No Overtime:
UIL Eligibility Waivers in the COVID Age
By Tyler P. Ezell, Associate
Following the exciting conclusion of the recent TXHSFB State Championships, many Texas student athletes are looking forward to competing in spring sport offerings. Others, particularly those students who continue to receive instruction through virtual platforms due to COVID-19-related concerns, might feel that their school is unfairly preventing them from participating in their athletic or academic competitions of choice due to their decision to receive virtual-only instruction. As a result, you may have been fielding questions from aggrieved parents and students who claim that the school should offer an additional year of eligibility for a particular event or competition, commonly referred to as a “redshirt” year, for those students who miss significant playing time due to COVID-19.
The simple answer to these inquiries is that the decision to grant additional years of eligibility generally rests with the University Interscholastic League (UIL), not the individual school district. Unless the basis for additional eligibility directly relates to a student’s special education or 504 status, it is plainly not within a school district’s authority to permit a graduating senior to participate in UIL-sanctioned athletic or academic competitions during a subsequent year.[1] Such a decision could possibly result in the school’s disqualification from some or all UIL events.
So, under what circumstances does the UIL grant additional years of eligibility? Typically, a parent or student seeking additional eligibility may submit a “Four-Year Waiver” to UIL, citing extreme or burdensome personal circumstances which precluded the student’s participation in a particular UIL-sanctioned competition or event.[2] As of today, the UIL does not appear to have expanded applicability of this waiver to cover COVID-19-related concerns which precluded participation in a UIL event’s season.
In any event, the Four-Year Waiver is not generally available to those participants who have already graduated from high school.[3] Thus, a student who has met the requirements for graduation four years after their first entry into ninth grade will not likely be granted a Four-Year Waiver regardless of the basis for seeking additional years of eligibility.
While it is certainly unfortunate that some students during the 2020-2021 school year might miss out on experiencing UIL-sanctioned athletic or academic concerns due to COVID-19, an individual school district likely does not possess the requisite authority to consider these waivers for additional years of eligibility. The waivers, including all supporting documentation, must be submitted directly to the UIL by the student or a parent/guardian for consideration by the UIL.
Given that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to force some students into virtual instruction due to personal health concerns causing them to forfeit their participation in UIL competitions and events, it is important for school districts to be aware of the procedure and limitations of the UIL waiver process. If your district receives requests for additional years of eligibility due to COVID-19, parents and students can be directed to the UIL’s website dedicated to this process: https://www.uiltexas.org/waivers
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[1] With regard to over-age student athletes with special education or 504 statuses, the District Executive Committee is tasked with gathering the needed information and declaring a student eligible for varsity competition. The District Executive Committee may declare a student eligible for varsity athletic competition only if the student’s disability delayed his or education for a year or more. This only applies to athletic competitions, not academic events. University Interscholastic League Constitution, Section 446.
[3] University Interscholastic League Constitution, section 405; https://www.uiltexas.org/waivers.