Recent Site News & Updates
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Baseball Communication Device Approved
The use of a one-way communication device between a coach in the dugout and a team’s catcher for the purposes of calling pitches will be permitted in UIL high school baseball beginning this upcoming baseball season. This change to Rules 1-6-2 and 3-2-5 was approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee.
2023-24 baseball rule changes can be found at, https://www.nfhs.org/sports-resource-content/baseball-rules-changes-2024/
CX Debate Topic Vote
Your Vote Counts!
Each year, Texas UIL is actively involved in the policy debate topic selection process, sponsoring two debate coaches to the national deliberations, along with Jana Riggins, State Debate Director and voting delegate. The three-day meeting focuses on choosing timely, accessible, and student-centered topics and rotates to major cities around the nation. This year’s meeting was held in Portland, Oregon.
Jennifer Adams, Big Spring HS, and Dr. Rich Edwards, UIL debate consultant from Baylor University, had vital roles on the Resolution Wording Committee. Dr. Edwards served as Chair, leading the discussion over sixteen topics considered for the 2024-25 school debate season. After a year of research in preparing study reports, UIL coaches Clint Adams, Big Spring HS, and Preston Stotle from San Antonio Churchill adeptly defended their potential topics before seventy-plus attendees. Ultimately, both authors had their topics advance successfully through the voting process, placing Arctic Policy (Adams) Agricultural Subsidies and Intellectual Property Rights (Stotle) among the top five topics on the national ballot.
Each author was invited by UIL to share with Texas coaches why their topic is a valid resolution for schools across the nation to debate in 2024-25. See Arctic Policy below. Texas coaches are encouraged to participate in the national voting process. The first round of balloting is taking place now. Click here to access the ballot that must be submitted to the UIL State Office no later than noon October 10.
Arctic Policy - Clint Adams
The idiom “out of sight, out of mind” originated in the 1500s, and it’s one we all still use to this day. For many citizens of the United States, nothing is more “ out of sight, out of mind ” than the Arctic. Americans remain divided about whether the U.S. is an Arctic nation with Arctic interests, and some are confused about what exists in the Arctic. However, with its purchase of Alaska in 1867, the United States became an Arctic nation; yet, the Arctic has seldom figured prominently in US domestic policy.
It is my firm belief that policy debate topics tend to drive future real-world policy, so policy debaters have a unique position to be able to help focus an Arctic Policy. The high school policy debate topic has not directly dealt with the Arctic before and it would be new and unique ground for debaters to explore. The topic encompasses subjects such as potential conflict, the environment, geopolitical situations, political cooperation, indigenous rights, and resource extraction, among many others.
In researching this topic, I found that the Arctic was more than just saving the polar bears. The Arctic is a diverse ecosystem that is rapidly changing and action needs to be taken now. Instead of being “out of sight, out of mind,” choosing the Arctic as the 2024-2025 Policy Debate topic would put the Arctic front and center.
Trackwrestling Update
NEW 2023-24 Season - Weekly recording of actual competition weight is required in Trackwrestling to measure compliance with the above rule. Wrestlers must have a Trackwrestling weigh-in for ALL competitions, two-day tournaments require only the initial day weigh-in.
Meet planning, Student Activities Conferences and contest updates
Important Update from Broadway Licensing August 2023
Please read the following carefully before submitting your UIL internal cuts and change requests:
Broadway Licensing titles (which includes all Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, and Broadway Licensing Musicals)
If you are making ANY internal cuts, removing expletives, obscenities, or profanities, any such cuts must FIRST be approved by Broadway Licensing.
You must submit your detailed requests for internal cuts/changes to Broadway Licensing, so that they can forward them on to the authors and/or their representatives for approval.
Please note that ALL requests must be submitted prior to UIL’s submission deadline of December 10th. Broadway Licensing cannot guarantee approval of your request after this date. Please allow at least two weeks turnaround time for approval.
Approval from UIL does not mean your cuts/changes requests are approved by Broadway Licensing. Broadway Licensing cannot guarantee author approvals for your cut/change requests will be granted, even if UIL approves of your selection. Broadway's authors and their representatives have sole discretion over any alterations made to their work, under US copyright laws.
Teachers, if you have questions please email:
dpsnonpro@broadwaylicensing.com for DPS (Dramatists Play Service) titles
playscriptsinfo@broadwaylicensing.com for Playscripts titles
blmusicals-nonpro@broadwaylicensing.com for Broadway Licensing Musicals
Welcome to the 2023-2024 season of Speech and Debate
Welcome to a new exciting season of Texas UIL speech and debate competition! As educators, some of the most rewarding experiences you will have this year will be with your speech team at forensic tournaments. Whether you are new to coaching speech or are a decades-long veteran of the speech community, we are here to provide resources to support your competitive endeavors and unforgettable championship tournaments.
Remember: It’s the journey, not the destination that will enrich the lives of you and your students.
UIL provides an individual webpage for each of the speaking contests that includes rules, procedures, and a wealth of resources. There is also a newly-updated complimentary digital handbook for each event designed to provide expanded discussion, rule clarification, coaching strategies, links to UIL training videos and curriculum.
Fall 2023 LD Debate Topic
The 2023 Fall Lincoln Douglas topic is now posted.
Drone Policy
Subject to local discretion, drones may be used in compliance with any local, homeland security, or FAA regulations / laws for practice purposes only.
Drones may not be used in association with any scrimmages, contests or games, other than as specifically allowed by the playing rules of the contest.
For football, according to NCAA Rules, drones are not allowed over the field or the team area when squad members are present within the playing enclosure. Outside the limit lines, game management (or conference policy) govern drone activity. This governance will include all federal, state, and local laws including campus policy where appropriate.
For UIL purposes, drones are not allowed to fly over the footprint of the stadium when team members, officials, bands, and other spirit groups are present.
2023 Fall Student Activities Conferences
Fall Student Activities Conferences are BACK and FREE to attend! Join us in Odessa, Austin, Prosper or Corpus Christi for a full day of intensive sessions focused on all UIL academic topics - including theatre, STEM as well as speech and debate. Sessions are designed for beginning students, advanced students, coaches and academic coordinators to help prepare for upcoming contests. More Info: https://bit.ly/3e6sg4l