The 'Ol Ball Coach Writes... (UIL Disconnect - Part 3)

In response to the 8/5/11 post, “UIL Disconnect – Part 2,” The ‘Ol Ball Coach Writes:

Sean,

Just to clarify, the U.I.L. is governed by the State Executive Committee. This is a group of superintendents elected by their peers from across the state. The committee enforces rules and approves rule changes that will be placed on the ballot for a vote by all superintendents in the state.

Additionally, each school has a member (usually a principal) on the district executive committee that runs the extra-curricular actives of the district they are in. So, as you can see superintendents and principals govern the U.I.L. It is not the Coaches and Band Directors who are making the rules that are causing the distress of our readers, it is principals and superintendents.

SC Response

Coach, thanks for writing and thanks for the phone conversation that preceded your comment. Reminding me that athletics and academics are a partnership that works best when the principal is involved and can articulate his or her vision for the school was a welcome reminder.

Coaches understand mission, focus, communication, and victory. They are hired because they excel at this. If we (as administrators) aren’t equal to the task, we do our schools, our athletic programs and ourselves a disservice. From the Head Coach perspective, saying ”I’m the principal, do this because I said so” is as weak as him saying the same thing.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

A Reader Submits... UIL Disconnect - Part 2

A LYS Principal submits:

So, a student on my campus misses a whole day of school to attend a track meet, days before TAKS test. This student is a prime candidate to score commended on TAKS given a few test-taking skills, which we are in the middle of teaching. This student participated in the track meet for one event, a total of less than 12 minutes. THIS IS INSANE!

School leaders should be screaming at UIL for this travesty! Where is our outrage? Athletics cannot be allowed to either drive or interfere with the learning process. I am more convinced than ever that the demonstrated (not written) goals of UIL and athletics are totally incompatible with student academic achievement.

SC Response

This is where are views begin to diverge again. I still believe athletics has a place in the academic environment. But I do think that place should be re-evaluated on a regular basis. And I think now is the time for a re-evaluation. Given our current budget and accountability environment, athletics as usual is difficult to defend and even more difficult to sustain. However, any significant change will have to be led by principals.

The coaching community has a vested interest in winning. The superintendent community has a vested interest in keeping school boards happy. The principal community has a vested interest in making sure that the schools are academically successful. Until there is a critical mass of principals that are willing to stand up and say “enough is enough” the vested interests of the first two groups will continue to trump the vested interest of the third.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

A Reader Submits... UIL Disconnect - Part 1

A LYS Principal submits:

As of this year, I have finally concluded that UIL has utterly disconnected itself from the educational process. In baseball and softball we play a determined number of pre-season games, during the school day, in the form of tournaments. Those are generally two-day, all-day tournaments that occur during a three-week period. Then we move to track. There was a time when track meets were on Saturday. Not anymore. Now we do them during the week. Thus, during the final push towards the most important contest of the year (TAKS), many of our teachers and students are at district track meets. How is that good for anyone?

SC Response

As you well know, in our regular debates on the topic of athletics I generally take the pro side and you take the con side. But dare I say you are at least nudging me back to center. I have always believed that a successful athletic program should serve as a supplement to the academic program. It should teach students about hard work, perseverance, sportsmanship and character. All which should make them more successful in the classroom. Personally, I learned more about how to be a leader in a huddle than I ever did in any classroom. Great Head Coaches and Athletic Directors understand this.

Unfortunately, great is a rare commodity. Thus, a number of athletic programs are focused solely on wins, instant gratification and adult needs. My advice is that as a principal, it is your responsibility to advocate for the academic program as aggressively as the head coach /AD advocates for the athletic program. Because if you won’t, no one else will. Plus, I can't remember a time when I saw a coach stand beside a principal and take responsibility for taking students and teachers out of the classroom when campus accountability scores took a hit.

But I want to know, Ol’ Ball Coach and E. Don Brown, what do you think?

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation