UIL Realignment For Leander ISD: Bigger, Better Competition

LEANDER, TX -- Monday’s UIL realignment resulted in major reverberations in Leander, with two of its high schools moving up to the largest 6A category for division play where players will face off against much larger teams for at least the next two seasons.

Vandergrift and Leander high schools will now compete in that larger class by virtue of its growing enrollment numbers.

Largely lost in UIL reconfiguration coverage that focused primarily on football programs (this is Texas, after all), major changes are afoot for other academic areas that compete in University Interscholastic League competitions -- from band to theater.

That’s among the thorough analysis of Four Points News, which examined the likely impact of the classification changes.

Biennially, the UIL realigns divisions based on current student enrollment. The state’s biggest school districts with minimum enrollment of 2,150 students are ranked 6A. Vandergrift’s current enrollment is 2,255 while Leander counts 2,187 students in its ranks.

Beyond the abstraction of student counts, the net effect of the changes is real.

The two high schools now stand to face more formidable competitors, as there’s no limit on schools’ student size once the minimum 2,150-student threshold is met.

“Any time you play against schools with much larger enrollments, it can be more difficult just because of the volume of students from which their teams are generated,” Leander ISD Athletic Director Lee Bridges told Four Points News.

“6A schools will sometimes offer more sub-varsity teams to compete against—Rouse HS went through this problem the last couple of years. There will be C teams, a 3rd squad, in some sports, which will require additional coaches, transportation, etc.”

But Bridges was confident of his players’ ability to rise to the challenge.

“This is a good problem and necessary because it means more students are getting to compete,” he said. “LISD is already moving forward and has a plan in place to adapt to these new challenges for these campuses.”

In fine arts, reclassification will affect band, choir and theater students competing in UIL-sponsored meets. LISD Fine Arts Director Peter Warshaw told Four Points News those students also will face competition from more robust rivals.

“All of our fine arts programs and students strive for the highest possible standard in everything they do, which is one of the reasons the marching bands have been so successful in class 5A,” Warshaw said.

“I anticipate that our students and directors will dedicate the same level of energy in their pursuit of excellence, regardless of their assigned classification.”

Warshaw, too, added a vote of confidence his fine arts teams would excel -- despite the expanded competition.

“They will now have an opportunity to show audiences at class 6A UIL events just how spectacularly our students prepare and perform,” Warshaw said.

Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure: The Friday night lights in Leander will never be the same again.