Class 4A superintendents, by a vote of 186-38, approved adding a fourth team to the playoffs in football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball and softball for next school year, it was announced at the University Interscholastic League's legislative council meeting Thursday in Austin.

The change will take effect for the 2008-09 school year, pending approval by the commissioner of education in the next two weeks.

"The change might be a year too late for us," said Heath football coach Tam Hollingshead, "but I'm glad it is going to happen. It gives one more community and another group of kids a chance to compete in the playoffs."

Playoff brackets for Class 5A were enlarged from three to four teams per district in the 2006-07 school year, but Class 4A superintendents voted against the measure at that time.

The DISD has 13 Class 4A schools, a number projected to increase to as many as 16 in next month's realignment.

DISD athletic director Jeff Johnson said basketball would benefit most from the proposal.

"We have some fourth-place basketball teams that I'd stack up against a lot of the top ones in the region," Johnson said.

Waxahachie girls basketball coach Lesli Priebe said adding a playoff team would ease concerns of being in a top-heavy district.

"There have been seasons when we didn't make the playoffs after beating second-place and even first-place teams in other districts," Priebe said.

There is already 5A precedent for fourth-place success. Last fall, Converse Judson, fourth in District 26-5A, made it to the Division I football state championship.

Steroids protocol approved: The UIL legislative council unanimously approved anabolic steroids testing program protocol, penalty structure and appeal process, one of the final steps toward implementation of a random steroids testing program.

If approved by the commissioner of education, the process will take effect immediately.