TSSAA Legislative Council passes bylaw for one-time transfer proposal for high schoolers

According to a Monday report, Tennessee's high school sports governing body approved a bylaw that would allow student-athletes a single transfer to another school without penalty

McCallie's Caden Lockhart (52) and Keylan Syam (26) celebrate after Syam scored a touchdown in the final moments of the TSSAA Division II-AAA high school football championship against Baylor on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to a report by 10 WBIR, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) has passed a bylaw that would allow student-athletes a single transfer to another school without penalty.

Per the report, the new bylaw passed on a 8-4 vote by TSSAA Legislative Council on Monday.

Now here's the huge caveat to it all: The school's administration can support that the student's decision is not based on athletic or disciplinary reasons. 

The previous rule that was in place regarding transferring within the Volunteer State was that it required high school athletes transferring from schools to different zones would have to sit out one year after their last varsity game. Now that would be unless the athlete has a verified change of address for the transfer.  

Concerns across the board among TSSAA members are over what exactly the reasons for transferring from school-to-school would actually be. The report states that acceptable reasons for transferring schools will include social-emotional, environmental, mental health and significant academic circumstances.

"We have an integrity problem with parents and athletes right now," one TSSAA Council member said per the report.  

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