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 The University Interscholastic League was created by The University of Texas at Austin to provide leadership and guidance to public school debate and athletic teachers. Since 1909 the UIL has grown into the largest inter-school organization of its kind in the world.
The voluntary-membership, non-profit organization exists to provide educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests. The initials UIL have come to represent quality educational competition administered by school people on an equitable basis.
The purpose of the UIL is to organize and properly supervise contests that assist in preparing students for citizenship. It aims to provide healthy, character building, educational activities carried out under rules providing for good sportsmanship and fair play for all participants.
Sensible organized competition under proper controls has demonstrated its value and has furnished inspiration to talented students for many years. The UIL does not provide a contest for every student but does fill the need for those with the physical and intellectual capacity to excel in activities beyond the classroom. The UIL has the active support of most of the school executives, teachers, and citizens in Texas.
Why have activities?
TEAMWORK. Participation teaches that it is a privilege and an honor to represent one's school. Students learn to win and to lose; to take as well as to give. Self-motivation and intellectual curiosity are essential to the best academic participants. Physical training and good health habits are essential to the best athletes.
Interscholastic competition is a fine way to encourage youngsters to enrich their education and expand their horizons. Leadership and citizenship experiences through interschool activities help prepare students for a more useful and wholesome life.
And it's fun!
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What does the UIL do?
- Provides students with educational experiences through competition.
Promotes good sportsmanship and cooperation among member schools.
Works to prevent exploitation of students by special interest groups.
Publishes the monthly Leaguer newspaper, sent to sponsors and administrators of all member schools, UIL adjudicators and officials, and interested news media in Texas.
Provides the use of speech video tapes and athletic tournament and rules films through The UT-Austin Film Library and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Works closely with associations to provide better officiating and adjudication for UIL contests.
Sponsors regional conferences and clinics for athletic, music, drama, and academic contests.
Provides materials to schools for use in UIL contests.
Seeks to safeguard the health and welfare of students by requiring physical examinations for participation in athletics.
Seeks to keep awards for achievement on a sensible basis by restricting the cost and type.
Sponsors district, regional, and state tournaments or meets in athletic, music, drama, and academic contests.
Provides drama teachers with an extensive Drama Loan Library of more than 26,000 plays.
Sponsors the Interscholastic League Press Conference.
- Administers the Texas Interscholastic League Foundation which provides scholarships for drama and academic state competitors.
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Statement of Purpose
The University Interscholastic League believes:
- that participation in extracurricular activities motivates students to place a high priority on attending school and making better grades.
that most students enjoy the pursuit of excellence and seek opportunities to test themselves against their own accomplishments and the accomplishments of others,
that such opportunities are best provided through properly conducted and equitably administered competitive activities, and
- that the classroom is enriched by the flow of student energy into the more intensified arena of competition and back into the classroom,
Therefore, we reaffirm that students are the focus of our endeavor and deserve an opportunity to:
- refine physical and mental skills,
nurture self-realization and build self-confidence,
feel a sense of pride and dignity,
experience teamwork and develop a sense of fair play,
develop the ability to lead and the willingness to follow,
foster self-discipline and perseverance,
appreciate that rules, consistently applied, create order and discipline,
learn to accept graciously the decisions of judges and officials,
affirm self-worth in times of disappointment as well as adulation,
cultivate lifetime skills,
complement their classwork with practice and performance,
have fun,
experience the joy of achieving their potential in a wholesome environment, and
- discover that ultimately the true meaning of winning is doing one's best.
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Schools Make the Rules
The Constitution and Contest Rules contains rules for UIL activities and standards of eligibility to be met by students to earn the privilege of representing their schools in interschool contests. These rules apply to participating schools and students. From the beginning, administrators from across Texas have served on UIL committees and helped write and establish rules and administrative guidelines. By voluntary adoption of rules, school people discipline their own interschool activities.
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Classification of Schools
There is more equitable competition on a state-wide basis when schools compete with other schools of comparable size. UIL member schools are divided into five conferences according to enrollment. Conferences, in order of enrollment, are AAAAA, AAAA, AAA, AA and A.
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