ROUND ROCK, Texas — It was a huge decision by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Tuesday as the legislative council approved the splitting of divisions in the playoffs for the non-football sports.
That means there will be more state champions in basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer. The format will mirror what Class 6A football does in that the announced districts will remain the same for the next two years and the split will happen come playoff time based on the population size of the four schools that make the postseason.
The two biggest schools will go Division I and the two smaller schools will go Division II.
Here's the best example: Calallen and Sinton baseball have played each other in the playoffs four straight years. But if the rule were in effect this season, Calallen would have gone Division I with a larger enrollment and Sinton would have gone Division II with a much smaller enrollment.
So while we could have more local state champions, it also means some local playoff rivalries might be coming to an end. Here is some reaction to the split from local coaches:
Steve Chapman (along with Coach Jose Lopez - Calallen Baseball):
"More teams will have a realistic chance to compete for a state championship." (They also want to see a two out of three for the state championship round)
Teresa Lentz (back-to-back state champion Calallen Softball):
"I still like the idea of one winner per classification, but I understand why they needed to do it. I heard it's a Title IX issue because they do it for football and issue more state championships to boys than girls. I believe the UIL is doing this because they want it to be fair to all kids."
Adrian Alaniz (Sinton Baseball):
"Our baseball program in Sinton has been able to compete with teams a lot bigger than us in class 4A for quite some time, but this change levels the playing field for programs across the state."
Brandon Bourg (Flour Bluff Boys Basketball):
"Maybe it's just the old school way of thinking, but I personally prefer the single state champion for an entire classification. It also means the end of the regional tournament setup which has always been great for basketball and volleyball."
Billy White (Veterans Memorial Boys Basketball):
"We'll always be Division I, but I like that it'll give more student athletes an opportunity to win a state championship."
Sherry Luna (Bishop Girls Basketball):
"The last two years we've played schools that almost tripled our enrollment, so I definitely see the advantages of this ruling. It's been beneficial for football. Let's give it a try."
The changes will go into effect starting in the fall of 2024.