grite":28f30sjs said:
I'm curious - if there is no formal organization to umbrella home school teams, who can they play? Out here, if you don't meet CIF criteria, any CIF team that plays you is in trouble. How do you handle this?
In theory, could a "home school" umbrella organization using rules similar to UIL and/or TAPPS play legally as independents?
We don't currently have two separate public and private school organizations out here, so there must be some criterion Texas is using to allow a UIL team play a TAPPS team. Can you have something similar for homeschools?
As I understand the UIL rule, a UIL school can play any school that is a UIL member or INELIGIBLE for UIL membership (ie, private schools). If a UIL member school plays a school eligible for UIL membership (primarily charter schools, most of which do not belong to UIL but some do), the UIL can be found ineligible for the UIL playoffs if they LOSE to the membership ineligible school. It's okay if you beat the membership ineligible school. And from what I heard, this rule is decades old.
Therefore, UIL schools can play TAPPS, SPC, out-of-state or other league teams without penalty. Not sure if the UIL prohibits games against non-school teams (such as club teams), but I know some UIL schools have played home school teams.
For example, Prairie Lea HS had to cancel a six-man game against Austin NYOS charter school this year because of the UIL rule.
TAPPS does not restrict opponents, although a memo came out from the state office about a year ago discussing "church teams," which had popped up at one memeber school, using the latter to play its ineligible players outside of the school umbrella. TAPPS reminded schools that TAPPS does not regulate such teams and (my interpretation...) "buyer beware."
There is a concern that home school teams (as well as club teams) can draw from large populations, or may accept players attending multiple schools, or have players who are outside the "normal" accepted eligibility rules of Texas schools (four years consecutive eligibility starting in 9th grade; no player over 19 as of 9/1; no high school graduates, amatuers only, etc.).
I think home school groups that wish to participate in Texas high school sports need to AGGRESSIVELY enforce those accepted eligibility rules, but that's just my opinion.
We tend to NOT play those teams unless they are a part of a league where we participate (for example, San Antonio FEAST homeschool is a part of our junior high 6-man football league and we will play them).
I was at a junior high league meeting a few months ago when it was brought up about a home school team who had a kid play his FIFTH season of junior high sports (the league permits three years of play), but a "oops, sorry" explanation. I'm still dumfounded that the rest of the league said, oh, he's a minister's kid. It's okay.
But whadda I know.
John
