship Tournament
By Staff | Thursday, June 04, 2009 7:25 PM
After scoring in the seventh inning to win the game 1-0, the Brock varsity softball team celebrates the victory over Elysian Fields. The girls came into the State Tournament with a 29-8 record. Brock beat Hallettsville 3-0 in the 2A championship game on Saturday, June 6.
Photo by Mary Mendez
Photos from Softball State Championship Tournament
Softball State Championship Tournament
By Staff | Thursday, June 04, 2009 12:38 PM
During the bottom of the ninth inning of the 4A semifinal game, an Angleton player attempts to score on a squeeze play against Azle High School.
Photo by Mary Mendez
Photos from Softball State Championship Tournament
Athletic Directors Add 2 Graduations to State Track Meet
By Jeanne Acton | Thursday, June 04, 2009 10:54 AM
At the State Track Meet this year, about 80 Texas students did more than just compete in their event.
They also graduated.
Because of the H1N1, formerly known as Swine Flu, the State Track was rescheduled from May 15-16 to June 5-6. With the postponement came conflicts. Big conflicts.
Some students had to choose between graduation and competing at the State Track Meet.
But the two new UIL assistant athletic directors, Sheila Henderson and Traci Neely, who are in charge of the meet, were not happy that students had to make that choice.
It just didn’t seem fair to them.
Feature Speaker, Mother Shine at Academic State Meet
By Jeanne Acton | Monday, June 01, 2009 12:45 PM
Photo by Jeanne Acton
If you missed the UIL Academic State Meet this year, you missed something special.
If you asked the teenage girls, that something special was 27-year-old Jared Padalecki, star of Supernatural and former regular on Gilmore Girls. He was our feature speaker this year.
Rather than attempt to describe his looks in detail. After all, I am pushing 40 and don’t want you to think I’m a cougar, so I’ll simply state the facts. He is tall. He is lean and muscular, and he is tanned.
Not surprisingly, he’s been selected to two or three “sexiest celebrity” lists.
The girls and several of the advisers and a couple of the judges went all jello over him.
In fact, he was so intimidating that I wasn’t sure if any student was going to snap out of the star-struck state to ask a question. Luckily, Jared is an easy-going guy, and he quickly put the crowd at ease.
Governor Holds Teleconference With High School Journalists
By Jeanne Acton | Wednesday, May 27, 2009 12:50 PM
Two weeks ago I received a call from the governor’s office. Not exactly a call I was expecting.
But definitely a good call — especially for high school journalists across the state.
The governor’s office wanted to set up a teleconference call with high school newspaper editors and writers.
I blasted all 300-plus members of ILPC about the teleconference, and immediately advisers were excited about the opportunity for their students.
Start of New Job Marked With Unprecedented Changes, Gratifying Experiences
By Traci Neely | Friday, May 22, 2009 12:53 PM
Little did I know that the first two months working in the UIL office would be packed full of unprecedented events. I started work in late February, just in time to work the state championships for swimming and diving and the girls’ and boys’ basketball tournaments. Shortly thereafter, it seemed to calm down, and I was able to get a grasp on my new environment.
Then came the swine flu.
The end of April would bring a dilemma to the UIL that created historic consequences involving a very large number of spring sport athletes across the state.
The decision to cancel regional track meets brought on a deluge of public communication to the UIL office. The softball and baseball postponements created even more phone calls and frustrated athletes, coaches, school personnel and parents.
Finally, when all the events were rescheduled, some relief came but also so did some additional frustration. We knew that rescheduling events was the right thing to do, however it created more havoc on the previously adjusted details for softball, the late state track meet and other end of the year events such as high school graduations and senior prom.
Spring Changes in the Athletic Department
By Cliff Odenwald | Friday, May 15, 2009 12:58 PM
The first three months as Director of Athletics of the UIL have gone by quickly. The pace has been incredible. It seems just like yesterday that I was changing offices and preparing for the challenges that lay ahead.
With the promotion of Dr. Mark Cousins to Director of Policy and Rachel Seewald moving to Indianapolis, Indiana, the first priority was to hire two assistant athletic directors.
I knew it was going to be hard to replace the knowledge and experience of Rachel and Mark. Both of them were great leaders in the athletic department and were respected by all of the superintendents, principals and coaches in the state.
After going through a strong pool of applicants and an extensive interview process, Sheila Henderson and Traci Neely were named the new UIL assistant athletic directors.