UIL Judging Format

[principalagent]

I think the reason Area every year is taking hold is because the BOA bands are driving the UIL standard as well. Every single band in 6A State Finals except Waxahachie was also in BOA SA finals, and Waxahachie is a regular DFW finalist. Wakeland, Cedar Park, and Dripping Springs aren’t helping the situation in 5A either. As these bands continue to create shows adapted more and more to BOA standards, the UIL system is necessarily more and more accommodating of these shows—regardless of the sheets themselves.

 

As a result, this forces every other band that wants to compete, regardless of circuit, to create more and more BOA friendly shows, because that’s what the bands that are the measuring stick are doing. As a result, UIL principles are becoming less important. Eventually this trickles all the way down.

 

It also presents itself in judging. The good ol’ boys club is aging out of judging too, and younger directors who are ingrained in the BOA mindset are judging more. UIL is also inviting more judges from outside of the state, and many of these are BOA band directors, or from states that judge on sheets that are modeled from BOA.

 

It truly doesn’t matter if only a quarter or third of 6A bands and a fifth or quarter of 5A bands do BOA. As long as the bands that keep winning in UIL do BOA, the influence of UIL on show design will continue to decrease. It’s almost too obvious which circuit the top directors care more about. In a way you can’t blame them - San Antonio is every year and State isn’t.

 

Every year Area is clearly the last chance to move things back toward UIL. But as I said, it’s probably too late. The LISDs and NEISDs of the world perform on national platforms regularly. Their school districts would be perfectly fine with them skipping Area on the off year to continue to bring national attention to the school district and its music programs. Unless you can pull Flower Mound or Leander or TWHS or Hebron or CTJ and their ilk to every year Area, which is a doubtful proposition, then the battle is and was already lost.

[AllenBandDad]

If schools choosing to skip UIL Area to do BOA became a big sore point, the UIL might decide to treat Area contest as essentially post-season playoffs and institute a rule similar to this one for athletics:

 

Section 1208: ATHLETIC REGULATIONS

© FAILURE TO COMPLETE SEASON.

(2) Playoffs. Any school that qualifies for the playoffs in a sport and fails to participate or complete the official schedule of games/matches unless excused for valid reasons by the State Executive Committee may be suspended from that activity for a period not to exceed one calendar year.

 

And if they really wanted to play hardball, they could adapt this athletic rule to marching band:

(v) NON-UIL CONTESTS.

(3) Participating With Other Leagues. A UIL participant school that participates in an athletic activity offered by the UIL in a non-UIL league under the auspices of any other sanctioning organization is subject to the range of penalties, up to and including suspension from UIL athletic activities.

 

As long as BOA is treated as a second/additional priority to UIL competition by schools (like other marching invitationals), the UIL will be OK with it, but they won't let their schedules or rules be dictated by it (creeping standards in judging criteria notwithstanding).  As soon as BOA is perceived as competing with the UIL as the primary competition league for Texas high schools, the UIL will drop the hammer.

[principalagent]

I... can’t help but to think a number of programs would take that and run with it. It didn’t quite work with nobody following Westfield and Spring 20 years ago, but I think the lay of the land is different now. It would be a bold move by UIL, but with so many head directors who didn’t grow up in Texas and didn’t go to school in the state and otherwise have grievances with UIL, it would be an interesting back and forth.

 

I’m unconvinced that Area every year will even pass, but if it does, I’ll be sitting back with popcorn to see how it plays out.

[NETexasBandFan]

I would hope UIL would never make a move like that, especially the 2nd one, it would anger more than just BOA programs. Lots of military bands skip area, lots of show bands don't do UIL at all and focus on their "Battle of The Bands" competitions, and some rural programs attempting to build will attend non-UIL invitationals for a couple years until the directors feel the program is ready to try their hand at actual UIL. (Though I would assume that rule doesn't apply to non-circuit based competitions, which is why lots of schools host sports tournaments that aren't UIL sponsored)

[AllenBandDad]

I would hope UIL would never make a move like that, especially the 2nd one, it would anger more than just BOA programs. Lots of military bands skip area, lots of show bands don't do UIL at all and focus on their "Battle of The Bands" competitions, and some rural programs attempting to build will attend non-UIL invitationals for a couple years until the directors feel the program is ready to try their hand at actual UIL. (Though I would assume that rule doesn't apply to non-circuit based competitions, which is why lots of schools host sports tournaments that aren't UIL sponsored)

If you notice at non-UIL sports tournaments (basketball, etc.) and even non-district football games, the announcement is made that the game is operated under UIL rules.  I think that covers the "sanctioning" language.  I'm not sure how that applies to out of state football games, though.  Maybe the UIL gives a waiver, since it's non district and doesn't conflict with the UIL district and playoff structure.