TSSAA Transfer Rule

[BigDogDaddy]

In Mid State we have had CPA Football, Brentwood Volleyball, and Gallatin Football all be dealt severe blows for violation of "The Transfer Rule."

 

If you are like me and think the punishment doesn't fit the crime, please take a minute to tell the TSSAA:

 

http://www.tssaa.org/IntForms/feedbackform.cfm

[thekeg55]

Can someone post the actual rule on here, so we all can read it. Thanks

[ELA]

Can someone post the actual rule on here, so we all can read it. Thanks

Transfer Rules

 

‘‘Transfer student’’—a student who has transferred schools due to a bona fide change of residence by his or her parents or guardians or a student who has transferred schools and has not completed all the grades of his or her former school (school from which student is transferring).

 

‘‘Transfer student with an athletic record’’—a transfer student who has participated in a contest (varsity, B team or junior high) in the last 12 months at a member school or a school holding membership in the state high school athletic association of another state that holds membership in the National Federation of State High School Associations.

 

Sections 12 - 16 apply to ‘‘transfer students with an athletic record’’.

 

Section 12. The official scholastic and athletic record of a transfer student must be attested by certificate from the principal of the former school. A transfer student shall not participate in athletics in the school to which he or she transfers until a transcript of his or her work and athletic record has been received by the principal and his or her eligibility has been approved by the Executive Director.

 

Section 13. If a student enrolled in a member school or a state athletic association school holding membership in the National Federation of State High School Associations who has an athletic record the previous or current school year in football, basketball, baseball, girls softball, or track and field transfers from one school to another without a corresponding change of residence by his or her

parents or guardians, the student shall be ineligible for athletic competition in these five sports for12 months. If a student enrolled in a member school or state athletic association school holding membership in the National Federation of State High School Associations who has an athletic record the previous or current school year in bowling, golf, tennis, wrestling, cross country, girls volleyball, girls soccer or soccer transfers from one school to another without a corresponding change in the residence of his or her parents or guardians the student shall be ineligible for 12 months in whichever sport he or she has an athletic record. After being out of athletic competition for a period of 12 months a student may become eligible at any member school provided he or she meets other eligibility requirements.

A student who attends a member private, parochial, or public school other than the school to which he or she is zoned and participates in athletics cannot transfer to another school within the territory served by these schools without losing his or her eligibility for a period of 12 months—even though there is a change of residence.

 

A student who attends a public school to which he or she is zoned and participates in athletics and transfers to a private, parochial, or public school other than the school to which he or she is zoned and the new school is in the territory or zone of his or her original school shall be ineligible for 12 months — even though there is a change of residence. A student who attends a public school in a city or county which has definite school zones prescribed by the Board of Education and participates in athletics may become eligible at another city or county school if his or her parents move into that school zone. Such a student will be ineligible if he

or she transfers to a private, parochial, or public school other than his or her zoned school. If an athlete’s parents move during the school year from one school district or territory into another district or territory, the athlete may transfer without loss of eligibility to the school serving the district or territory into which his or her parents have moved:

A at the time his or her parents change

residence;

B at the end of the next report card period;

C at the close of the semester;

D at the close of the school year. If the parents or guardian of a student with an athletic record move after the athlete has been enrolled in a school for one year or longer, the athlete may continue to attend and retain his or her eligibility provided his or her parents pay the expenses incurred as a result of the student not living at home.

 

A student with an athletic record may transfer without loss of eligibility at the beginning of the school year from a boarding school (where he/she was a boarding student for a minimum of 12 months) to the school serving the district or territory where his/her parents live or may transfer at the beginning of the school year from the school serving the district or territory where his/her parents live (provided he/she attended the school a minimum of 12 months) to a boarding school as a boarding student, provided the principal of the student’s former school indicates in writing that the move is not for athletic or disciplinary reasons. (Note: The school must be outside the day school territory of the boarding school.) When a student makes a transfer due to the change of the residence of his or her parents or guardians, the student shall be ineligible until the Executive Director has reviewed his or her case and has declared him or her eligible.

 

Page 14 July 1, 2003

If a student has been ruled eligible as a result of a change of residence by an athlete’s parent(s) or guardian from residence A to residence B and a transfer of schools from a school serving residence A to a school serving residence B, and the parent(s) or guardian of the student return to residence A before the student has been enrolled in the school serving residence B for one complete year, the

student will be ineligible for 12 months from their last participation date.

 

2003-04 TSSAA Handbook

If an ineligible contestant competes in a contest(s) and forfeitures occur as a result of the ineligibility and the student is then ruled eligible to compete, the student will be ineligible to participate in twice the number of contests in which he/she participated as an ineligible student-athlete or he/she will be ineligible for the remainder of the season, whichever is the least. Section 14. If a student with an athletic record the previous or current school year enters a school with higher grades, or a school with the same number of grades above the seventh grade, without having finished all the grades of his or her former school, he or she shall be ineligible for one year— except (a) that a student who has completed the eighth grade, and who is no longer eligible to participate on a junior high team because of age, may transfer to the public high school serving the district in which the student resides; ( that a student who has completed the eighth grade may

transfer to a senior high school in the system with grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, or a student who has completed the ninth grade may transfer to a senior high school in the same system with grades 10, 11 and 12 provided such transfer is approved by the board of education. (This rule shall not apply to students who transfer from junior high schools that do not hold membership in their state high

school athletic associations, or TSSAA.)

 

Section 15. Students who change their school due to a bona fide change or establishment of bus routes by the county board of education and by the county superintendent shall not forfeit their eligibility. In cases where such a change in bus routes makes it equally convenient for a student to attend another school or the school in which he or she already has an athletic record, such student cannot transfer without losing eligibility for a period of 12 months.

 

Section 16. A student with an athletic record who transfers from a school where the student is under discipline shall be ineligible for 12 months or until the disciplinary charges have been removed.

Edited October 31, 2003 by ELA

[addictedtosports.com]

When we need something ELA comes through in the clutch......

[PowerSet]

Its not that the rule is too harsh; its just that the TSSAA does not remain consistent. If a team like Gallatin has followed the rules and then TSSAA makes a mistake, then the team shouldn't be punished. If the team knowingly does wrong, then forfeiture is just. The TSSAA just needs to know their stuff from the beginning so that this nonsense stops.

[BigDogDaddy]

ELA - thanks.

 

I've now read it carefully three times and I still beg the question, What is the intent of the rule. Why have it to begin with. Is there such a fear of hostile recruiting by high school coaches that the flip side ( what we have seen happen to CPA, Gallatin and Brentwood ) is warranted!

 

Frankly, I would rather see coaches stack their teams through recruiting, than see kids suffer at the hand of this rule.

Edited October 31, 2003 by BigDogDaddy

[bulldog69]

Tssaa does not practice what they preach about being thorough. The investigator on the Gallatin case should be fired. I see why lawyers get involved. The TSSAA has no one to oversee them much like the CIA (and just about as secretive). Our team self-reported having too many volunteer coaches because the principal would not. Their response was to suspend the coach for two games and nothing was done to the principal. That will teach you to self-report. The TSSAA does not have a "MERCY" rule

 

IT"S REAL SIMPLE, RONNIE CARTER AND GANG....don't be afraid to admit YOU ARE WRONG!!!!

 

This organization is so wrapped up in itself...I would say over 90% of the people do not like what it does

[thekeg55]

Well I think here within the week we will have a court ruling on this rule, and I believe it should be on in favor of Gallatin, they have a strong case from what I can see. I see the rule being struck dow nand the TSSAA having to rewrite it.

[OnlineLC]

I have no problem with restrictions within the same sport (eg if they play varsity football, they can't go and play varsity football at another school). However if they played football, I have no problem with them playing basketball the following year at another school as it lets the child participate in some form of sport. I also think B-Team games should not count.

 

As a CPA fan, things worked out Ok for us in the end, all that happened is we lost home field advantage and in all fairness, we did unknowingly violate the current TSSAA rules through an administrative mix up at CPA. As for Gallatin, I hope they get to really embarrass the TSSAA on this. I personally feel Ronnie Carter has no interest whatsever in doing what is right and shows a complete lack of any form of leadership in promoting Tennessee High School Athletics.

[ELA]

The problem is this will now effect the hopes and dreams of other teams. I hate to see the courts involved in this game! What happens to Gallatin now, do they practice this week hoping they will play on Friday? What happens to other teams who are effected by the problem. It will be interesting to see the real facts of this case. The bottom line is who is responsible for the accuracy of the paperwork? Should it be the TSSAA or the individual school? I think the answer is very simple... the SCHOOL must provide accurate information to the TSSAA and if the information is inaccurate, it is the responsibility of the school and not the TSSAA. It is my understanding that the initial TSSAA ruling was based on inaccurate or incomplete information being provided to them by the school. If this is true, the TSSAA is correct in their ruling. If not, then the TSSAA should have back-tracked and allowed the appeal in favor of Gallatin. Now the courts and lawyers will try to sort out what should be settled on the football field and more than just the Gallatin players and coaches will be affected!

[FairInMyFavor]

From what I understand, this whole fiasco hinges on the kid having dual residences. If a kid's parents split, it's not the kid's fault. If the kid goes to visit his dad, and is penalized because of it, that's garbage.

 

As I understand it, this kid's parents had split and the kid moved to Gallatin with his mother. Because the father was still living in their original family home, the TSSAA called that dual residency.

 

Something is wrong with that picture.

 

OK, so maybe neither parent has been awarded "physical custody" of the child, and the divorce is not final....the kid and his mother did have a change of address. The courts don't resolve legal/physical custody issues very quickly. Again, not the kid's nor the school's fault. It seems to me that the kid is getting a double whammy in this deal. Not only is he having to suffer the split of his parents, but he is also having to suffer because of the lunacy of some grown men who are lacking in compassion and who think they are above reproach.

 

If I have a misunderstanding of the facts, please let me know. I will gladly stand corrected.

Edited November 1, 2003 by inot2bad

[ELA]

From what I understand, this whole fiasco hinges on the kid having dual residences. If a kid's parents split, it's not the kid's fault. If the kid goes to visit his dad, and is penalized because of it, that's garbage.

 

As I understand it, this kid's parents had split and the kid moved to Gallatin with his mother. Because the father was still living in their original family home, the TSSAA called that dual residency.

 

Something is wrong with that picture.

 

OK, so maybe neither parent has been awarded "physical custody" of the child, and the divorce is not final....the kid and his mother did have a change of address. The courts don't resolve legal/physical custody issues very quickly. Again, not the kid's nor the school's fault. It seems to me that the kid is getting a double whammy in this deal. Not only is he having to suffer the split of his parents, but he is also having to suffer because of the lunacy of some grown men who are lacking in compassion and who think they are above reproach.

 

If I have a misunderstanding of the facts, please let me know. I will gladly stand corrected.

If parents have dual custody of a child... they must declare one single residence for the purpose of athletics and the kid must actuall reside at that address. He can't have dual addresses and this has been the rule for many years. If this is what happened... the TSSAA is not at fault! Kids are allowed to transfer between parents ONCE in their high school career without penalty. The purpose of the rule is to prevent kids from playing one sport at one school, then transferring to another school to play another sport. This has happened in the past with dual custody kids. Also the burden of proof is always on the school.