SWCHA Eligibility Requirements

 

(These Eligibility Requirements Last Revised: May, 2012)

 

 

Academic Qualifications

 

A player must be homeschooled. “Homeschooled” means that a player must be receiving his or her primary educational direction through the home. See Explanation of How SWCHA Interprets Homeschooling (See Supplement – SWCHA Educational Descriptors)

 

A player must be living at home with a parent or guardian.

 

A player is ineligible if that player is enrolled in more than 9 hours of dual-credit and/or college courses.

 

A player is ineligible if that player has gone through a homeschool, public school, or private school high school graduation ceremony prior to that season’s first game.

 

A player must be passing all courses in order to participate in a contest or tournament. In performing the role of administrator for the homeschool, the parent is solely responsible for enforcing this rule.

 

 

Athletic Grade Classifications and Designations

 

SWCHA, a grade-based athletic program, is designed for Middle School and High School homeschooled students. Middle School includes grades 6 through 8; High School includes grades 9 through 12.

 

An athletic grade designation must be declared prior to the tryouts and must conform to SWCHA maximum age qualifications.

 

After or during the tryout of the first year of high school participation (whether participation took place at SWCHA or another homeschool, public, or private school team), an athletic grade re-classification is not allowed.

 

A player shall become ineligible after 4 years of high school participation. Note: An exception is if the SWCHA Board approves the participation of an 8th grader on an SWCHA high school sub-varsity team, in which case that player is granted 5 years of high school participation.

 

A high school player is ineligible to play on a middle school team. In other words, a ninth grader is prohibited from playing on a middle school team regardless of his or her age.

 

A middle school player is ineligible to play on a high school team, unless the middle school player is prevented from playing on a middle school team due to the age requirement, in which case the middle school player is considered a 9th grader for sports eligibility purposes. Note: An exception is if the SWCHA Board approves the participation of an 8th grader on an SWCHA high school sub-varsity team.

 

A 12th grader is prohibited from playing on a sub-varsity team regardless of his or her age.

 

 

Age Qualifications

 

A player is ineligible to play on any team on the next September 1st following that player’s 19th birthday.

 

A player is ineligible to play on a middle school team on the next September 1st following that player’s 15th birthday.

 

 

Transfers and Expulsions

 

If a player started the season on another homeschool, public, or private school team, no transfer shall be allowed during the season without the approval of the SWCHA Board.

 

If a player was expelled from a public or private school during the academic school year or in the year prior, no transfer shall be allowed without the approval of the SWCHA Board.

 

A player cannot play on another homeschool, public, or private school team in the same sport at the same time as playing on an SWCHA-sponsored team.

 

 

Age-Based Participation

 

Periodically, such as the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships, an SWCHA team may have the opportunity to participate in a pure, age-based contest or tournament. In those cases, teams may, at the discretion of the Commissioner, be re–configured in such a way as to disregard grade classifications and adhere to only age guidelines.

 

Exceptions

 

Exceptions to any eligibility requirement (except age limitations) may be made only by express approval of the SWCHA Board. No exceptions will be permitted to the age limitations.