New UIL district alignments send Seminole south

If coaches seemed to be smiling more on Feb. 1, it was because of the new UIL district alignments.

“UIL realignment is the most talked about event regarding scheduling every two years,” Indian Athletic Director Kent Jackson said. “I believe the structure, equity, and quality of competition we enjoy with all UIL activities in Texas is unmatched in any other state and is often taken for granted.”

The new football district will be Division 1, 2-4A which includes only four teams: Seminole, San Angelo Lake View, Big Spring and Andrews.

“I feel like it’s gonna be a good year,” junior  lineman Rusty Froese said. “We have four teams in our district, but you know in Texas you are never going to have a easy run, but we just have to go out and do our best.”

The rest of the athletics and academics will be in District 2-4A, which includes Seminole, Andrews, Fort Stockton, Pecos and Monahans.

“It allowed us to get back in a district with folks we had been with before and built relationships with,” varsity track Coach Tye Palmer said. “We will get to compete with Andrews and Monahans again which is always fun. We also now will compete with El Paso schools in area instead of going to the Panhandle,  so that presents a different challenge and will be fun to prepare for.”

Softball Coach Carol Vaughn said the alignment wasn’t what she expected, but it made sense to her.

“Softball is in a competitive district regardless of the direction they send us,” Vaughn said.

For Indian  basketball Coach David Williams, the alignment was far from his personal predictions.

“I thought we would stay in the same district with Levelland and Estacado because of the number of northern schools that dropped to 4A,” Williams said. “I figured that woudl push those schools down into our district.”

A supposedly “easy” district can present a new kind of challenge that a tougher district does not present.

“The advantage will be an automatic district championship,” basketball junior Jesus Perez Dominguez said, “however, the play-off run might be short because we would play harder teams right off the bat.”

Williams said he was a little disappointed in the alignments.

“I like the district we are in now because it is super competitive,” Williams said.  “I think that helps us for the play-offs.”

The new alignments affect more than sports. Academics too moves to the same district as basketball.

“It’s the same district we were in two years ago, so I know that Andrews will be really tough competition in UIL,” academic coordinator LaShay Ellis said.  “I still haven’t forgotten that we lost being district champs by five points.”

Coaches and students are ready to take on the new district and its challenges.

“The most interesting part of the UIL realignment process is no one knows the outcome until the information is officially released,” Jackson said. “I appreciate the job they do, and I am thankful we have such an organization.”