Read between the lines on this one

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UIL: Berryhill can play

By SAM WALLER

2007-08-16 07:00:00

Jamison Berryhill

Jamison Berryhill will be allowed to play football for the Permian Panthers, the University Interscholastic league ruled Wednesday.

The UIL state executive committee granted Berryhill’s appeal to overturn a District 3-5A executive committee decision that denied him eligibility following his transfer from Midland Christian. The matter was one of eight the state committee dealt with during Wednesday’s meeting in Austin.

ECISD executive director for athletics Leon Fuller, who attended the meeting, said the state executive committee announced its ruling without comment.

“The general feeling I had from the people that were leaving the room was that this was the right, correct, fair thing to do for the young man,†Fuller said.

The decision of the state executive committee is final.

Berryhill, a senior running back, is the son of former Ector County Independent School District trustee Renda Berryhill. She vacated her seat last month when the family moved out of her precinct to an eastside residence in the Permian attendance zone.

At the time, Renda Berryhill said the move was made so her son could graduate from Permian.

“He’s talked about graduating from Permian, like his parents, his whole life,†she said in the July 20 edition of the Odessa American. “It’s time. It’s here. There’s no reason for him not to.â€

As a junior last year at Midland Christian, Berryhill rushed for 1,540 yards and 28 touchdowns in helping the Mustangs win the TAPPS Division II state championship.

Because the Berryhills moved while still retaining ownership of their former residence, questions regarding permanent residency were raised. On Aug. 8, the District 3-5A executive committee denied eligibility to Berryhill and Odessa High student Joseph Limon, who transferred from Permian during the 2006-07 school year.

“Sometimes, there are things that are interpreted in all the rules of the UIL and our district, and they kind of intertwine,†said Fuller, who began his job July 16. “I’m not familiar with all the ones we have in our own school district yet. I’m still working on those things.â€

“Our whole thing in this is to have the kids be able to play if at all possible. We want to eliminate (the chance of) anyone cheating the system, but our goal is to see the kids participate and try to enforce the rules the best we can.â€

Permian head coach Darren Allman said the matter was never too big of a concern for Berryhill.

“Jamison’s take on the deal from the very beginning was if for some reason they didn’t grant eligibility, he wasn’t going anywhere,†Allman said. “He was still going to be a student at Permian High School and be the No. 1 fan and help out however he could.

“Contrary to a lot of peoples’ opinions, he didn’t transfer here for athletics. Athletics are only a portion of his life. He has a lot of things going for him other than football.â€

While the eligibility question has been dealt with, Allman said Berryhill still has to prove himself on the field.

“We have a lot of football players and some good ones in the position he plays,†Allman said. “It’s not a guarantee that he’s even going to play for us. I think he’s probably a pretty good player.

“His biggest contribution to our team may be his leadership and his character, some of those intangibles. But he didn’t come here expecting a certain amount of playing time or anything to be given to him. He came here because this is where he wanted to go to school.â€