TSSAA Legislative Council Board of Control 8th Grade Eligibility Request

[cobracoach]

TO:                 TSSAA Legislative Council and Board of Controls

FROM:            Jay Lowery, Huntingdon High School

DATE:             September 21, 2015

SUBJECT:         8^th Grade eligibility

 

This proposal is in regards to 8^th graders being eligible to play at the High School level when they are housed in the same building.  Numerous 1A (Single A) schools throughout the state are located in one small town with a middle school at a different location, but in the same town.  Their student population may be the same as those that are in the same building, however, they are not eligible under the current stipulations for eligibility.

This is giving some students 5 years of valuable experience at the high school level.  As we all know experience is a very valuable component for athletes.  Some sports are affected differently as to when their middle school season is over only allowing a portion (4 1/2 years) of the high school season.  However, Spring sports does give athletes a full five years of eligibility.

We are seeing parents, players, friends, etc. encouraging (recruiting) players to enroll in their school, which is all under one building, in order to have more eligibility.  We are also seeing middle school girls attending summer camps with the high school team at a high school only camp. 

Our proposal is to allow schools located in one town with only one middle school within one school district to be eligible to move up to the high school sports once their middle school (8^th grade) season is complete.

Therefore these are the items for consideration within this proposal.

• Students enrolled in a school district with one middle school and one high school be allowed to play high school sports once their middle school season is over. 
• By setting the ruling with a student population for a certain number or less be allowed to play high school sports once their middle school season is over.
• Eliminate 8^th graders the ability to move up at all.

I would be happy to discuss this further with you and express the ramifications this would have for Tennessee athletes should this proposal be considered.  

The following signatures are supporting this proposal.

 

If you are a high school coach and you support this proposal please contact Coach Jay Lowery at jlowery3@k12tn.net and let him know!

[cullycutter]

In our county (Maury) we have 3 unit schools: Culleoka, Santa Fe, and Hampshire. I know that their have been years where if we didn't have 8th graders we would not be able to have a team. So, if you take away the ability to utilize 8th graders you might as well take away our team in some sports some years.

[ksgovols]

Maury County is an anomaly.  There's no other county in the state that has 3 unit schools or even 2.  Unless they adopt an open zone, Santa Fe and Hampshire will always struggle with numbers.  Cully has really grown.  It used to just be Columbia Central, Mt Pleasant and CA only in baseball.  The unit schools were basketball only.

 

I think small rural schools should have options available for kids to play, but Maury County schools are just hanging on to old traditions that don't work for athletics.

[tninsider]

I think it should be all or nothing. I don't understand why kids housed within one school can do this, yet if a town has one middle school and one high school that they can't. You should only be able to compete in one season per sport, in my opinion. If you are in 8th grade and you play middle school baseball, you should not be allowed to move up and play with the high school team once your season is finished. 

[ksgovols]

Agreed.  Here's the other thing.  Maury County middle school baseball is over for some of their teams and it's not even April.  To have a team, there should be a minimum amount of games and a length of season in addition to the maximum games.

[crazzyness]

Agreed. Here's the other thing. Maury County middle school baseball is over for some of their teams and it's not even April. To have a team, there should be a minimum amount of games and a length of season in addition to the maximum games.

Already over?? How can this be? We've only been playing ball for 3 weeks.

[ksgovols]

Either the players have travel teams and rec teams to go to or there's an apathetic coach.  One of my buddies posted on FB 'last game' 2 weeks ago.  It's a shame that Whitthorne of all schools can't get a schedule that runs into April.  They are supposed to be feeding Columbia Central.  Pitiful.