S.C. proposals could bring changes to high school sports
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Some proposals under state lawmakers’ consideration could affect who can play high school sports – and when.
Right now, homeschooled and charter school students in South Carolina can try out for teams at their local public schools.
A bill advancing in the state Senate would add some private school students to that.
The proposal would allow private-school students to try out for sports at their local public schools – if their school doesn’t offer that sport for their gender and if their private school has no more than 200 students in grades nine through 12.
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State senators are also considering another bill that would make it easier for students to play sports after they transfer schools.
Right now, current rules set by the South Carolina High School League require most transfer students to sit out a year before becoming eligible to play sports.
This bill would create two transfer windows – one in August and one in January – and if students transfer schools during those times, they’d be immediately eligible to play sports at their new school.
“To ensure that students are afforded an opportunity to participate in athletics without penalty at transfer,” said Emily Heatwole, a lobbyist for Gray Collegiate Academy.
But they could only transfer once per academic year – because of concerns about ping-ponging between schools based on the athletic season.
“A student could play football for one school and transfer to another school for baseball season, potentially transferring eight times over their high school career,” said Ryan Bailey of the South Carolina Association of School s.
Both bills sit in the Senate Education Committee – so they still need several more approvals to reach the governor’s desk.
Another idea was floated to create some reciprocity in the bill to allow private-school students to try out for public-school teams.
This proposal hasn’t officially been taken up yet, but it would let public-school students try out for teams at private schools that their school may not offer – like archery or sailing.
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