Texas dance, drill teams push for official UIL sanctioning

KATY, Texas - For decades, dance and drill teams have been a staple of Texas high school football games, pep rallies and competitions. Now, advocates are pushing to give these student performers something they have never officially had: recognition as a University Interscholastic League-sanctioned activity.

Supporters say bringing dance under the UIL umbrella would be a game changer for programs across the state, opening up district athletic funding, official safety and athletic trainer protocols, equitable coaching pay and the chance to compete for an official state title.

Pushing for equal recognition

Organizers and educators say dance and drill performers put in the same early-morning hours and physical conditioning as other campus groups without receiving the same institutional backing.

Lakeisha McGowen, lead developer of the Texas Dance Educators' Association Dance and Drill Team Assessments and Competitions, said the push is about giving dancers the same platform already afforded to other Friday night staples.

"We thought that it was time to receive the same recognition that our marching band students do, that your football players get to receive, that their cheerleaders get when they participate in UIL spirit," McGowen said. "So we wanted them to be able to have that same experience. And so that's why we've been working closely with the Texas Dance Educators' Association, along with the UIL, to figure out how we can sanction these events and make these a state championship."

Performers say that recognition would reflect the early-morning hours and demanding physical conditioning they already put in behind the scenes, often practicing outdoors regardless of heat, cold or rain. 

"Our team is here at 5:45 every morning on our football field or in our dance gym," said Haylie Keepers with the Seven Lakes Sapphires. "We've just continued to consistently show up, and people don't see that until we take it to the field and we show them what we've been working on." 

Pilot program set for 2027

The Texas Dance Educators Association held its fall competition in Katy on Wednesday as momentum builds toward a major test run next year.

In 2027, TDEA plans to launch a pilot program in the Houston area to demonstrate to the UIL what state sanctioning could look like in practice. Under the proposed format, teams from across Texas would compete in divisional rounds before qualifying groups advance to go head-to-head in a final round in Katy.

Advocates are modeling the proposed state championship structure after UIL marching band competitions. If the 2027 pilot program proves successful, organizers hope to secure full UIL sanctioning by 2028.