Eighth grade eligibility vote tomorrow

[Indian]

TSSAA to consider allowing eighth graders to participate in high school if the middle school/junior high is the high school’s feeder. It’s long overdue especially those who could aid in sports like softball or wrestling. 

An example here, the girls basketball team is limited in numbers currently because of injury. That makes it hard to schedule JV games so freshmen aren’t getting the game time they need. Even if they don’t play any varsity games, playing in JV would benefit the players and team.

Several opponents allow it already due to the building/principal rule and those getting to play high school a year early benefit. If this is voted down it should be cut out for everyone. 
 

 

[ReitzFan]

So let's have 8th graders play up if the middle school feeds all students to one high school. Would we be saying the middle school program is not important so the high school can have some more bench warmers.

What about school districts who have multiple high schools and middle schools and have open enrollment? I see a public school recruitment feeding frenzy.

This would be a bad idea

[KnoxBBall1993]

Terrible idea.  Several school systems have middle schools that feed more than 1 high school.  No way to make this work

[JournalEntry]

16 minutes ago, Heisenberg said:

Terrible idea.  Several school systems have middle schools that feed more than 1 high school.  No way to make this work

Unless! The kids competed for the school they are zoned for based on their current address. I know that would hurt Bearden girls/boys basketball model.

[lumberjackmak]

What about high schools that have 8th grade? This has been allowed, it is just fixing a current problem. 

[Indian]

13 hours ago, ReitzFan said:

So let's have 8th graders play up if the middle school feeds all students to one high school. Would we be saying the middle school program is not important so the high school can have some more bench warmers.

What about school districts who have multiple high schools and middle schools and have open enrollment? I see a public school recruitment feeding frenzy.

This would be a bad idea

Generally the middle school players move up when their seasons end unless they are high school starter-ready. 

[KnoxBBall1993]

14 minutes ago, lumberjackmak said:

What about high schools that have 8th grade? This has been allowed, it is just fixing a current problem. 

at private schools and some that have middle schoolers on the same campus.  No way to legislate it for other schools.

 

1 hour ago, JournalEntry said:

Unless! The kids competed for the school they are zoned for based on their current address. I know that would hurt Bearden girls/boys basketball model.

Funny that you single out one school like this.  Keep your troll journal entries to yourself

[WestTNHoopsFan]

Horrible idea!  

[JournalEntry]

19 minutes ago, KnoxBBall1993 said:

at private schools and some that have middle schoolers on the same campus.  No way to legislate it for other schools.

 

Funny that you single out one school like this.  Keep your troll journal entries to yourself

Just stating the obvious, it would reduce recruiting from 8th to 9th. But! That doesn’t stop places like Bearden from poaching from Lenoir City and TKA like the girls did during their state run. Why the sudden name change Heisenberg?

[Indian]

Voted down. But some in the same building get to continue. Buildings here are about 50 yards apart and it’s a no. 

[LadyCavsFan]

38 minutes ago, lumberjackmak said:

What about high schools that have 8th grade? This has been allowed, it is just fixing a current problem. 

You do realize that if the high school is in the same building as 8th grade they likely need those 8th graders to field a competitive team because that is a very small school.  In that case I would bet more than 95% of those kids are going to that high school anyway which doesn’t create any advantage at all.   

This is not the same for counties with multiple high schools being able to add a 8th grader to a roster.  This would set off a firestorm of recruiting middle school players to get them locked to a high school.  This will create a bigger problem than we have now.  

 

 

[lumberjackmak]

1 hour ago, LadyCavsFan said:

You do realize that if the high school is in the same building as 8th grade they likely need those 8th graders to field a competitive team because that is a very small school.  In that case I would bet more than 95% of those kids are going to that high school anyway which doesn’t create any advantage at all.   

This is not the same for counties with multiple high schools being able to add a 8th grader to a roster.  This would set off a firestorm of recruiting middle school players to get them locked to a high school.  This will create a bigger problem than we have now.  

Its about all sports, Signal Mt has used 8th graders to win state championships in wrestling for years. Most teams have to forfeit 106 weight class, but they do not because they use 8th graders. 

Science Hill used to have 8th graders in their building from my understanding, one of the largest school in the state. 

More schools use 8th graders than you think.