UIL will not implement shot clock, will study proposal to make baseball playoff series best-of-three

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 6/15/22

The University of Interscholastic League’s Legislative Council met Wednesday to discuss rule changes for the upcoming school year for high school athletics in the state of Texas and for the second straight year, decided to take no action on a proposal to add a shot clock.

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UIL will not implement shot clock, will study proposal to make baseball playoff series best-of-three

Posted

Shot clocks will continue to not be used in UIL basketball games.

That remains the case, at least for the upcoming year.

The University of Interscholastic League’s Legislative Council met Wednesday to discuss rule changes for the upcoming school year for high school athletics in the state of Texas and for the second straight year, decided to take no action on a proposal to add a shot clock.

The National Federation of State High School Associations had announced last year that any state could adopt a 35-second shot clock for high school games beginning with the 2022-2023 season, but so far the UIL and TAPPS, the states two largest high school athletic associations, have decided against going that route despite a large number of supporters who for years have advocated for its adaptation.

The shot clock in all likelihood will be on every years agenda until the UIL decides to take further review on it.

The UIL did make some changes. The league passed a proposal allowing more summer strength and conditioning workouts. The UIL had originally implemented this during the pandemic as a temporary measure, and they opted to make it permanent, which brought a smile to many in the coaching community who have sung the praises of having the extra time with the athletes.

The UIL also will do further review on a proposal that would require all baseball playoff series in Class 6A and 5A to be played over a best-of-3 series outside of the state tournament, unless the head coaches from both teams agree upon a one-game-series. Over 80% of Class 5A and Class 6A playoff games were best-of-3 series this series this year, and proponents of the change say that it would keep certain schools from gaming the system with playoff series.

The committee with also further review the process for high school athletes who are transferring from private to public schools and a proposal that would allow assistant golf coaches to be on the course and coach athletes during the state tournament.

Along with passing the extra summer strength and conditioning workouts, the committee also passed an increase of $5 beginning this school year and a proposal to establish a ten-year compensation plan for sports officials.

The committee authorized staff to study and survey a proposal that would allow sixth grade participation in UIL athletics at the 1A level and will continue to monitory proposals for strength and conditioning for in-season athletes and a proposal to study participation protocol for UIL member schools competing against non UIL schools.

Along with the shot clock, the UIL denied, rejected or took no action on a number of proposals, including implementing the 15 run rule after three innings in the bi-district and area rounds of softball playoffs, changing soccer from a spring sport to a fall sport, adjusting the track and field scoring to include scoring through eighth place, altering the language of softball scrimmages per week and a strange proposal that would have prohibited freshman athletes from participating in varsity competitions, a proposal which almost every coach in Texas high school sports was against.

The proposal prohibiting freshman from varsity competition was one brought by the public and not any of the coaches associations and was not given too much thought by the committee. Many freshman athletes from the 1A to the 6A level have made great impacts on their teams, including two starters on the Mayde Creek basketball team that reached the regional quarterfinals and multiple players on the Katy softball team that reached the regional semifinals.

Katy ISD, sports, UIL, rule changes, high school