High school football coaches across Texas are absolutely bewildered and spitting mad right now, thanks to one school district pushing a wild new policy: get your Commercial Driver’s License or watch your pay disappear. This isn’t just some local rumor, either, this whole thing blew up at the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association’s annual Fall Forum, leaving coaches statewide seeing red.
The “CDL or Relocate” Ultimatum
Alvin ISD athletic director and former head football coach Mike Bass laid out the district’s controversial plan. Here’s how it works: when a coach gets hired, they’ve got one year to snag their CDL. If they don’t, year two hits with a 25% cut to their stipend. Still no CDL after year two? That’s a brutal 50% reduction heading into year three. And if they *still* haven’t gotten licensed by the end of year three? Bass’s words were chilling: “then they update their resume and they relocate.” Yikes! Bass mentioned that this plan was actually motivated by principals constantly asking how to get coaches to drive buses and save the district money. Now, to be fair, coaches with medical issues or a history of driving under the influence are exempt from the pay cuts, as long as they provide annual documentation. But for everyone else, it’s CDL or bust.
Coaches Call It a Punishment, Not an Incentive
You can imagine how this went over. THSADA’s video of Bass’s presentation went viral, and coaches across the state ripped Alvin ISD’s mandate to shreds. Most coaches are calling this a punishment, not an incentive, especially when you consider that assistant coach stipends, which average around $4,500 annually, haven’t budged for years. Spring Westfield High School assistant coach Steven Urgelles summed it up perfectly: “Many coaching stipends have not changed for YEARS, but let’s take 25%-50% off their stipend.” Alvin isn’t the first district to try this, Killeen ISD put a similar plan in place back in 2018, though they did offer resources to take the exam at cost and even a bonus for getting licensed. Districts often push for these CDL requirements to save money and tackle the ongoing shortage of bus drivers and limited availability. But seriously, has anyone asked the coaches what they think? A follow-up request to Alvin ISD leadership by Chron about their CDL plan for coaches didn’t even get a response by Tuesday afternoon.
A Potential Coaching Exodus?
Urgelles, who’s also a regional director for the Hispanic Texas High School Football Coaches Association, hit the nail on the head: if coaches were paid like bus drivers for each game, then maybe, just maybe, more would be lining up for their CDLs. Other coaches are echoing that sentiment, pointing out that this kind of mandate is only going to push people right out of the profession entirely. Kirbyville High School offensive coordinator Tyler Bates didn’t mince words, saying, “Maybe help pay for CDLs, or maybe compensate coaches for having them or driving buses, period. Already a coaching shortage, doesn’t seem very smart to get rid of coaches that are already underpaid because they won’t come out of pocket to get a CDL.” This policy, intended to solve one problem, might just create an even bigger mess for high school football across the state. What’s next for these coaches? Are more districts going to follow Alvin ISD’s lead, or will the pushback force a rethink?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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