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Bowling strikes out at UIL meetings; Water polo floats along

Bad news for those interested in adding bowling to the list of UIL activities: the UIL's Standing Committee on Policy rejected an existing proposal to add bowling after a superintendents' survey showed that Texas administrators are decidedly against adding the sport.

Superintendents voted 110-750 (87 percent "no") against the addition; the classification with the most bowling advocates (old Class 1A) had only 16 percent in favor of the addition.

Water polo, however, did not receive such a chilly reception. Despite being outnumbered by bowling by more than 100 club teams statewide, water polo found a willing audience in both the Legislative Council and Standing Committee on Policy meetings.

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Four different presenters took the podium to speak to the whole Legislative Council Tuesday morning, including USA Water Polo director for club and member services Claudia Dodson. According to USA Water Polo data presented to the UIL, 115 schools have club teams across Texas.

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The policy committee requested a nuanced superintendent's survey, not asking whether water polo should be added as a sport - but rather if water polo was added, would the superintendent's schools participate in the event. While that might seem like splitting hairs, Katy ISD superintendent Alton Frailey pointed out that a survey, similarly phrased to the bowling questionnaire, would likely guarantee a strong "no" vote. It's more believable that larger-classification schools, with existing pools and large swim teams, would answer in the affirmative with the more nuanced survey question.