09/20/2023
When wondering about the time, money, and effort that goes into drill team, it is not usually how much, but rather... Why? Why do these folks do it? Well, there is the fact that their beautiful baby girls are out there performing and dancing, doing something that they love. That cannot be left out of the mix. However, a lot of the answers to WHY can be found in three other letters, UIL.
The UIL does require Drill Teams to meet the same academic standards as any other student athletes, and the staff are held to the same safety training requirements. However, as ubiquitous as Texas Drill teams are, there isn't a single one that is UIL recognized. So, while participating in sports like Football, Basketball, Volleyball, or activities like Band, or One-Act Play might garner a championship, Drill Team is there to support, to perform, to represent, but they cannot win a UIL championship.
Because of this the schools are often less likely to commit funding to an organization that cannot hang a banner on the wall or put a trophy in a case. The money that the school does allow comes with all of the “strings” that would be attached to any other school organization. You cannot spend money allocated for food on travel, or that which is for props on costumes. It must all be spent for the pre-determined expense. In other words, there is no robbing Peter to pay Paul in a school budget without meetings and pre-approval.
So how does this translate to what happens in a booster club? Each booster club operates by a mission statement and set of by-laws that are established when the organization is founded. So athletic booster clubs generally only support school athletes, and according to the UIL which governs Texas schools, that is only applicable to UIL recognized athletic events. It isn’t that the athletic booster club doesn’t “like” Drill Team, it’s that they are not “allowed” to support drill team. The restrictions are the same on any organization that operates as a booster club. They can only support what is in their established rules. Band Boosters support bands, but not volleyball. Do they not like volleyball? That obviously isn’t the case, but they were established to support bands.
This organization was established to support Drill Team. We love band, football, cheer, and all things involving the kids and school that we are here for. However, our organization’s purpose is to support the Drill Team. As such, we are dedicated to covering the gap between what the Drill Team and the Drill Team Director would like to do, and what their school budget allows. As such, we are covering the gap of a “spirit group” and not “athletes” so the budget is very often not there for activities and events that other teams might get to do on a school budget.
That is why we spend so much time, money and effort. It is for our children, but it is because they are in a Non-UIL Activity. So, we have volunteer hour minimums (not maximums). We have fund raisers. We have T-Shirts. We have Spring Show, mini camps, we have dances. It is all to cover the gap between what the Drill Team would like to do, and what the school provides the Drill Team funds for. Why? Because we want to see that team out there, in a kick line at football games. We want to appreciate those girls performing amazing, synchronized dance moves that the UIL doesn’t. If they are invited to perform somewhere, because they have earned an opportunity, we want to meet the obligation to provide for that opportunity. That is why. They are why.
Reference: https://www.uiltexas.org/policy/tea-uil-side-by-side/cheerleading-and-drill-team
