Football team declares its independence

 

Coach David Thomas said the team still has many Evangel students. But now it's independent of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and plays against other independent teams from Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio.

This season, it has 10 to 15 middle school-aged players and more than 20 high school players. While the team is independent, many things about it are the same.

 

Immanuel Tesfai would be lost in a sea of hundreds of freshmen, junior varsity and varsity players at his St. Xavier High School, where he will be a junior this fall. Immanuel, 16, who lives in the Minors Lane area, joined the Eagles because he would get more playing time and one-on-one teaching from coaches.

“It's hard to get a personal relationship with coaches and players there (St. X),” Immanuel said. “It's not like I'm looking for a college scholarship. I just like to come out here and play. I know these guys. I went here from the sixth through eighth grades.”

 

I found this interesting amid all the public/private debates, conversation about X & T, etc.

Will they be able to schedule (or have they scheduled) any "non-district" games with KHSAA teams? I would assume it would be no different than a matchup between a KY team and an OH team, correct?

Will they be able to schedule (or have they scheduled) any "non-district" games with KHSAA teams? I would assume it would be no different than a matchup between a KY team and an OH team, correct?

 

I am not sure? I think each team has to be sanctioned by some association before they can compete against a KHSAA member school. So I think that would prevent them from playing any team in the state of Ky.

I am not sure? I think each team has to be sanctioned by some association before they can compete against a KHSAA member school. So I think that would prevent them from playing any team in the state of Ky.

 

I agree, I think I remember reading in the Bylaws that the KHSAA stipulated that member schools couldn't play independent or "travel" teams and if they played out of state teams that those teams had to be sanctioned by that state's equivalent to the KHSAA?

Not sure if this is the relevant section of the bylaws, but I found this:

 

Bylaw 23. Sanctions

 

Sec. 1) Contests Within State

 

The Board of Control will sanction no meet, tournament,

postseason game, or all-star contest unless a member school,

conference group of member schools, or coaches association,

which shall have full control over planning, supervision, and

disposition of finances, sponsors it. No member school shall

take part in any tournament, game, or contest from which any

outside organization derives a financial profit from ticket sales.

Violation of this provision may cause the offending school to

be suspended from membership in the Association for a

minimum period of six months, or for a longer period, not to

exceed one year as the Commissioner may decree.

 

Sec. 2) Interstate Contests

 

National Federation sanction of interstate events held in

Kentucky is not required, regardless of the number of schools

or states involved or the distance traveled, if all of the schools

involved are from states which border Kentucky and the event

is hosted and managed by a KHSAA member school and the

event is in accordance with National Federation sanctioning

policy. However, if an individual or an organization other than

a member school sponsors an interstate event, National

Federation sanction is required even when all schools are

from states that border Kentucky. The manager of the contest

should secure application blanks from the Commissioner. For

events being held outside of Kentucky, the application for

sanction of such contest must originate in the state where the

contest is to be held. The manager of the contest should

secure application blanks from the appropriate state

association office.

Case situations related to this bylaw appear on pages 19

through 43 of this Handbook)

The way I understand it: KHSAA member schools can only play other schools that are members of their state organizations, be it Kentucky teams or teams from other states.

Not sure if this is the relevant section of the bylaws, but I found this:

 

Bylaw 23. Sanctions

 

Sec. 1) Contests Within State

 

The Board of Control will sanction no meet, tournament,

postseason game, or all-star contest unless a member school,

conference group of member schools, or coaches association,

which shall have full control over planning, supervision, and

disposition of finances, sponsors it. No member school shall

take part in any tournament, game, or contest from which any

outside organization derives a financial profit from ticket sales.

Violation of this provision may cause the offending school to

be suspended from membership in the Association for a

minimum period of six months, or for a longer period, not to

exceed one year as the Commissioner may decree.

 

Sec. 2) Interstate Contests

 

National Federation sanction of interstate events held in

Kentucky is not required, regardless of the number of schools

or states involved or the distance traveled, if all of the schools

involved are from states which border Kentucky and the event

is hosted and managed by a KHSAA member school and the

event is in accordance with National Federation sanctioning

policy. However, if an individual or an organization other than

a member school sponsors an interstate event, National

Federation sanction is required even when all schools are

from states that border Kentucky. The manager of the contest

should secure application blanks from the Commissioner. For

events being held outside of Kentucky, the application for

sanction of such contest must originate in the state where the

contest is to be held. The manager of the contest should

secure application blanks from the appropriate state

association office.

Case situations related to this bylaw appear on pages 19

through 43 of this Handbook)

 

I just read it over quickly, and it looks like it would be permissible as long as the non-KHSAA team isn't profiting by the event, and as long as the National Federation will sanction the game. Kind of seems like it would be a pain for a KHSAA program to go through that stuff when they can just keep scheduling teams like they have been for years....

The way I understand it: KHSAA member schools can only play other schools that are members of their state organizations, be it Kentucky teams or teams from other states.

 

Isn't that what keeps Kentucky schools from being able to play teams like Oak Hill in basketball?

The way I understand it: KHSAA member schools can only play other schools that are members of their state organizations, be it Kentucky teams or teams from other states.

 

 

You are correct.

It is encouraging that, although not playing through the KHSAA, Evangel does have enough kids to rebuild their team. I hated to see them disappear a couple years ago and hope that they can be back within the fold real soon.

Isn't that what keeps Kentucky schools from being able to play teams like Oak Hill in basketball?

 

That's the way I understand it.