The UIL legislative council met virtually on Friday morning to discuss a new agenda item that would most likely lead to a temporary permissible increase of summer practices and instruction for high school athletes.
The agenda was passed to expand the authority of UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt allowing him to make adjustments to UIL rules during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Should in-person sports be a possibility, the changes Breithaupt makes will be specific to the pandemic and not meant for future purposes. Breithaupt’s changes will include an expiration date and be only intended to combat the disruptions that were created for various sports due to COVID-19.
Last summer, the UIL allowed an additional two hours per week of non-contact instruction between coaches and their athletes in addition to regular conditioning for the first time. The most notable change we may see as Breithaupt and his staff communicates temporary changes for high school athletics would be an expanded coaching and workout access during the summer and fall months.
“Where we restrict access to kids and opportunities for our school staff to work with kids, we fully intend to relax those restrictions,” UIL deputy executive direct Jamey Harrison said during the meeting. “Give them some opportunity to make up for missed time, whenever it is that we can safely convene again and conduct workouts.”
Harrison expects to see “significant alteration” to the current coaching restrictions in both the summer and fall to allow the athletes an opportunity to make up for the missed time due to the pandemic.
The UIL announced an indefinite suspension of all in-person activities in early April before canceling the remaining spring sports seasons and championship tournaments.
The UIL is uncertain on whether or not they will allow sports operations to resume as normal in the fall.
Breithaupt said he has received many calls specifically inquiring the viability of a 2020 football season. Breithaupt said the approach the UIL will most likely take when the time comes is seeing what other organizations are doing.
The UIL will look to other states’ high school sports governing bodies, the NCAA, and the NFL for an example.
“We are making plans for both the regular start of school and our activities and then if there’s a delayed start, what we might do. We’re also planning for what might happen if we start and have to stop again.” Breithaupt said.
