A House committee has advanced a bill that would grant high school student athletes the right to participate in both school-sponsored and non-school teams for the same sport simultaneously. This proposal raises concerns about potential friction between coaches and the safety of student athletes.
House Bill 3037 aims to establish the “Right to Play Act” in Illinois, which would override existing regulations set by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) that govern student athlete eligibility and restrict participation in non-school programs. Currently, IHSA rules generally disallow students from playing on a non-school team during the high school sports season if they are also part of a school team.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson explained that students are allowed to participate in up to three outside contests or tournaments during the season, provided these events are sanctioned by the sport’s national governing body and the student has obtained permission from both their school and the IHSA.
Representative, Janet Yang-Rohr, D-Naperville, the bill’s lead sponsor, argued that the current rules lead to unnecessary disqualifications over minor infractions. She cited examples such as cross country runners being disqualified for participating in charity races and members of a high school pom squad being penalized for attending dance competitions during the season.
Representative, Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, raised concerns about the potential health and safety implications of allowing participation in multiple programs. She highlighted the challenges of communication between coaches, particularly regarding player health issues like concussions. “If there’s a kid in a concussion protocol, I don’t know that that coach has to communicate with the other coach to ensure that the kid is rested,” she explained.
Stuart also pointed out that the proposed policy could create conflicts for student athletes if both teams have scheduled games or practices on the same day. “They’re in a spot where they have to choose which commitment to honor,” she said, suggesting that this could lead to significant issues.
The bill passed the Education Policy Committee with a 12-0 vote, though Stuart voted “present.” It will now move to the full House for further consideration.
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