Just a question if anyone can answer. What are the cutoff limits to play football in TCAL, and TCAF. I know that TAPPS goes by the amount of boys in the school, and that also serves as a way to split them in to two divisions. Just curiously, I coalled one of the TCAF schools in El Paso and there enrollment was 168, then a Tapps school there was around 70+.

Seems as though they're making a mockery of our game for small schools.

TCAL made a few adjustments for "boys only" enrollment this year because of growth and the plan to add a third division in next years realignment.

DII - 40 boys and under, 18 on the Roster
DI - 41 and above

Next season we (TCAL) hope to add the third division to accommodate the schools who may have 11 man numbers but have a hard time filling an 11 man team or a team that just cant compete in 11 man because of the structure of their school (special needs, etc.). We have a Charter School that didn't win a game for three years because they could not compete with the public school district they were in, they just didn't have enough kids who played sports. When a school gets to the point of having solid 11 man numbers, pressure from above will likely move them up. This also will benefit the very small school, which we (TCAL) also have. Below is my vision and what should be very close to doable enrollment numbers in 2011.

DIII - 6 - 30
DII - 31 - 60
DI - 61 and up

There has been much criticism and pessimism concerning three divisions, but I believe for TCAL, this will work. Some Metroplex home school groups should automatically be put in DI as well as the large charter schools we have. Each home school group or anyone acquiring home school students is aligned on a yearly case by case basis by their regional committee. I also have proposed that DI should always use power ranking for post season. This will give us the ability to move home school teams up in August when their enrollment doubled over night. Typically, schools do not grow at this rate unless you start picking up home school students. This rule will apply for everyone. The good news is TCAL has doubled in size over the past year and I believe they will continue to grow. We (TCAL) aren't trying to be the biggest kid's on the block! However, we are determined to give all six man (and 11 man) programs a chance for league and post season play.

Feel free to call or shoot me an email for any questions you may have concerning TCAL Football!

Billy Helm
covenantsports@yahoo.com
512-748-7931

what the cutoff, I keep seeing 41 and above, and then 61 and above. But what does the "above" go to. For instance in UIL D1 D2 split was 51, so D1 is 51 and above and that above is 99.5. anybody over 99.5 has to play 11man, that is why UIL has designated different ways to count so that teams that are in trouble of going 11man can stay 6man.

It seems a little in adequate for a small TCAL or TCAF school that has 65 in all of high school, playing a team in their district that has 150 in all of high school.

Not sure of the magic number? But, we are doing our best to keep the playing field as fair as possible. I would certainly take any suggestions outside of not playing six man football. We are not UIL and never will be. Again, we are only trying to help the game, not make a mockery of it.

Thanks for your insight and concern for our great game!