07/22/14 – Reminder about Changes to Bylaw 3, Limit of Four Years Enrollment

July 23, 2014 Athletic Department Blog Updates

By virtue of action taken at the 2013 KHSAA Annual meeting of its high school membership, Bylaw 3 was amended to change the starting date for the four-year period of eligibility to the student’s first entry in grade nine. Previously, the rule stated that the start of the four-year period started with the first promotion from grade eight(8). This change is effective August 1, 2014 with the other changes to the KHSAA Bylaws.

It is possible, that there are student athletes who were previously thought to be ineligible for 2014-2015 (due to exhausting their four year period after initial promotion from grade eight) that are now in fact eligible as the four year count didn’t start until entry in grade nine. For example, a current senior in 2014-2015 spent 2013-2014 as a junior, 2012-2013 as a sophomore, 2011-2012 as a freshman. This student was first promoted from grade 8 in 2009-2010, but for whatever reason, repeated 2010-2011 as an eighth grader. Under the old rule, this student would have been ineligible during 2014-2015. However, under the new rule, this student’s four year period of ineligibility didn’t start until 2011-2012, and therefore, this student would be eligible.

This change may require individual transcript review to ensure accuracy. Please remember that regardless of this change, a student cannot be 19 years old before August 1 and remain eligible for that next year; a student is never eligible for high school sports at any level while repeating the same grade for whatever reason; and a student may not in any way use this allowance to have a fifth competitive season in a high school sport following initial enrollment in grade nine. These important tenets remain a part of the bylaws. The only change deals with the start of that four-year count.

The Association staff, particularly its assistant Commissioners, remain available to help guide you through this change. If you need a ruling on a specific student, contact Associate Commissioner Butch Cope who is the ruling officer for this particular bylaw.