Dr. Charles Breithaupt Appointed UIL Executive Director
By Jeanne Acton | Monday, February 16, 2009 11:02 AM
As the newly appointed executive director of the University Interscholastic League, Dr. Charles Breithaupt said he feels both blessed and challenged.
“When they offered me the job, I was kind of in awe,” he said. “Here I was, sitting in the tower of the main building at the University of Texas with the vice president, thinking, ‘How could a small town boy like me be here?’ I am so grateful and can’t thank everyone enough for this opportunity.”
But Dr. Gregory Vincent, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement at UT and head of the nationwide search committee, had little doubt that this former “small town boy” was up for the challenge of executive director.
Since 1995, Breithaupt, a graduate of Buna High School, served as associate director and director of athletics for the League. He was promoted to UIL associate director in August 2004.
"Dr. Breithaupt is undoubtedly committed to the UIL's mission and programs,” Dr. Vincent said. “It was clear to the search committee that his experience has won him the respect of superintendents and coaches across the state. He is very familiar with the challenges of the position as well as the challenges that schools and districts face every day."
Breithaupt joined the League in June of 1992 after 17-year career in Texas public schools where he served as a coach, an athletic director, assistant principal, high school principal and as a school board member
His resume also includes a host of accolades. He has been named Coach of the Year nine times and was named State Coach of the Year by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches in 1991. He was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, the Southeast Texas Coaches Hall of Honor in 2001 and the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor in 2005.
UT President William Powers, Jr. said Dr. Breithaupt is “the perfect choice” for executive director. “He has experienced UIL as a coach, as a teacher, and as an administrator, and he knows the organization inside and out,” Dr. Powers said. “He has been a successful statewide leader in many areas of UIL competition and has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions. He will be an outstanding leader of the University Interscholastic League."
Breithaupt is the seventh executive director in the 100-year history of UIL, following Dr. Bill Farney's retirement Jan. 30
While change is inevitable with new leadership, Dr. Breithaupt said he has no immediate plans for drastic change to the League.
“When you think of the 100-year tradition of the League, you want to continue that great tradition,” he said. “There is always room for tweaking, areas where schools want us to change.”
Two of his early projects will include reviewing the Constitution and Contest Rules and the realignment process.
“We are going to do a systematic review of the C&CR,” he said. “We want to see if all of the rules are still relevant. And a constant theme for me will be to look critically at the realignment process, in relation to population shifts.”
Breithaupt also said the League needs to focus on issues with sports officials’ pay, the financial needs of the school and staffing issues at the League.
He has already addressed some of the staffing issues with some internal promotions. Kim Rogers, former director of public information, was promoted to chief of staff, and Di Smith was promoted to financial director.
“I am really excited about the internal promotions to complete our excellent staff,” he said. “Kim Rogers knows what the League is all about and what it stands for. She has already proven herself in these first few weeks. And Di Smith is instrumental with her knowledge of the UT system.”
To fill recent openings, former athletic coordinator Mark Cousins was hired as director of policy and Cliff Odenwald was hired as the new athletic director.
“Cliff has been here only 18 months, but his experience in the field as former athletic director in one of the largest districts in Texas and as a former head football coach is invaluable,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “He has the width and depth of experience that we need.”
Cousins has the ability to be the next “great” policy director of the UIL, Dr. Breithaupt said. “His knowledge of the CCR and the UIL processes make him invaluable to our organization,” he said.
“You always try to hire someone better than you, and I think we did that with all the new hires,” he said.
The existing staff is also strong, Breithaupt said. “Treva Dayton [director of academics] and Dick Floyd [director of music] do tremendous jobs in serving the schools and students in Texas,” he said. “I already have a great sense of the value the staff brings every day and its commitment to the schools.”
Breithaupt said the League will continue to work with the schools “hand-in-hand.”
“Our mission is to represent what the schools want,” he said.
Every good coach motivates his team with inspirational words. And while Dr. Breithaupt is no longer on the field or on the court, he still has the heart of a coach. And his promise to the schools of Texas and his staff is, “We won’t rest until our good is better and our better is best.”