Athletics

• Can my child play varsity if we do not live in the school’s attendance zone?
  • Per the UIL, to be varsity eligible, a student must live in the attendance zone of which the campus is located. If a student does not live in the attendance zone of the campus he or she has enrolled in, then the student athlete must sit out for one year of “varsity” athletics. The student athlete can still play on sub varsity teams during this one year of ineligibility.
• What if my child enrolls into an academy or CTE program at a campus that we do not live in that attendance zone, will he or she be eligible to participate at the varsity level?
  • CFBISD offers different Academy and CTE programs at all four high schools. The student athlete would be eligible to participate at the varsity level IF this is the “first opportunity” to participate at the campus. First opportunity means that the student athlete is enrolling as a freshman into an Academy or CTE program offered at the campus that he or she is enrolling in as an incoming 9^th grader and must have a letter of acceptance to be granted first opportunity to participate at the varsity level.
• What if my child enrolls into an Academy or CTE program as a sophomore, junior or senior and this causes my child to switch CFBISD schools; would my child be able to play varsity sports?
  • No, unfortunately, the student athlete established varsity eligibility upon enrolling in their home campus as a freshman, therefore loses one year of varsity eligibility. The student athlete may still play on the sub varsity teams.
• What if my child enrolls into an Academy or CTE program, and does not like it and wants to return to his or her home attendance zone high school. Is he or she eligible back at their home campus?
  • No, the student athlete would be ineligible to play varsity sports for one year from date of enrollment back into the home campus as the student athlete was granted varsity eligibility for “first opportunity” at the previous school. He or she may play on the sub varsity teams for that one year of ineligibility.
• What if my child lives in the CFBISD extended zone which is located outside of the school district, can my child play sports in high school?
  • Yes, however, the student athlete would only be eligible for sub varsity sport teams due to living in another school district’s attendance zone. Per UIL, the student athlete loses one year of varsity eligibility but can play on a sub varsity team during this one year of ineligibility.
• What if one of my children was declared varsity eligible by attending an Academy at a one of the high schools but my other child who does not want to attend an Academy program but just wants to go to the same school as the older sibling. Can my other child enroll in that school and play varsity sports like my other child?
  • The second sibling may enroll in the school, however, if not in a CFBISD approved Academy or CTE program as an incoming freshman; living outside the school’s attendance zone would automatically cause the student athlete to lose one year of varsity eligibility. The student athlete would be able to play on the sub varsity teams.
• What if my child wants to play on a sports team for a high school that is not my attendance zone high school because my child’s club or league team mates play on that high school team?
  • Per the UIL, a student athlete would be considered ineligible for transferring to or into a high school which is not the student’s home attendance zone AND is transferring for athletic purposes because club or league team mates or club are attending that high school.
• If my child transfers from one CFBISD high school to another CFBISD high school, is her or she eligible for varsity athletics?
  • No, the student athlete loses one year of varsity eligibility.
• If my child decides to enroll in a 100% virtual school within CFBISD, can my child still play sports?
  • Yes, the student athlete will only be allowed to play for the home campus located where the student athlete lives. However, if the student athlete lives outside the school district (extended zone area), the student athlete would be ineligible to play sports as he or she does not live in a CFBISD attendance zone to declare a home school.
• Is CFBISD a “Freedom of Choice” or “Magnet School”?
  • No.  However, CFBISD allows transfers within the school district and from the extended zones but that does not make a student athlete eligible to participate on the varsity level for one calendar year.
• Can my child go to school part time and play sports?
  • No, all student athletes must be full time students, enrolled in CFBISD schools to participate in sports.
• What Academy or CTE programs are approved CFBISD programs for “first opportunity”?
  • Academies: METSA, BIO MED, AMAT, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, LAW/CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
  • CTE PATHWAYS: CULINARY ARTS (NSHS), COSMOTOLOGY (RLT), VET TECH, HOSPITALITY-TOURISM, ARCHITURE/ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL TRADES.
    • https://tea.texas.gov/academics/college-career-and-military-prep/career-and-technical-education/approved-cte-programs-of-study
• If my child is accepted into and enrolls at the Virtual Academy, will my child be able to participate in UIL?
  • UIL participation and eligibility for the Virtual Academy has  not been determined, yet. CFBISD is waiting for guidance and the decisions of the Texas Legislature and TEA. Please check back for updates at www.cfbisd.edu/virtualacademy.

If you have any additional questions about UIL regulations, please contact the athletics department at
putterr@cfbisd.edu or 972-968-5670
Thank you!