Brownwood ISD is one of just 39 school districts across the state to be recognized as a Texas Way District of Distinction for the 2025-26 school year, an honor it received Wednesday.

In partnership between the Texas High School Coaches Association, the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association, the UIL, and 2Words Character Development, Texas Way sets out to make a difference in the standard of sportsmanship at the high school and junior high levels.

The three pillars of the Texas Way are Respect for Others; Control of Self; and Spirit of Competition.

Respect for Others is a commitment to give respect to all participants (coaches, players, officials, and fans) because of who I am, not because of what they do. Respect, The Texas Way, is given generously.

Control of Self is a commitment to give boundaries to our thoughts, words, and actions, and to control our anger in the face of competition and adversity. Self Control, The Texas Way, is to handle adversity with class, and keep your anger in check.

Spirit of Competition is a commitment to give everything we have to be the absolute best we can be, and to put our team in the best position to win, but we will not sacrifice our integrity to do it. Competition, The Texas Way, is about more than a scoreboard.

In its second year, The Texas Way has improved the level of sportsmanship in programs taking part across the state; decreased the number of player, coach and fan ejections; and strengthened relationships within the community between coaches, athletes, and officials.

Joining Brownwood as Texas Way District of Distinctions for 2025-26 are Alvin ISD, Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco ISD, Boerne ISD, Brazosport ISD, Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD, Comal ISD, Corpus Christi ISD, Crowley ISD, Cy Fair ISD, Donna ISD, Eagle Pass ISD, Ector County ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Harlingen ISD, Houston ISD, Huckabay ISD, Inspired Vision Academy, Irving ISD, Judson ISD, Killeen ISD, Life School, McKinney ISD, Mission CISD, New Braunfels ISD, North East ISD, Pasadena ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Point Isabel ISD, Prosper ISD, Richardson ISD, Sharyland ISD, South San Antonio ISD, Southwest ISD, Spring Branch ISD, United ISD, Waller ISD, and Wharton ISD.