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dparker
Forum Admin
1554 Posts |
 Posted - 11/10/2022 : 17:16:44
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Since Saraland has been in the news so much the past couple of weeks I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the situation a bit.
First lets look at the rule. Basically it states that a player is eligible to play at a different school if his ENTIRE family makes a move to the school district. The key words here are "the entire family". So not just one parent but all family members.
A move is considered legit if the family moves all the furniture and does not use the former address at all as a living space.
Secondly they must remain at the new address for nine months or the entire school year. If they move back to the former residence the student is ineligible at that time.
Ok. so that is the rule in my words. Not a lot more to it than that. I wanted to answer questions as best I can and help clarify what happened at Saraland and other schools that were forced to forfeit games due to the rule.
I have heard a lot about the AHSAA should have a cutoff date, like after the third game, and after that point all players would be eligible. That will not really work because what would keep a family from just renting an apartment in the new city in August then moving back after the deadline?
I have heard people say that once the rosters are turned in to the AHSAA and approved they are legit and no further action could be brought to the AHSAA questioning the eligibility of a player. That would not work simply because the AHSAA could not possibly check on every player in every sport every year.
I firmly believe that coaches as a rule do not cheat according to this rule. Are there exceptions? Yes but very rare. Will parents try to pull a fast one on the coach, school and the AHSAA? Absolutely!
It should be the coach's responsibility when they have a player who has transferred to his program to do the best he can to make certain the player remains eligible.
In the Saraland case there was a question as to whether the family was still using the former residence in Daphne.
If you have questions or thoughts about this or the rule itself you may reply here.
Here is the entire rule from the AHSAA:
A bona fide move occurs when a student's parents move completely out of one school attendance zone into another.
Guidelines for determining a bona fide move include:
The household furniture of the family must be moved into an unoccupied house of apartment.
All principal members of the family must reside in the new place of residence.
The original residence must be closed, rented or disposed of and not used by the family.
Nine months at the new residence will be required to make a move bona fide.
A transfer student whose parents make a bona fide move is eligible at the member school that serves the area where his/her parents reside if all other requirements are met.
If the family making the bona fide move remains at the new residence for less than nine months, the student becomes ineligible there on the day the family leaves the attendance zone of the new school.
David Parker
Administrator
AHSFHS.org |
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The AHSAA and the bona fide move rule.
