Shot clocks may come to Texas high school basketball soon. Here's why some oppose them

Rouse Raiders guard Roy Gardner (23) shoots a free throw against the Cedar Park Timberwolves during the fourth period at the District 25-5A boys basketball game on Friday, Jan 12, 2024, at Cedar Park High School in Leander, TX. (John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman) The University Interscholastic League made multiple decisions Monday that will impact the future of high school sports in Texas and one of those adjustments might be visible to fans in just a few weeks. The legislative council for the state's governing body for high school sports approved a plan for the implementation of the shot clock in boys and girls high school basketball. The proposal, as well as many others, was voted on at a meeting Monday at the Westin Austin Domain hotel. Each of the green-lit suggestions will need to be approved by the Commissioner of Education before they go into effect. But the council overwhelmingly approved Texas becoming the 35th state to add a shot clock. Other rules were passed regarding postseason home games and flag football. Here's what we know about the shot clock changes:MORE:Dripping Springs RB Frank Accetta named Week 8 Central Texas high school football player of weekShot clock implementation plan A 35-second shot clock could make its debut as soon as this winter, with schools having the option to agree to use the shot clock for varsity showcases and invitational tournaments. Next year, teams will have the option to use it in nondistrict conferences as well. The shot clock will be required for all Class 5A and 6A competition in the 2028-29 school year, with Class 3A and Class 4A following suit in 2030-31 and Class 1A and 2A in 2032-33. MORE:Westlake, Lake Travis football cruise ahead of District 25-6A clash next weekThe shot clock has been debated for many years. But among the higher levels of the sport, the majority of coaches and administrators support it. A 2023 survey by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches found that 66% of all boys head coaches and 57% of girls head coaches supported the shot clock. And UIL surveys of superintendents in Spring 2025 and Fall 2026 found that 61% of Class 6A superintendents and 68% of Class 5A superintendents were in favor of instituting the shot clock. Why smaller schools are nervous about a shot clock But one member of the council pointed out that many in the lower classifications are largely against the proposal. Adding a shot clock can cost between $2,000 and $4,000, said Johnnie Carter, the head of the state basketball coach's association. That's not a small price at a time when many school districts in Texas are struggling financially. There's also a concern of having staff available that is trained to operate the shot clock. "I know for myself, a lot of times I'm the one running the clock at … games," said Casey Adams, the superintendent of Woodson ISD near Wichita Falls. The entire Woodson School District has 160 students, according to the Texas Tribune school explorer. "Just adding another person, it's just the burden of just staffing to figure all that out, and I know a majority of 1A superintendents did not want this or answer it."However, Susan Bohn, one of the heads of the athletic standing committee, said she's heard these concerns and indicated that there could be flexibility down the line as far as when the shot clock goes into effect at the lower levels. "I do want to emphasize that it's very important that we're convening before it is implemented at the various levels to make sure that the council's on board for extending its implementation down through the food classifications," Bohn, the superintendent at Aledo ISD, said. Carter, the head of the state coaches association, estimated that his association has been pursuing the shot clock for six years. He's also in favor of the extended timeline so smaller schools can navigate the fiscal impact of adding this change. "Kids see the (shot clock) all the time on TV. They see it in the colleges and the pros, and I think its going to help from the standpoint," he said. "I think the coaches are going to enjoy it, a lot of the fans enjoy a fast-paced game. But some coaches may not like it because they may feel that it might upset the way they coach. But I think overall it'll be good." Sign up for the Daily Briefing from the Austin American-Statesman. Start your day with the must-read headlines from Austin's most trusted news source.This article originally published at Shot clocks may come to Texas high school basketball soon. Here's why some oppose them.