Dripping Springs sports history: ’80s and ’90s

Editor’s Note: The following article is part of an ongoing series about the history of school sports in the Dripping Springs area.

The last two decades in the 20th century saw changes that favored more success in sports for Dripping Springs High School — especially the 90's.

DSHS moved to the University Interscholastic League’s Conference 2A in 1976 and was bumped to 3A in 1978 without the benefit of growth. In 1981, Lake Travis won their lawsuit to split from Dripping Springs and dropped DSHS to 2A in 1982. Also in 1982, the UIL began allowing two district teams to advance to the playoffs.

DSHS moved back to 3A in 1986. It would stay this way until moving to 4A in 1998.

Baseball was the first sport to take advantage of the expanded playoffs in 1984 when they went from second in district to the state finals. Baseball won four district competitions and managed six second-place finishes, making it to state four times from 1980 to 1999.

Boys basketball went to the state finals in 1986. Overall, they won four district titles and eight other playoffs in the same 20-year timespan.

Girls basketball dominated the 90's, winning six titles and three more playoffs. They made the state tournament five times, including the state championship in 1994.

But any DSHS team was hard-pressed to match the volleyball program, as they put up 11 title banners, including the state title in 1994.

During the same span, the football team had two title teams and three more in playoffs.

The ‘80s was good for golf as the boys won four titles and two more seconds, including two state teams. The girls had one title and two runner-ups.

Softball, which did not begin until 1994, won four titles.

This century has brought even more changes to the public school sports programs. Instead of recreational high school sports, some programs have become “college preparatory sports,” especially in more affluent schools. Students are expected to choose a sport and spend all year outside the season working with coaches and playing on select teams. Often, parents strain their finances with expenses paid out for coaches and teams in hopes of receiving some type of scholarship to help offset their costs, which is a long shot for many.