fvwrestler
Member
Many states allow 6th graders to participate on their JH teams. Why does Ohio not and do you think they should?
6th grade participation in JH
- Thread starter fvwrestler
- Start date
I can't find it now, but at one time the Ohio Department of Education had published something that it was their belief that students below grade 7 should not compete in interscholastic athletics and should focus on intramurals. I'm pretty sure this statement by the ODE is why the OHSAA has never pursued expanding below grade 7.
Finishtiming
Active member
6th graders are not allowed to compete in OHSAA sanctioned meets. It uses their eligibility as you are only allowed to compete for 2 years at the ms level. We have this problem with private schools that compete at ms meets that are ohsaa events. This was confirmed from ohsaa a couple years ago with us for a league championship the private schools thought it was fine to allow 6th graders from the private schools but the other public schools were not allowed.
Mr. Slippery
Well-known member
Are they literally not allowed (no ands, ifs, or buts), or is the main issue that they won't be eligible as 8th graders because their MS eligibility clock will expire after 7th grade?
I ask because a school near me had an 8th grader compete on its HS team a couple years ago. By rule, 8th graders can compete in HS, but once they compete in a HS contest, they can't compete in MS contests anymore. When senior year rolls around, this kid will have already used up the 8 semesters of HS eligibility.
TriangleMan
Hates Particle Man
Seems fairly literal on 6th graders (from https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Sports/GeneralSportRegs2020_21.pdf)
32.4) Students below the 7th grade may not practice with or participate with 7th through 12th grade students.
I read that as regardless of an athlete's age in 6th grade.
The bylaw for 8th graders to participate in HS athletics reads as:
Bylaw 4-2-3
An 8th grade student may, at the student’s option, become eligible for interscholastic athletics at the high school level when the student attains his/her 15th birthday before August 1 of the ensuing school year. The student who chooses to commence high school eligibility while still enrolled in grade eight is eligible at the school where the student is expected to enroll at the ninth grade level. A student opting to commence her/his eligibility at the high school level shall have no more than eight semesters of high school eligibility taken in order of attendance in accordance with Bylaw 4-3-3. NOTE: This means that a student’s senior year of eligibility will be affected if the student chooses to commence high school eligibility while still enrolled in grade eight. Furthermore, if the student does not opt to become eligible at the high school level, she/he shall be ineligible on account of her/his age at the 7th-8th grade level of interscholastic competition.
I read that as an 8th grader will 'age out' of eligibility for 8th grade athletics regardless of participating in HS competition.
The life-destroying impact of CYO athletics should not be foisted upon those who aren't Catholic. It's amazing that most kids even become adults with the high rates of participation in youth athletics where they keep score. Praise be to the OHSAA who continue to protect our kids.