shooter
11-25-2005, 09:44 PM
BIG UIL Announcement regarding 5A Realignment.
Austin America Stateman – November 26, 2005
By Doug Price
For as long as most coaches have been coaching, and as long as most players have been playing the 5A classification has always had 4 regions for High School football. But, in a stunning announcement late last night the UIL office announced, along with the recent change to allow each districts 4th place team into the playoffs at the end of the 2006 football season, there will also be a change from the traditional 4 Regions to just 3 Regions.
Hayward Keller, a UIL athletic spokesman, “We felt we had to do something! Our backs are against the wall on this one.” Keller and two other UIL representatives that asked to remain anonymous met with the media late Friday night in a Janitors closet at the University of Texas and answered questions. “This move will hopefully help out in the odd situation that has come up this year in one particular region. It’s an embarrassment for the UIL, the coaches and the kids.” Keller said. The odd situation he referred to is the total domination by 26-5A over Region IV. “It’s just not fair for the other kids in Region IV to be subjected to that type of punishment, so we are doing something about it. We are eliminating Region IV so THEY can’t dominate any more”
In a plan laid out on Friday, the Districts would be divided up into 3 Regions. District 26-5A would be left out of any realignment of the Regions and be forced to play only against each other for the whole year. 26-5A teams would not be allowed to schedule contest against any outside schools and would not be eligible for any arbitration in the decisions. “See how they like having to play each other all year!” Another UIL official exclaimed from behind Keller.
“Enough is Enough, Good golly they have all three of there teams in the playoffs still and it’s DECEMBER, what happens next year when we go to four playoff teams!” Keller stated almost in tears. Keller a 1985 graduate of San Antonio Clark High School was still feeling the sting from the loss to Madison just a week prior.
At the end of the season each of the three regions will play out their playoffs and determine their regional champion, 26-5A would be left to play each other in what ever playoff format they wanted to come up with to determine a single representative from 26-5A. “For all we care they can arm wrestle for the championship, we have washed our hands of this.” In an unprecedented move the UIL then announced a new way of determining the State champion. All three Regional Champs would get to play the 26-5A champ back to back on the same day.
“The Region I Champ will play the 26-5A champ first at around 10am in Amarillo, after they get done the Region II Champ gets their turn around 2pm in Tyler and if anything is left over the Region III Champ will then play the 26-5A representative at 7pm in Baytown.” Keller explained as he ranted and raved about Clark not running enough time off the clock. “They want to dominate a whole region, well now they don’t even get a Region! See how they like that!”
Keller did not go into details about what happens after this semi-round robin type playoff system but did add “And if they don’t make a game time with all of their Varsity players, then they will be branded quitters FOR LIFE!” insinuating that the 26-5A representative would have to make some strange travel arrangements to make each game.
In other news San Antonio Lee High School announced it was dropping their football program in favor of just playing soccer year round.
Austin America Stateman – November 26, 2005
By Doug Price
For as long as most coaches have been coaching, and as long as most players have been playing the 5A classification has always had 4 regions for High School football. But, in a stunning announcement late last night the UIL office announced, along with the recent change to allow each districts 4th place team into the playoffs at the end of the 2006 football season, there will also be a change from the traditional 4 Regions to just 3 Regions.
Hayward Keller, a UIL athletic spokesman, “We felt we had to do something! Our backs are against the wall on this one.” Keller and two other UIL representatives that asked to remain anonymous met with the media late Friday night in a Janitors closet at the University of Texas and answered questions. “This move will hopefully help out in the odd situation that has come up this year in one particular region. It’s an embarrassment for the UIL, the coaches and the kids.” Keller said. The odd situation he referred to is the total domination by 26-5A over Region IV. “It’s just not fair for the other kids in Region IV to be subjected to that type of punishment, so we are doing something about it. We are eliminating Region IV so THEY can’t dominate any more”
In a plan laid out on Friday, the Districts would be divided up into 3 Regions. District 26-5A would be left out of any realignment of the Regions and be forced to play only against each other for the whole year. 26-5A teams would not be allowed to schedule contest against any outside schools and would not be eligible for any arbitration in the decisions. “See how they like having to play each other all year!” Another UIL official exclaimed from behind Keller.
“Enough is Enough, Good golly they have all three of there teams in the playoffs still and it’s DECEMBER, what happens next year when we go to four playoff teams!” Keller stated almost in tears. Keller a 1985 graduate of San Antonio Clark High School was still feeling the sting from the loss to Madison just a week prior.
At the end of the season each of the three regions will play out their playoffs and determine their regional champion, 26-5A would be left to play each other in what ever playoff format they wanted to come up with to determine a single representative from 26-5A. “For all we care they can arm wrestle for the championship, we have washed our hands of this.” In an unprecedented move the UIL then announced a new way of determining the State champion. All three Regional Champs would get to play the 26-5A champ back to back on the same day.
“The Region I Champ will play the 26-5A champ first at around 10am in Amarillo, after they get done the Region II Champ gets their turn around 2pm in Tyler and if anything is left over the Region III Champ will then play the 26-5A representative at 7pm in Baytown.” Keller explained as he ranted and raved about Clark not running enough time off the clock. “They want to dominate a whole region, well now they don’t even get a Region! See how they like that!”
Keller did not go into details about what happens after this semi-round robin type playoff system but did add “And if they don’t make a game time with all of their Varsity players, then they will be branded quitters FOR LIFE!” insinuating that the 26-5A representative would have to make some strange travel arrangements to make each game.
In other news San Antonio Lee High School announced it was dropping their football program in favor of just playing soccer year round.