TSSAA Rule on Semester/Years of eligibility

[5-Sport Dad]

So, if a girl failed a grade when they were in elementary school and they are freshman but over 16 can they play all 4 yrs of high school even though they will be 19 before Sept 1st ?????

 

"...can't keep eligibility past 19." I vote 'no!'

[bigchief]

Excellent, excellent post! And a VERY good point, indeed. Any rule has what's called the 'spirit' (or purpose) of it built in. And any time that's broken or damaged, then the student is hurt, too, in my humble opinion. Participation rules should promote and protect children, and promote their educational experience, not hinder it.

 

The problem with this whole situation is that there are cheaters out there that mess it up. So, as always, to make sure they don't get an advantage, we have silly rules (i.e., silly to those who are good people that follow the rules). Who, or what governing body, in their right mind would purposely write or make a rule that handicaps a child? TSSAA? NCAA? If your answer is yes, then shame on them.

 

Bigchief sounds like he knows rules very well and is always willing to share the facts, which I appreciate. I'd like to know his opinion on this topic.

We do it like Antwan said. Our school is turned in 7-12 thus allowing 8th grade to participate with the varsity. I have four 8th graders on the baseball team here. I don't think middle school players should be allowed if it is separate from the high school. Too many counties have "open enrollment" policies where the kids can decide where they want to go (Bedford Co. with Shelbyville and Cascade comes to mind although I know there are others. If you play as an 8th grader you establish a record of varsity participation and would have to sit a year to go to a different high school or even a private school. I have known plenty of instances where a smaller private school put an 8th grade kid in for a minute at the end of a game in order to establish a varsity record with them just in case they wanted to go somewhere else for high school. I will not name names, but I know of at least 4 of these occurences.

 

Dixiepixie, it would not matter when they failed a grade. 1st or any other. They cannot be 19 before the start of their senior year. They would be ineligible for their senior year of play. We had a senior wrestler this year that was not able to compete because he turned 19 before his senior year began. These kids enrolled in "pre 1st" type programs after kindergarten can get caught by this their senior year.

 

Like anything else that comes up, you can petition the TSSAA for a waiver, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Antwan]

It would be nice if the TSSAA allowed all eightgraders , who do not have a middle school team in their county, to play for the high school team. It is sad to see good young players sitting in our stands while we play teams, especially private schools, play their eight graders. A county with only one elementary, middle, and high school, but in seperate schools should be allowed to play them.

 

I tend to agree. It should be all or none. I can see how it could get complicated in larger communities with several feeder schools.

[Courtside]

our county has 1 high school, and 1 middle school, and in seperate buildings only 200 feet apart from each other. We wanted to let the 8th grade girls play with the high school in volleyball since the middle school did not offer volleyball. Gene Menes at TSSAA said they could not because they were not in the same building and did not have the same principal.

[3Strikes]

It would be nice if the TSSAA allowed all eightgraders , who do not have a middle school team in their county, to play for the high school team. It is sad to see good young players sitting in our stands while we play teams, especially private schools, play their eight graders. A county with only one elementary, middle, and high school, but in seperate schools should be allowed to play them.

How many Middle schools in Hamilton Co. or the surrounding Co. don't have softball, volleyball etc.?

[jlm312]

our county has 1 high school, and 1 middle school, and in seperate buildings only 200 feet apart from each other. We wanted to let the 8th grade girls play with the high school in volleyball since the middle school did not offer volleyball. Gene Menes at TSSAA said they could not because they were not in the same building and did not have the same principal.

 

 

Okay...this is none of my business, but how is this keeping the players from being exploited? I thought that the TSSAA was there for the kids. I'm wondering if there is something that can be done to help the situation. Does anyone have any ideas or know of a good place to start?

[radargun]

What some fun reading? Go to the TSSAA website and read the bylaws starting on page 13.

 

http://www.tssaa.org/Handbook/handbook

 

I do not know the actual rule about being in the same building or having the same principle. But my daughter went to a local private school that has middle and high school on the same campus but in seperate buildings and she was able to play varsity softball as an 8th grader.

[jacketteam8]

What some fun reading? Go to the TSSAA website and read the bylaws starting on page 13.

 

http://www.tssaa.org/Handbook/handbook

 

I do not know the actual rule about being in the same building or having the same principle. But my daughter went to a local private school that has middle and high school on the same campus but in seperate buildings and she was able to play varsity softball as an 8th grader.

 

Where both schools under the same principal? Is this something they did on their on or did they ask for permission from the TSSAA?

[HHSYank]

Where both schools under the same principal? Is this something they did on their on or did they ask for permission from the TSSAA?

 

Knoxville Halls Highschool both schools are on the same campus but two different principals and separate buildings. Our middle school team can't play with the highschool.

At least our Highschool coach is able to coach middle school girls in the fall.

[jacketteam8]

Knoxville Halls Highschool both schools are on the same campus but two different principals and separate buildings. Our middle school team can't play with the highschool.

At least our Highschool coach is able to coach middle school girls in the fall.

Do they have a fall middle school team?

[HHSYank]

Do they have a fall middle school team?

 

 

Yes its pretty good. Its not school sponsered though. I think only schools surrounding knox county are official middle school teams. I think, not sure.