08/28/15 – Eligibility Reminder-Foreign Exchange and Non-Exchange Students

September 3, 2015 Athletic Department Blog Updates

With the busy start of school upon us, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of the bylaws ( Bylaw 7 & 8) that govern the use of student/athletes that desire to participate in high school athletics, but are not citizens of the United States.

Below are some of the key principles to remember –

• For the schools in Basketball regions 1-8, Sarah Bridenbaugh is the ruling officer in case you have questions about specific students
• For the schools in Basketball regions 9-16, Michael Barren is the ruling officer in case you have questions about specific students
• Bylaw 7, which deals with foreign exchange students, is printed at http://khsaa.org/handbook/bylaws/20152016/bylaw7.pdf
• Bylaw 8, which deals with foreign students who are not in an exchange program, is printed at http://khsaa.org/handbook/bylaws/20152016/bylaw8.pdf
• Forms to request eligibility are online at http://khsaa.org/general/bottom-tab-pages/general-forms/
• Foreign students (nondomestic) attending high school in Kentucky shall be considered ineligible for the first calendar year following enrollment in accordance with both bylaws.
• The period of ineligibility may be waived if one of the exceptions established in these Bylaws are satisfied.
• Foreign students who are not granted an exception to play in their first year, have therefore been ineligible for the entire first entire calendar year in the US, can become eligible to represent that school immediately following the conclusion of that one-year period, and if eligible, would remain eligible through graduation if compliant with all other KHSAA Bylaws.
• Please read through both Bylaw 7 & 8 to see which bylaw would be the appropriate bylaw to apply for your student/athlete in question. For example, an entire relocation of the student’s family or a student that holds some form of official refugee status as designated by an entity of the US Government would come under Bylaw 8, where as a student coming to your school through a foreign exchange program, would come under Bylaw 7.
• Please make sure your application fits your particular student’s situation.

As always, please feel free to contact the KHSAA staff for assistance. For foreign (non-domestic) students, contact either Sarah Bridenbaugh (sbridenbaugh@khsaa.org) for Regions 1-8 or Michael Barren (mbarren@khsaa.org) for assistance.