Runner ineligible because of changing high schools

Runners2
Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:14:53 +0000

In addition to researching club teams, you might search a race calendar (available on dyestat.com or some other sites) and see if there are some races that will allow runners to compete unattached to a school - that will vary from meet to meet (most probably will not), so it would require you to contact race directors individually to see (race directors will be noted on the website).

In college, some coaches will allow red-shirted athletes (usually freshman) to compete unattached just to get some experience of racing, even though their times don’t count. I don’t know if that phenomenon occurs in high school. It might be worth asking the coach at your new school.

Our system has the same rule about being ineligible if you transfer from one school to another within the school district - it’s to avoid having all the good athletes cluster together to form one powerhouse team. However, there are some loopholes in our system - for example, if you transfer for an academic reason (e.g. to take an unusual foreign language or to participate in an IB program not available at your original school) - so you might see if your athlete would qualify for those exceptions?

I agree that junior year times are important for recruiting, so I would try to help your son compete as much as possible. Good luck to you and to him!