OHSAA Age Limit Change

[4thgoal]

One of the items up for vote next month is the possibility of changing the cutoff age for high school athletes to 20.

Current Wording
4-2-1 I f a student enrolled in high school attains the age of 19 before August 1, the student shall be ineligible to
participate in high school interscholastic athletics for the school year commencing in that calendar year.
Proposed New Wording
4-2-1 – Once a student attains the age of 20, the student will no longer be eligible for interscholastic athletic
competition notwithstanding where that 20th birthday falls in relation to the sports season.

http://www.ohsaa.org/members/refvote/20 ... temsHS.pdf

[doubleplay643]

So let me get this right.

If your birthday is June 15th, and after your JUNIOR year you turn 19 on June 15th, you can play the entire next year of fall, winter and spring sports, and end (as an example) playing baseball as almost a 20 year old.

The rule as it stands now is just fine, we don't need almost 20-year old kids playing against 15-16 year old kids. Seems ridiculous to me, but hey if this passes there will be a lot of "grown" men playing HS sports.

Just my opinion I could be wrong lol...and often times I am.

What is "driving" this proposed change?

[4thgoal]

So let me get this right.

If your birthday is June 15th, and after your JUNIOR year you turn 19 on June 15th, you can play the entire next year of fall, winter and spring sports, and end (as an example) playing baseball as almost a 20 year old.

The rule as it stands now is just fine, we don't need almost 20-year old kids playing against 15-16 year old kids. Seems ridiculous to me, but hey if this passes there will be a lot of "grown" men playing HS sports.

Just my opinion I could be wrong lol...and often times I am.

What is "driving" this proposed change?

I have no idea what is driving this proposed change. Seems crazy to me. To take your example of a June birthday even further how about this. A football player who turns 20 on Halloween this year could be competing against 14-15 year old freshmen. In sports like football, physical maturity can be more of a factor than nearly any other sport. Agreed, not many freshman play varsity football, but it does happen.

[Westfan]

With the current rules a kid could turn 19 on August 2nd and be approximately 19 years 9 months in baseball / softball season. This really isn't much of a change. I know a couple kids whom have gotten held back for learning disabilities that have had to apply to play any their senior year.

[anderson2012]

The August 1st rule is a joke. What makes a current high school junior that will turn 19 on July 31st, 2015 different than a soon-to-be high school senior that turns 19 on August 2nd, 2015?

I'm more in favor of ending hs sports seasons for kids once they turn 19.

[doubleplay643]

4th n Goal you are correct a kid that only plays football for example and doesn't play winter or spring sports could play against a 14-15 year freshman. If his birthday was December 1st he could play the entire regular season and play-off season as an almost 20-yr old.

I can't come up with a reason that OHSAA would think a rule change is needed, not sure what example would dictate a change. Must be missing something as to why they think it is needed.

[Westfan]

Probably so they don't have to rule all these case by cases individually. There are extenuating circumstances.

If they were ever to make a change lowering the age, you would think they would have to grandfather the kids currently in school. Some kids are actually held back because they struggled in school and would turn 19 during their senior season. Would not be fair to them to change it.

[ONE OF A KIND]

I see an opportunity for more red shirts. I like it.

[doubleplay643]

...yep we definitely need more 7-8 year old Kindergarten students and 8th graders that drive...

[LHS 72]

I see an opportunity for more red shirts. I like it.

Man Nels-York and Ironton will use this new rule, but the tomkittens already uses it! Ha! Ha! But being serious, Bad proposed rule!

[ONE OF A KIND]

...yep we definitely need more 7-8 year old Kindergarten students and 8th graders that drive...

Hey now, none of those boys was allowed to drive to school at the Poston building.

[LHS 72]

...yep we definitely need more 7-8 year old Kindergarten students and 8th graders that drive...

Hey now, none of those boys was allowed to drive to school at the Poston building.

Hey I got video of them driving! That is of a tractor!

[Paladin]

Rule comes because of a court case the OHSAA messed up involving a Struthers FB player up here who turned 19 and was declared ineligible. The great thing is that the player in question, after having a very good Jr. year, was a flop[ as a Senior, albeit a 19 year old senior before the season started.

[wrestlefan1]

my boys b day is july 31st.. for real

[gogrove9]

It would be easier to change the date you must be 5 to start to school to June 1st to eliminate all of the summer birthday issues. That way no one would feel the need to hold their kindergarten student back and cause an issue in the first place.

[bbjunky81]

It would be easier to change the date you must be 5 to start to school to June 1st to eliminate all of the summer birthday issues. That way no one would feel the need to hold their kindergarten student back and cause an issue in the first place.

While that sounds like an intriguing idea, remember that would be an Ohio Department of Education decision, NOT the OHSAA. Dealing with ODE is a whole nother world of problems considering it would become a legislative issue as well ---- zero chance they'd pass that.

The proposal really doesn't change things anywhere near as much as people think. The only thing it may do is encourage kids even more to hold themselves back if they stay within the eligibility limits.

[bellyoption]

Some of the kids will be driving the bus to away games.

[noreply66]

A 17 year old can be on a college team and his buddy next door can be playing HS football at 20.

[Raiderball]

Ridiculous... I thought HS sports were for kids

[mr.hyde]

I was the lucky kid who played in the fifth varsity game of his senior year as he turned 17 then was in the dorms at college three-a-days a month before turning 18...

I cannot imagine what playing my senior year of HS ball at 18-19 would have been compared to 16-17.