If you are the parent or guardian of a high school student-athlete in Iowa, you know first-hand how important it is that your student-athlete remains eligible to compete in their chosen sport or sports. High school is an important time in the lives of every kid, and being part of a team can build character and memories that your student-athlete will benefit from for the rest of their life. In addition, of course, some high school student-athletes will continue on to play sports in college and – for a very lucky few – professionally as well.
All of this means that your student-athlete shouldn't have to worry about whether they're going to remain eligible to play for their high school. This is an area where you can help them make sure that they meet all of the requirements put in place by their high school and by the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) for eligibility. The IHSAA is the governing body for high school sports in Iowa, and its rules, regulations, and bylaws determine, in many cases, who is and isn't able to compete in Iowa's more than 350 high schools.
While the IHSAA has a detailed website that provides a wealth of information about the organization, sports that it is responsible for, who is involved in the organization, and of course, what the rules are for eligibility, there is so much information available that it can sometimes be hard to find what you're looking for. There is an IHSAA Handbook that's published annually with the various constitutional articles, bylaws, and policies of the IHSAA, but at more than 80 pages, it's not always easy to quickly find what you might be looking for.
That's why the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has summarized a number of the most important rules relating to student-athlete eligibility in Iowa. As parents or guardians, you need to know when your student-athlete may be heading towards trouble when it comes to their eligibility, and this website post will help explain some of the main types of problems that student-athletes in Iowa can face. If, after reading this, you still have questions about your student-athlete's eligibility to compete in Iowa, contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team today for the answers to your questions.
Age-Limit and Semester-Limit Restrictions and Waiver Requests
Assuming they meet all other eligibility requirements, student-athletes may continue to compete in high school sports in Iowa until they turn 20, at which point they become ineligible.
In addition, student-athletes are given eight consecutive semesters of eligibility, beginning with the first semester of ninth grade. That's when the clock starts ticking, so to speak, and those eight semesters are counted whether or not your student-athlete chooses to compete during any one of them or even if they leave school for a time and return.
The IHSAA rules do provide for exceptions, however. Particularly where the eight-semester limitation becomes a problem, if there are special circumstances that may have caused the student-athlete to be unable to compete for an extended period of time, the IHSAA may make an exception and allow the student to compete in varsity sports even if eight semesters have passed since they entered ninth grade.
The IHSAA rules don't explain in detail what kinds of circumstances would support a request for an exception to these rules. Typically, however, if a student-athlete is out of school for an extended period because of their illness or that of a close family member, or something else has happened that was not under the student's control (or their family's control) that prevented the student-athlete from being able to attend school and compete in sports, they stand a much better chance of having their request accepted.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has experience seeking exceptions to age- and semester-limit ineligibility determinations for student-athletes located all over the country. They know what student athletic associations typically consider to be important factors when deciding whether to grant a request for an exception and where your situation supports it; they can help you and your student-athlete make the best case to the IHSAA for an exception. Appeals of the semester-limit rule are made first to the executive board, which "may extend the eligibility of a student when the executive board finds that the interests of the student and interscholastic athletics will be benefited."
Note that in Iowa, there is a separate organization that is responsible for women's athletics – the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU). The IHSAA and IGHSAU share the same handbook and rules, but in cases where your student-athlete is competing in girls' sports in Iowa, any appeals or athletic disciplinary issues would be handled by the IGHSAU.
Academic Eligibility Waiver Requests and Appeals
The IHSAA/IGHSAU has a relatively strict academic eligibility requirement. At the same time, the consequences of failing to meet the requirement are less strict than in many other states.
First, student-athletes must be taking at least four subjects, "each of one period or 'hour' or the equivalent." Second, they must pass "all coursework for which credit is given" and must be making "adequate progress toward graduation." Finally, they need to pass each of those courses at the end of each grading period – meaning the period during the school year where the student-athlete receives "a final grade and course credit."
If a student-athlete fails any class at the end of a grading period, they are ineligible to compete for 30 consecutive calendar days of competition from the date the grades are given out. These 30 days can take place the following semester and can even be used for any sport. So if a wrestler fails a class and decides to try out for cross country, their 30 days of ineligibility would take place during whichever sports season came first.
In addition – and this is important – if your student-athlete fails a class, they won't be allowed to "make it up" in summer school or in an online school. While students are always encouraged to do their best to learn, unlike in many other states, they can't make up a failed grade by passing the same course over the summer or by using a remote online high school.
Students are not checked for grades in between grading periods, which can be a blessing as well as a curse. It avoids the situation where a student who is going through a bad stretch in a course is suddenly ineligible because their average has dipped. On the other hand, it makes it even more important to help your student-athlete stay on top of their homework, tests, projects, and grades during the school year so that at the end of the grading period, they pass all of their classes.
If you are keeping a close eye on your student-athlete's academic progress, you will have multiple opportunities to discuss grades with their teachers and, where necessary, to request extra help or extra credit work that can be used to make sure they pass all of their classes at the end of the grading period.
The IHSAA/IGHSAU rules make it clear that if your student-athlete has issues with how they are being graded, those issues need to be raised with the school. This is an area where the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has a lot of experience; if you believe your student is not being graded fairly by anyone at their school to the point where their eligibility to play sports may be threatened, contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team for help. They understand how schools operate and can work with you, your student-athlete, and the school to make sure your student-athlete's rights are being respected.
School Disciplinary Defense
Because students are in school more than they are on the field, one of the biggest dangers to their eligibility is in-school discipline. All schools have codes of conduct that apply to on-campus behavior (and sometimes to off-campus behavior as well), and typical punishments for misconduct can include being suspended from extracurricular activities.
The codes of conduct also typically include a way for students and parents to discuss disciplinary situations with school administration and to appeal the more serious types of discipline that schools might apply to students. One serious problem is that, in many cases, allegations of student misconduct are not thoroughly or fairly investigated. Busy school administrators just don't always have the time to do a proper job, and so decisions are made about punishments based on incomplete information, and student rights are often violated.
This is where Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can help. They have worked with students all over the country who have been accused of misconduct, and they understand the school procedures that apply to deciding whether the misconduct happened and, if so, what kinds of punishment to impose on the student. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understands how to conduct a thorough investigation, how to present new information to school authorities, and how to defend student rights. Where necessary, they can help you argue your case for your student-athlete and will prepare and argue appeals in situations where the school fails to make the right decision.
Discipline Defense for Behavior During Games
Student-athletes who are ejected from competitions due to "flagrant, violent, or verbal misconduct" will not be eligible to compete during the next regularly-scheduled competition. A second violation will result in a four-game period of ineligibility. Any additional ejections will result in penalties to be determined by the school district and the IHSAA.
While there are no specific rules that relate to appealing this kind of ineligibility, in situations where a student-athlete was ejected because an official made a mistake as to the identity of the student who committed the infraction, it may be possible to appeal to the IHSAA based on video evidence. In this kind of case, contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. They have experience helping student-athletes defend their rights all over the country, and they can help you understand your situation and determine what the best course of action is.
Making Sure Your Student Meets the Residential Eligibility Requirements
The IHSAA has a general rule that applies to student-athletes transferring into a new high school, whether the old high school is one that is inside Iowa, outside of Iowa, or outside of the US. The general rule states that the transfer student may not compete in interscholastic athletics for 90 consecutive school days from the date they begin at the new school.
There are a number of exceptions to this general rule, however.
Student-athletes whose families move to a new home in a new school district are immediately eligible at the new school, provided that the family really has moved to the new residence. The IHSAA has a form that parents must submit, with proof that they've actually moved, if the family wants to avoid the 90-day wait.
Student-athletes whose parents are separated or divorced and who move from one parent's home to another may also be able to compete at the new school immediately upon making the move.
Student-athletes may also continue to be eligible at the school they are attending, even if their family moves to another district.
There are also additional exceptions in place for students who may be adopted, are in foster or shelter care, are enrolled in a mental health program, and others.
Finally, in situations that aren't covered by the IHSAA rules, the IHSAA Executive Board can "make any eligibility ruling that it deems to be fair and reasonable."
The most important thing when it comes to student-athlete transfer situations is planning. If your family is considering making a move to a new home in a new school district, or if your student-athlete is talking about transferring to another school, you need to make sure that the move won't result in an extended period of ineligibility. Remember, it's a 90-school-day period during which your student-athlete would be ineligible, not a calendar period. That's four and a half months, even without school holidays, which means an entire season can be lost if you don't plan properly.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understand the often-complicated rules that the IHSAA has in place to deal with transfer eligibility issues. They can help you make sure your student-athlete will continue to play after a school move, and if there are questions or an exception that needs to be requested, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team knows how to prepare a compelling request that could make all the difference for your student-athlete.
Joseph D. Lento Can Help Keep Your Student-Athlete Competing
If you have questions about your high school student-athlete's eligibility in Iowa or are facing a situation such as a school disciplinary proceeding or an IHSAA determination that your student-athlete won't be eligible to compete in their chosen sport or sports, contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team for help. They have advised student-athletes all over the country who are facing athletic eligibility issues, and they can help you and your student-athlete too. Student-athlete attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento understands how the IHSAA works, and he and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team are standing by to take your call.
Call Joseph D. Lento today at 888.535.3686, or schedule a confidential consultation by clicking this link and making an online appointment. We are here to listen and to help!
