Legislative Council Approves Rule Changes Including Pitch Count Limits
By Kate Y. Hector, Media Coordinator | Wednesday, November 02, 2016 10:27 AM
During the October Legislative Council meeting, UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt responds to a question as Raymondville ISD Superintendent Johnny Pineda, the Council Chair, listens. Pineda completed his term as chair at the end of this meeting.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
The University Interscholastic League Legislative Council met Oct. 16 and 17 to make decisions on proposed rule changes in UIL academics, athletics, music and policy.
In athletics, the Legislative Council approved a proposal to establish a pitch count limitation in baseball. High school pitchers will be limited to no more than 110 pitches per day, junior high pitchers will be limited to no more than 85 pitches per day. Days of rest between participation will be required based on the number of pitches thrown. If approved by the Commissioner of Education, this rule change will be effective immediately.
Also in athletics, the Council approved an amendment to the language for the 6A football home field advantage pilot program. The change gives home field advantage to the team with the higher district finish in the first round of the football playoffs.
The Council voted to place the restoration of allowable tournaments and meets for all sports except for football on a referendum ballot. If the referendum passes, the number of tournaments allowed in team sports would be restored to three and the number of meets in individual sports would be restored to eight. The number of tournaments and meets allowed was reduced to two and seven, respectively, in 2012.
The Council also voted to place the creation of a split conference format for Conference 5A football on a referendum ballot. If Conference 5A superintendents vote to create a split conference format, the change will go into effect for the 2018-2020 alignment. The split conference format was previously implemented in Conferences 1A-4A by referendum ballot vote.
In academics, the 32-member rule making body voted to increase the maximum number of One-Act Play directors allowed in a contest from three to four.
The Commissioner of Education must approve amendments passed by the UIL Legislative Council before they may take effect. All rule changes approved during this meeting can be found on the UIL website at https://www.uiltexas.org/files/media/Legislative_Council_10.17.16.pdf.