The UIL has issued a blanket statement as well as a Q&A describing some aspects of their new Sports Officials Program. There are still
many questions that need to be answered and we are in the process of getting those questions answered. We have also put some hard questions to TASO and will
have those for you very soon.
UIL Sports Officials Program
The University Interscholastic League (UIL) has a long and continuing history of supporting individual officials and the Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO). In fact, UIL was instrumental in establishing TASO as the Southwest Officials Association in 1977. Since 1914, the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules has stated that decisions of the officials are final. The UIL office has processed over 6,000 incident reports from game officials over the last five years and has supported the officials in 94% of those cases.
The UIL has no plans to take over all officiating duties in Texas or the TASO. The action taken by the UIL Legislative Council makes no change to the structure of TASO, its elected boards or representatives, or to the structure and function of their local chapters.
As with all actions of the UIL, the proposal for officials to register with UIL came at the request of many of the school membership, as well as some in the TASO membership who were seeking an alternative with more accountability. UIL staff met with leadership from TASO on more than thirty occasions over the last nine (9) months trying to come to a resolution on the issues raised, unfortunately, we were unable to reach a compromise solution.
Currently, and under the proposal unanimously approved the UIL Legislative Council of peer elected school superintendents, local officials chapters and the TASO may conduct business as they have done in the past. Both TASO and UIL officials chapters are, and will continue to be, allowed to call games, provided the individual official registers with UIL. Schools and officials need to know that all rules and regulations will be equally enforced and equally applied to everyone.
In summary:
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Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, any person desiring to officiate varsity team sport contests involving UIL member schools must register with UIL as an official. UIL member schools will be required to use officials registered with UIL in all varsity team sport contests. UIL registered officials will receive benefits including, but not limited to:
Insurance coverage through the National Federation Officials Association (liability and excess medical); Online Educational Resources; National Awards Program; Representation on National Rules Committees; Annual Rule and Case Books; Input on Policy Formation; Transparency on all Financial Issues; and Unparalleled Support and Protection from a Newly Established UIL Officials Department.
- All UIL registered officials are required to be a member of an approved local officials organization/chapter for game assignment purposes on the local level.
- Approved local officials organizations/chapters will include all currently existing officials chapters in good standing that have registered with UIL and will include all currently existing Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) chapters in good standing.
- No new chapters will be recognized as approved local officials organizations/chapters until and unless they comply with guidelines developed in conjunction with UIL and TASO and are recognized as an approved local officials organization/chapter.
Questions and Answers
- Will individual officials be required to register with UIL in order to officiate varsity contests in team sports?
- Yes. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, any person desiring to officiate varsity team sport contests involving UIL member schools must register with UIL as an official.
- Is the UIL taking over TASO?
- No. The UIL has no plans to take over all officiating duties in Texas. The action taken by the UIL Legislative Council makes no change to the structure of TASO, its elected boards or representatives, or to the structure and function of their local chapters.
- Why is this happening?
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As with all actions of the UIL, the proposal for officials to register with UIL came at the request of many of the school membership, as well as some in the TASO membership, who were seeking an alternative with more accountability.
Across the various sports in which over 1,300 UIL member high schools and 2,500 middle and junior high schools participate, approximately $50 million were spent on officiating fees statewide during the 2008-09 school year. Schools and officials need to know that all rules and regulations will be equally enforced and equally applied to everyone.
- After registering as an official with UIL as required, can an official still be a member of TASO and officiate UIL contests at the varsity level?
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Yes. All UIL registered officials will be required to declare membership in an approved local officials organization/chapter for game assignment purposes on the local level.
Approved local officials organizations/chapters will include all currently existing officials chapters in good standing that have registered with UIL and will include all currently existing Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) chapters in good standing.
- Is UIL going to assign all regular season and post season games?
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No. All assignment of games will be handled by the chapters on the local level just as in the past. UIL member schools will be required to use officials registered with UIL in all varsity team sport contests, but those officials must be mutually agreed upon by the schools in that contest and will be assigned by the local chapter.
If the schools cannot agree on officials, they can request that the UIL make an assignment. As in the past, UIL will continue to select officials for regional and state tournaments in the sports of Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Softball and Baseball.
- How is this issue handled in other states and organizations?
- In each of the other fifty (50) state associations (including the District of Columbia), officials are required to register with the state association in order to officiate contests involving member schools in that association. Similarly, if an official wishes to officiate contests at the NCAA level, they must register with NCAA. The same is true for every amateur and professional organization that sanctions contests with officials.
- Does UIL plan to change Football rules and mandate UIL schools play by National Federation rules rather than NCAA rules?
- No. UIL Football has played by NCAA rules in the past and will continue to do so. There are no plans whatsoever to make such a change.
- Are sub-varsity and junior high officials required to register with UIL?
- No. While it is recommended that schools utilize registered officials in sub-varsity and junior high contests, it is not currently a requirement in UIL rules and will not be a requirement under the proposal approved by the Legislative Council.
