In a major step toward changing its transfer and eligibility rules, the PIAA has eliminated its former athletic intent rule and replaced it with language that should make transfer cases less arbitrary for students and schools.
Gone from the PIAA bylaws is the phrase that if a transfer was deemed “either in whole or in part for any athletic purpose, “the student could be found ineligible for up to one year. The rule was designed to prevent a student from switching schools in order to benefit from an athletic standpoint.
In the past, students have attempted to switch from one high school to another so they could get more playing time, play under a specific coach or improve their chances for a college scholarship.
The PIAA board replaced that phrase with one that states transfers “which are motivated in some material way “could be subject to ineligibility. The PIAA also provided a list of situations that could result in a sanction.
“We’re hoping this takes some of the guesswork out of the hearing process, “PIAA executive director Brad Cashman. “We had a lot of difficulty with that term in part. Our district committees didn’t know whether that intent was one percent of the situation or if it should make up 51 percent of the situation.”
“It provides the district committees more discretion in how to handle each case that comes before them, “Cashman added. “It also shifts the burden of proof in proving whether a transfer was materially motivated from the sending school to the student and his family.”
The PIAA also established that private and public high schools must submit a list of specific feeder schools from which they can draw their students.
The effect on public schools will be minimal. Only districts with more than one senior high school will be affected by the new rule.
Private schools must submit a list of all feeder schools to the PIAA, and in the case of Roman Catholic schools, must have that list certified by a diocese. The rule thus sets up school districts for private schools.
“If the question is, ‘Can private schools recruit athletes?’ the answer is yes, “Cashman said. “But they can only recruit those athletes from within their feeder system, just like public school coaches can recruit their athletes within their school system.
“If any private school coach attempts to recruit from a public system, or vice versa, that will be in clear violation of our new bylaw and could result in a hearing or penalties, “Cashman said.
The new rules take effect July 1.
The rule that establishes specific feeder schools could limit what now is extensive recruiting by some Catholic schools for promising junior high school athletes before they choose which high school they will attend.
The PIAA also established team golf championships for the 2006-07 season and changed the qualifying procedure for individuals. Teams and individuals will move from a district championship to a regional meet, and then onto the state championships.
The board also refused to consider a change in the football disqualification rule.
After all-state linebacker Andres Morales of Bethlehem Liberty was ejected from a state semifinal game and thus was automatically ineligible for the Hurricanes’ state championship game against McKeesport, there was some movement to modify the rule. But the board accepted the advice of its football steering committee to keep the rule.
The board also agreed to review an expansion to three classes in girls soccer. Currently, schools compete in either Class AAA or Class AA.
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