Westwood HS football coach gets additional two years of probation

PALESTINE — The Westwood ISD Athletic Director and head high school football coach was served an additional two years of probation on Monday, following an incident where an un-enrolled 7th grade student participated in workouts during the summer, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

On Oct. 24, 2024, Westwood High School football coach Robert Bishop met with the State Executive Committee of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) to discuss an incident involving Westwood staff allegedly filming an opposing team’s signals. The committee placed Bishop on probation for the 2025-2026 school year and decided that the Panthers football team did not have to forfeit their undefeated season. While still on probation, Bishop has just been served another two years of probation for violating another one of UIL’s rules.

During a UIL meeting where Bishop was present, UIL Lubbock Chair Mike Motheral addressed the situation in front of the committee.

“We’re looking at a 7th grade student who worked out during the summer months for about three weeks and that he wasn’t one of your students even though he may have been trying to be one, he had not yet started the enrollment process,” Motheral said. “He had been denied a transfer the year before. Bottom line is, this is a violation.”

Montheral then asked Bishop asked if he was aware that the incident was a violation of UIL rules which Bishop responded by saying, “Yes sir, I don’t deny that.”

Westwood ISD Superintendent Wade Stanford was asked where the district stands in this situation.

“It doesn’t meet the standard of our district,” Stanford said. “Coach Bishop has expressed that and as a district we have a lot of improvement to do.”

Considering that multiple rules have been violated in the past and present, Stanford reassured the committee that Westwood ISD is taking the necessary steps towards improving their standards as he now oversees new student operations.

“Speaking specifically to transfer students and new enrollees, nine years ago going into my tenth year as superintendent here I had that role under my direction and now it is back under my piece now,” Stanford said.

This new probation term for Bishop comes just before the start of the 2025-2026 high school football season. It is unconfirmed who will take over Bishop’s coaching role and if he will continue to be involved with the program.