six-man football news
Relignment Interview with Dr. Charles BreithauptDirector, University Interscholastic League
SIXMANFOOTBALL.COM: First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. Realignment is a grueling exercise the UIL undertakes. What are some of the unique obstacles you face when trying to compile the six-man districts?
DR. CHARLES BREITHAUPT: The biggest obstacle of course is trying to create districts that won't create huge travel problems. Additionally, having approximately 60 schools in each division creates challenges. We prefer to have at least six schools in each district. However, to accomplish that feat we would create even more travel issues.
SMF: Unlike the other classifications, the top number is pretty agreed upon in six-man, but where you split divisions is a bit arbitrary, isn¹t it? Why between 59 and 60? I mean, there you have 63 teams in Division II and 66 in Division I and the next team is Northside sitting at 60. They were a DII team last realignment and they look like they could fit right into the four-team district nine. What was the logic there?
CB: Because we do not know the names of the schools when we make the decision, we do not have the luxury of utilizing that information. In order to be completely fair we are often handcuffed by the process. In any manner there would be more schools in one division than in the other since there were 129 six-man schools. We could have made a 65-64 split , but the line would have then 58.5 and we had a school on that number. It turned out to be Trent.
SMF: Division I, District 11 has to be the strangest district in the state with four charter schools and one that hasn¹t played six-man before. Only one of these schools has completed a six-man season in recent history. Not only that, but the district qualifiers also receive a bye in the playoffs. What was the thinking that went into this?
CB: Very simply geography. There are no other schools that are even close to any of those currently aligned with District 11. The byes are assigned by geography as well. Notice that Districts 1,5,11 and 16 all have a great deal of travel within their district as well as long travel to any district for bi-district.
SMF: The dividing of six-man has been a success, giving the small schools a legitimate shot at a title. What do you think is next?
CB: I would guess that other conferences, particularly those in Conference A Eleven Man will determine that this plan works very well for football. The positive experience of six-man gives credibility to the plan. Once we get through the appeals process we will submit how the split conference plan would have looked to all of the schools.
SFM: Do you think a move to a predetermined central site is on the horizon?
CB: Only if the schools desire this plan. We have had numerous people say how much they have enjoyed having the six-man games at one site. It has created a great atmosphere and great crowds. The two 5A games have been very well received by the participating schools. The fact that they were indoors was perceived as a great benefit. Also the schools have been very pleased with the return of their gate receipts as in previous games as well as an equal split of ALL of the corporate sponsorship generated for these games.
Additionally,because the games were at a single site, the UIL able to negotiate lower stadium fees and television rights that benefited the schools.
SMF: We are seeing more and more schools adopt six-man, whether they were former 11-man schools, charter schools or basketball-only schools. The biggest obstacle appears to be travel for even more schools to move to six-man. Do you think we could eventually see 150 six-man schools once the East and South Texas schools finally take the plunge?
CB: The problem of course in East Texas and South Texas is travel, since few schools play six-man. I am sure more schools will take the plunge. We are up 34 schools since 2000.
