Alabama judge rules against AHSAA in favor of Marbury football player: Report

The back and forth between the two parties has been well documented

Marbury's Carter Deem (10) runs the ball at Holtville High School in Deatsville, Ala., on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. / © Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

A Montgomery circuit judge has ruled against the Alabama High School Athletic Association over sanctioning Marbury High School for a student-athlete playing under a temporary restraining order.

The player in question, Watson Troy Kidd, played three games while the restraining order was in place during the 2024 football season, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.

The transfer rule has been a hot topic in the state of Alabama recently, and this case goes back to late last year when a judge ruled in favor of the AHSAA. 

A judge had ruled that the AHSAA had a right to enforce its transfer rules.

The rule states that a player may have to sit out a year before they are eligible to play, but Autauga County doesn’t follow those rules because it has a policy regarding school choice which allows student-athletes to transfer at will.

Kidd’s father, Michael Kidd, who is a lawyer, brought the lawsuit.

Kidd has a Facebook page titled “Alabama Citizens for the Advancement of High School Athletics,” and it invites parents to share their issues with the AHSAA transfer rules and sign a petition to get the Alabama Legislature involved in the administration of the organization. 

The back and forth between the two parties has been well documented.

Back on Jan. 31, Kidd asked for a motion to show cause, and Marbury High School was notified in mid-December that it would be on probation for a year and fined.

That decision was appealed to the AHSAA's Board of Control and denied on Jan. 29.

Watson Kidd was ordered to "pay restitution" due to playing three games during a period the AHSAA deemed him ineligible.

This new ruling against the AHSAA may force the association to change its rules regarding the eligibility of players transferring in the future. 

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