Wrestler without a school

[Eersfan2015]

I have a nephew that goes to middle school at South Charleston. SC doesn't have a wrestling team nor does the schools that SC feeds into. What are his options??? He has been practicing with a school that has a team but someone has been complaining about it and trying to make it so that he can't wrestle for that team. He is a 2nd year wrestler that really loves the sport. It's not like he's been recruited to come to that school. He just wants to wrestle. He is somewhat limited in what sports he can play do to the fact that he has one leg. Wrestling is really a great sport for him.

[coach_williams]

I have less than great news for you. He can not compete. We had a wrestler here that lives in and goes to school at Paden City High School which has no wrestling team. He wanted to wrestle for Magnolia High School which is just 5 miles away and was even willing to attend school at Magnolia if it would allow him to wrestle. The WVSSAC was contacted by our AD (I am at Magnolia) and they stated that he was ineligible to compete for Magnolia regardless of if he transferred to the school or not. His only option was to move into a physical address that was within the school's attendance district, which wasn't an option for him. If he transferred to Magnolia, but remained at the Paden City home address then he had to redshirt for 365 days.

This is one of those rules that needs to be challenged and changed at the WVSSAC. I understand they created this rule to prevent kids from hopping around to schools with the best programs, but in the process they have caught up kids who have no option in particular sports at their home school. The WVSSAC should be willing to make an exception when a sport is not offered in their home school, but currently they will not.

[uknowme]

Are you sure that the kid would not be eligible since the home school doesn't off the sport. I know in Kanawha County, especially with middle school softball and baseball when it first started, kids from other schools played on other schools team. At first I thought you had to be a feeder school, like Horace Mann kids use to play for Stonewall because they both feed Capital. But I remember some Elkview Middle kids played on Stonewall's baseball team until Elkview got a team several years ago. I would call down to the Board of Ed and see what they have to say.

[Eersfan2015]

I hate to hear that! The rule definitely needs to be looked at again. I guess his only option is to join a travel team or something along those lines. Thanks for the information.

[Eersfan2015]

I'm definitely gonna call the board of education and try to get some clarification on the rule. I feel like it's an injustice to a boy who has overcome so much in his life. He loves to wrestle!!!!!

[coach_williams]

I'm definitely gonna call the board of education and try to get some clarification on the rule. I feel like it's an injustice to a boy who has overcome so much in his life. He loves to wrestle!!!!!

The board will tell you to refer the issue to the school's AD who will have to call the WVSSAC. Even if you call the WVSSAC yourself they will not talk to you about it. They will only discuss eligibility issues with the AD. We have already been through this here.

We asked for clarification on the rule and were told that it is a hard and fast rule with no exceptions. The only way around it was if he moved into the busing district boundaries, which wasn't an option since they own the home. I agree it isn't fair. A kid should not be deprived of competing in a sport because his or her home school doesn't participate in the sport. The WVSSAC doesn't seem to see it that way.

[coach_williams]

Are you sure that the kid would not be eligible since the home school doesn't off the sport. I know in Kanawha County, especially with middle school softball and baseball when it first started, kids from other schools played on other schools team. At first I thought you had to be a feeder school, like Horace Mann kids use to play for Stonewall because they both feed Capital. But I remember some Elkview Middle kids played on Stonewall's baseball team until Elkview got a team several years ago. I would call down to the Board of Ed and see what they have to say.

Were those community leagues? I didn't know we had middle schools with baseball teams. According to what the WVSSAC told us, the child can compete on a non-school league or team in any city of their choosing, but not on a school sanctioned team.

If Eersfan2015's nephew is already getting complaints over just practicing, then someone will definitely call the WVSSAC to complain which could lead to the school getting sanctioned.

[KSRef]

Prior to this year.....East Bank kids have wrestled for Cedar Grove for years. I know they feed the same high school....so the circumstances are a little different.

[mscoach64]

years ago when i was in school our school didn't offer wrestling. i wanted to wrestle. i graduated high school without ever wrestling a match. it is very sad indeed.

[uknowme]

Are you sure that the kid would not be eligible since the home school doesn't off the sport. I know in Kanawha County, especially with middle school softball and baseball when it first started, kids from other schools played on other schools team. At first I thought you had to be a feeder school, like Horace Mann kids use to play for Stonewall because they both feed Capital. But I remember some Elkview Middle kids played on Stonewall's baseball team until Elkview got a team several years ago. I would call down to the Board of Ed and see what they have to say.

Were those community leagues? I didn't know we had middle schools with baseball teams. According to what the WVSSAC told us, the child can compete on a non-school league or team in any city of their choosing, but not on a school sanctioned team.

If Eersfan2015's nephew is already getting complaints over just practicing, then someone will definitely call the WVSSAC to complain which could lead to the school getting sanctioned.

No, these are actual middle school teams. Just about every school in Kanawha County now has baseball and softball. They have a middle school conference tournament and everything. When it first started, only a handful had the team and kids from all over county were playing on teams closest to them since their school didn't have one yet.

[coach_williams]

Are you sure that the kid would not be eligible since the home school doesn't off the sport. I know in Kanawha County, especially with middle school softball and baseball when it first started, kids from other schools played on other schools team. At first I thought you had to be a feeder school, like Horace Mann kids use to play for Stonewall because they both feed Capital. But I remember some Elkview Middle kids played on Stonewall's baseball team until Elkview got a team several years ago. I would call down to the Board of Ed and see what they have to say.

Were those community leagues? I didn't know we had middle schools with baseball teams. According to what the WVSSAC told us, the child can compete on a non-school league or team in any city of their choosing, but not on a school sanctioned team.

If Eersfan2015's nephew is already getting complaints over just practicing, then someone will definitely call the WVSSAC to complain which could lead to the school getting sanctioned.

No, these are actual middle school teams. Just about every school in Kanawha County now has baseball and softball. They have a middle school conference tournament and everything. When it first started, only a handful had the team and kids from all over county were playing on teams closest to them since their school didn't have one yet.

Hmmm, that is interesting. I wonder if the Kanawha county school district didn't just allow it without even asking WVSSAC for their OK. In all reality, unless somebody reports it then most of these situations can be resolved locally without complications. The problem is you always have some jerk who wants to cause problems for someone else and reports it just for their own cruel pleasure.

[mscoach80]

Ck with your athletic director

[mike.carman]

Steps to getting a waiver to compete:
1. Get the Principal at Magnolia to get a ruling from the SSAC.
The SSAC will rule against it since that is the rule.
2. Have the Principal file an appeal for a waiver.
This is the reason the waiver rule is there. This will be brought to the executive committee to decide. They will probably grant the waiver as I have heard they are pretty liberal. They have the authority to allow student athletes to break rules from time to time when the rule is unfair and does not server the purpose for which is was intended and if it creates undue hardship on the student and family.

Since there is no program for the athlete to participate in, they should grant him a waiver to compete for another school but may impose some sanctions.

[mike.carman]

BTW:
It is the Principals in the state that run the SSAC

[mike.carman]

There is also a rule that allows students to compete for other schools in their district when that activity is not offered by their school.