If you are the parent or guardian of a high school athlete in Alabama, you see every day how hard your student-athlete works to meet their scholastic obligations while also staying in shape and improving their athletic skills in the sport or sports that they love. In some ways, it's almost like having two full-time jobs; but it's important to remember that these are teens who often need help in order to succeed.
You probably know that already; you've helped them with homework over the years, made sure they get to their practices and games and are likely responsible for most, if not all of their athletic clothing and a lot of their gear. There is one more way you can help them, however – and that's to familiarize yourself with the eligibility rules that apply to high school sports in Alabama so you can help them continue to play without unnecessary interruption.
High school sports in Alabama are regulated by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), which has enacted a comprehensive set of bylaws and rules that cover school membership, coaching requirements, training and hiring of officials, and student-athlete eligibility. Though this information is compiled in an annual handbook, at over 100 pages, it can sometimes be difficult to find the information you need as a parent or guardian of a student-athlete.
Experienced student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team have put together this summary of the main rules and regulations affecting high school student-athletes in Alabama so that you don't have to wade through the AHSAA handbook. If you have questions about your student-athletes eligibility after reading this, contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team for help.
Age-Limit and Semester-Limit Rules
In Alabama, a student athlete can compete until they turn 19; then it depends on when their birthday is. If they turn 19 before August 1 of any year, they are ineligible to compete during the next school year, but if they turn 19 on or after August 1, they are still able to compete throughout the next year.
Student-athletes are limited to eight consecutive semesters of eligibility, starting with the first semester of 9th grade.
There is no provision in the AHSAA for hardship or other types of waivers of either of these rules. In cases where an eligibility ruling is made by the AHSAA Executive Director, the ruling may be appealed to the District Board that has jurisdiction over the student-athletes high school. The District Board's ruling may, in turn, be appealed to the AHSAA Central Board of Control; if the District Board disagrees with the Executive Director's ruling, then the District Board's decision is automatically appealed to the Central Board of Control.
Academic Eligibility Requirements
There are slightly different academic eligibility requirements for student-athletes entering 9th grade and those entering 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.
Student-athletes entering 9th grade must have passed at least five subjects during 8th grade with a composite average of at least 70 in those five subjects; in addition, they must be promoted from 8th to 9th grade. If they satisfy those academic requirements, they will be academically eligible to compete throughout 9th grade.
Student-athletes entering 10th, 11th, and 12th grades must have passed at least six “Carnegie units” with a composite average of at least 70 in those six subjects over the past two semesters (as well as in summer school, if they were enrolled in summer school). Of those six classes, at least four of them must have been “core curriculum” classes (English, math, science, and social studies are considered core subjects), though student-athletes can take more than four core classes one year and fewer than four core classes the next year, provided they are “on track for graduation.”
Student-athletes who are eligible at the beginning of the school year are automatically eligible for the entire school year. Student-athletes who are not eligible at the beginning of the school year can become eligible at the beginning of the second semester if they have met the academic eligibility requirements during their last two semesters (as well as in summer school if they attended).
There are limited possibilities for a waiver, particularly in situations where a student-athlete has been ill and unable to attend school for an extended period of time and as a result was unable to meet the academic eligibility requirements. In those cases, the student-athletes family or school may request an eligibility ruling from the AHSAA Executive Director. That decision may be appealed to the high school's District Board (as described above).
If you have questions about the academic eligibility requirements or whether your student-athlete may be able to secure a waiver of any of them, contact student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team for help. They can review your situation, help you understand the requirements as they may apply in your student-athletes particular situation, and where a waiver request is possible they can help you make the request as strong and convincing as possible.
School Disciplinary Defense
Student-athletes spend much more time in school attending classes, study halls, and lunch breaks than they do practicing or competing on the field, court, diamond, or wherever their sport takes them. As a result, they are much more likely to encounter conduct-related eligibility issues in the school setting.
All schools have codes of conduct that specify the kinds of behavior that can result in disciplinary proceedings, and schools are generally free to impose a wide range of consequences for student misconduct. These range from verbal warnings and detention to more serious consequences such as suspension from extracurricular activities, in- or out-of-school suspensions, and expulsion.
Because sports are considered extracurricular activities, a student-athlete suspended from extracurricular activities won't be eligible to compete again until the suspension is lifted.
While there is no question that schools have a right to discipline their students so that all students can learn in a safe and orderly setting, school disciplinary investigations can often leave a lot to be desired, and the processes that are used to decide whether a student is “guilty” of what they are accused of are not always fairly managed. School administrators are not trained as investigators or judges, and as a result a student may be disciplined more severely than the situation really warrants.
Student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team have years of experience advising students all over the US who find themselves involved in serious school disciplinary proceedings. They understand how the processes work, and can help you and your student-athlete investigate any claimed misconduct, negotiate with school administration to resolve the matter, and where necessary can represent your student-athlete in a disciplinary hearing or conference.
Discipline for In-Game Behavior
Student-athletes who are ejected from a competition due to unsportsmanlike conduct can face a variety of consequences depending on the reason for the ejection. The AHSAA can fine a student up to $300 for a first ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct; can impose a one-game suspension and a $500 fine for a second ejection, and suspend the student-athlete for the remainder of the season and impose a $750 fine for a third ejection.
Student-athletes who leave the bench in response to the unsportsmanlike conduct of another player can be suspended for 20% of the total number of season competitions. In cases where the AHSAA Executive Director finds that a student-athlete committed unsportsmanlike conduct, the student can be suspended for the rest of the season in that sport.
It is possible to appeal the penalties assessed by the Executive Director in the same way other eligibility rulings can be appealed. If your student-athlete is facing a serious loss of eligibility due to an unsportsmanlike conduct ejection, and you believe that grounds exist to appeal the penalty imposed by the AHSAA, contact student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team for help. They understand the appeal process, and can help you and your student-athlete gather the information you need to submit a compelling appeal on your student-athletes behalf.
Transfer Issues and Appeals
The AHSAA has a comprehensive – and complicated – set of rules that govern when transfer students are eligible to compete at their new school. The easiest case is where the student-athletes parents or guardians move from one school zone into another school zone and the student-athlete transfers to a high school in the new school zone. In those cases, assuming the student-athlete meets all other eligibility requirements, the student-athlete will be eligible to compete at the new school immediately.
Other situations are more complicated. If a student-athlete transfers from a school that is not a member of the AHSAA to a school that is a member of the AHSAA within the student-athletes school zone, the student-athlete will be eligible to compete at the beginning of the student's next semester.
A student who is enrolled in a high school outside of the student's home school zone and then transfers to a high school within the student's home school zone, they will be eligible to compete after the last day of the school year or the first day of school. If they change schools mid-year, they will not be eligible at the new school until the beginning of the next school year.
Otherwise, student-athletes who transfer from one school to another are generally ineligible to compete at their new school for one full year.
The AHSAA transfer eligibility rules are complicated and do not provide specific standards for waivers, though eligibility rulings of the AHSAA Executive Director may be appealed, as noted above. The key with transfer situations is to plan for them in advance. Student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team understand these transfer rules, and if you are planning a move or your student-athlete wants to transfer schools, they can help you explore what the eligibility consequences are likely to be. If you've received an adverse eligibility decision from the AHSAA Executive Director, the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team can help you explore your appeal options.
Joseph D. Lento Can Help Keep Your Student-Athlete Competing
If your student-athlete is facing a situation that could result in their losing eligibility to compete in the sport that they love, or if you are considering making a move to a new home and have transfer eligibility questions, student-athlete attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team can help. They have represented hundreds of students facing similar issues all over the US, and they understand how school and athletic association eligibility and disciplinary processes work. Bringing them on board as part of your team can be one of the best decisions you can make for your student-athlete. The four years of high school go by faster than any of us realize at the time, and your student-athlete deserves to have the best opportunity to compete every day they're enrolled.
Call Joseph D. Lento today at 888.535.3686 or through the Lento Law Firm Student Athlete Team online contact link to find out how they can help.
