TEXAS NEEDS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

To Governor Greg Abbott, UIL Executive Director Charles Breithaupt, and School Boards across the State of Texas:

The year 2020 has brought with it unprecedented times for our country and our state. The coronavirus has ravaged our communities, devastated our economy and small businesses, and left millions of people unemployed. Social unrest has led to much needed peaceful protests for change but has also sparked violent riots and anarchy in our streets. These are challenging and uncertain times to be sure. In light of all that we have recently endured as a society, we believe that holding onto and sustaining some of our most valued traditions is key to helping us move forward. In Texas, it is hard to think of a more beloved tradition than Friday night high school football.

High school football in Texas is more than a tradition however, it is a way of life. It is something that binds families, schools, and communities together. It serves as a way for many Texans to rally around a common cause, and it is intimately entwined in our social lives. There are countless thousands of student athletes in our state who live and breath by the sport of football…spending hundreds of hours preparing to play the game that they and their teammates love so much. For many of these kids, football defines who they are as young people. They form lifelong bonds with teammates and coaches. There is also no better sport to prepare young men for the rigors and challenges of real life while teaching them lifelong lessons that they will pass on to future generations.

Of course, the health and safety of our children, coaching staffs, teachers, and the general public is paramount. However, surely we can take common sense precautions and implement necessary safeguards to help ensure that our children can play the game that we all love so much in a safe and responsible manner.

2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of UIL football in the state of Texas, however there is obviously uncertainty regarding the upcoming season. The UIL has already made the unprecedented decision to allow live streaming and televised broadcasts of Friday night football games this season, a decision that we applaud. Please, don’t allow fear to erase a season which is certain to bring with it lifelong memories and lessons learned. Please, during these most unsure times, Texas needs something to celebrate. Texas needs something to rally behind and to hold onto. Texas needs something to feel good about again. Texas needs high school football.