High school student-athletes in Connecticut do some amazing things on the field, court, track, or wherever they compete. But they also do amazing things away from competition. When you consider how much time, energy, and effort they put into meeting their obligations as students while taking on the added responsibilities of athletes, you gain a whole new level of respect for these dedicated and hard-working individuals.
Because they work so hard to balance the demands of school with the challenges of athletics, as the parent or guardian of a high school student-athlete in Connecticut you want to do everything you can to help them succeed. When they have a test coming up you might be there to quiz them; you've probably driven them to practices and competitions, and you make sure they have the clothing and equipment that they need for their sport. One additional thing you can do to help is to become familiar with the rules and regulations that determine their eligibility to compete.
In Connecticut, high school sports are governed by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) which has developed a comprehensive set of rules and regulations that govern virtually all aspects of high school sports. Because they are so comprehensive, however, it can be difficult to sort through all of the information (more than 230 pages) that relates to things like leagues, coaches, officials, and individual sports when what you're really interested in are the rules that discuss eligibility issues for players.
This post is designed to help interested parents, guardians, and student-athletes understand some of the more important CIAC bylaws and related rules that govern when student-athletes are and are not eligible to compete in high school sports in Connecticut. If, after reviewing this, you have questions or concerns about your student-athlete's eligibility, contact student-athlete attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento. He and the Lento Law Firm Team have experience helping high school students and their families understand high school eligibility requirements and protect their ability to compete, and they are ready to do everything they can to keep your student-athlete in the game.
Age-Limit and Semester-Limit Restrictions and Waiver Requests
Student-athletes who have turned 20 or who will turn 20 during a season of competition are not eligible to compete. Once a student-athlete enters 9th grade, they have 8 consecutive semesters or 4 consecutive years of eligibility.
“Hardship” waivers are possible, where a student was prevented from competing during a semester or school year due to “unforeseen, unavoidable or unusual circumstances that were beyond the control of the student.” These circumstances must have been ones that prevented the student from attending school and completing their schoolwork, not just ones that prevented the student from competing in sports. Waivers are granted on a “semester-for-semester” basis; in other words, if the student-athlete was prevented from attending school and competing during a spring semester, a waiver, if granted, will only apply to an additional spring semester.
Waiver requests of any type relating to student-athlete eligibility must be submitted by the school principal, not by the student-athlete or their parents or guardians. The principal will submit the request to the CIAC Eligibility Committee. The Eligibility Committee will consider the request at its “next regular meeting.” If it denies the request, the principal – again, not the student-athlete or parents or guardians – has 7 days to request a hearing on the denial before the CIAC Eligibility Review Board. At that hearing, which will take place during the next-scheduled Eligibility Review Board meeting, the student-athlete, their parents, school representatives, and “any other person that may help to represent the athlete's case” (including attorney advisors) “may appear and present evidence.”
If the Eligibility Review Board rules against the student-athlete, the school principal has 14 days to ask the CIAC Board of Control to review the ruling. While in most cases the Eligibility Review Board's rulings are final, the Board of Control may “review and act on only those cases which it believes involve issues of critical and conflicting opinion among the Eligibility Committee and the Eligibility Review Board.” It may also act on cases that “as a result of other compelling reasons,” merit its attention.
Submitting an effective waiver request can be a time-consuming process. It's important for the request to be clear and supported by information and evidence. Student-athlete attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento understands this. He and the Lento Law Firm Team have helped student-athletes all over the country request hardship and other types of waivers to ineligibility rulings. Because you have only one shot at seeking a waiver, if your student-athlete is in a position where they need a waiver in order to be eligible to compete it makes sense to contact someone who has experience in this area for help. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team can help you make sure your waiver request is as compelling as possible.
Academic Eligibility Requirements
Fall semester student-athletes must have received at least 4 “Carnegie Units” of credit in courses that count towards graduation in order to be eligible to compete in athletics. Summer school course credits may be used to satisfy that requirement.
During the school year, Connecticut high schools have some flexibility in how they keep track of their student-athletes' academic eligibility. If the school uses “marking periods” that are less often than once per semester, then student-athlete eligibility is reviewed at the close of each marking period. Student-athletes must be taking and passing at least “four quarter Carnegie Units of work” (or equivalent for schools that do not operate on a semester schedule) during each marking period.
One way to address academic eligibility issues is at the teacher level. Particularly where grades are based on the teacher's subjective evaluation of the student's work, it may be possible to discuss the assignment with the teacher and address the deficiencies (or challenge the grading) in an effort to revise the grade upward. In other cases, hardship appeals may be difficult if the student-athlete was able to attend class. This may depend on the nature of the hardship and the ability to have a medical professional document it.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team can help you decide what to do if your student-athlete is ruled academically ineligible to compete. They have worked with students all over the country facing similar situations, and can advise you on the best steps to take to get your student back on the court, field, or track.
School Disciplinary Defense
Because student-athletes spend so much time in the school setting, being disciplined for misconduct at school can be one of the most likely ways for them to lose athletic eligibility. A student who is suspended from school won't be allowed to compete until their suspension has been lifted and they are again attending school. This is why it's so important for your student-athlete to have a clear understanding of their school's code of conduct and what kinds of misconduct can result in a suspension.
Another problem with school misconduct allegations is that they are not always properly investigated or decided. Busy school administrators often don't have the time or inclination to fully investigate misconduct reports. In addition, the conferences or hearings that they hold on those reports may operate in an unfair or even biased fashion.
Joseph D. Lento has seen this happen over and over again. An allegation of misconduct isn't the same as proof, and if an allegation is not properly investigated, a student can be severely disciplined based on less than complete information. That's why if your student-athlete is facing a misconduct situation that could result in their being suspended from school – and at the same time, becoming ineligible to compete until they return – you need the help of experienced student-athlete attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento. He and the Lento Law Firm Team can help you and your student fully investigate the claims against them. They can also make sure the school treats your student fairly, and, where appropriate, can even suggest alternative forms of discipline that will keep your student in school and competing, while still recognizing the school's need to maintain order and discipline.
Discipline Defense for On the Field Misconduct
The CIAC states that there is no appeal procedure for student-athlete disqualifications or ejections, except during the competition, in which case the officials can be asked to reverse their decision to disqualify or eject a player.
Student-athletes who are ejected from a contest are automatically ineligible to compete in the next contest. If they are ejected for assaulting an official, coach, opposing player, or spectator; or for starting a fight or retaliating in a fight, then they will be ineligible to compete for the remainder of that season.
The strict CIAC rule against challenging an ejection means that the best way to try to reverse one is during the competition where it was imposed.
Transfer Issues and Waiver Requests
The CIAC has a comprehensive set of rules and regulations that relate to when a student-athlete who transfers from one school to another may be eligible to compete at the new school. If you are considering moving to a new home in a different school district, or your student-athlete is talking about transferring to a different high school, you should take a close look at your situation and the CIAC transfer rules to make sure you have a good understanding of what effect a transfer might have on your student-athlete's eligibility.
The easiest case is for 9th graders. 9th grade students “may transfer at any time during or at the end of ninth grade and remain eligible.”
After that, things get much more complicated. The CIAC transfer rules apply to students in 10th grade or above who have played for a school “in an interscholastic athletic contest.” Where a student-athlete transfers under these kinds of circumstances, they may be able to compete at their new school immediately, or they may have to wait as long as one year, or sometimes they can compete after 50% of a season has passed – depending on whether they meet one of 18 different exceptions. Some of the more common exceptions are as follows:
- Student-athletes can continue to compete at their old school even if their family moves out of the district.
- If the student-athletes' family moves from one school district to another, the student can compete at a school in the new school district.
- If the student moves with one parent who is divorcing or separating from the other parent, and the CIAC Eligibility Committee approves the transfer, the student can compete at the new school.
- Students who transfer to a new school because their families are moving to a new home but are “awaiting occupancy” are eligible at the new school as soon as the family “actually transfers residence,” provided the CIAC Eligibility Committee approves.
- If the student doesn't meet any exceptions, but both the sending and receiving schools complete a CIAC transfer waiver, the student may be able to compete after 50% of the school's varsity schedule following the student's date of enrollment at the new school has passed.
If the student doesn't meet any of the 18 exceptions in the CIAC rules, then the student must wait 365 days until they are eligible to compete at the new school in the same sport in which they competed at the old school.
Because there are so many exceptions and special situations that can affect a transferring student-athlete's eligibility, it makes sense to get help from an experienced student-athlete attorney-advisor. Joseph D. Lento has been navigating these kinds of difficult and complicated student-athlete transfer rules for years. He and the Lento Law Firm Team understand how they work, and can help you apply the rules to your situation before you make a decision that could accidentally result in your student-athlete having to sit out for an entire year.
Joseph D. Lento Can Help Keep Your Student-Athlete Competing
If you are facing a situation that could result in your student-athlete losing eligibility, whether because of alleged misconduct, grades, age- or semester-limits, or a school transfer, contact student-athlete attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team for help. They understand how the CIAC bylaws and rules work and can make sure you take advantage of every opportunity to keep your student-athlete playing. If a waiver request or appeal of a waiver decision is necessary, they know how to draft, submit, and argue effective and compelling appeals. They will fight for your student-athlete to give them every chance to continue to compete in the sports that they love.
Call Joseph D. Lento today at 888.535.3686 or reach out to the Lento Law Firm Team using the online contact form to set up a confidential consultation today.
