Starting this school year, new legislation allows Iowa eighth graders to participate in all high school sports—at the discretion of local districts. Central, Clayton Ridge and MFL MarMac are all allowing it, but said participation is not automatic and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Iowa is the 25th state, including neighboring Minnesota, to take this step. Eighth graders have already been eligible to play high school baseball and softball since the 1960s. They were also allowed to practice with high school students prior to the rule change, and can still do so whether they play up or not.
Over the past month, the Central, Clayton Ridge and MFL MarMac school boards all approved policies outlining under which circumstances eighth grade participation will be allowed, the athlete approval process and any requirements an athlete must meet academically, behaviorally and attendance-wise once on a high school roster.
Administrators and athletic directors worked collaboratively on the procedures, with guidance from the athletic unions, and even consulted among neighboring schools to assure consistency. They have already been advising coaches ahead of the fall season.
“Our intent was to look at this objectively, with no intended outcome other than ‘What is best for the overall student experience?’” explained Central High School Principal and Activities Director Aaron Reinhart. “In some cases, schools are opposed. In other cases, schools want it to happen. At Central, we want eighth graders playing at the high school level if that is what is best, and if that is what the students and families want. In that order. Developing the policy with that in mind made it a lot easier for me.”
When could this come into play?
Clayton Ridge said eighth grade students may participate in high school sports under limited circumstances. This includes if the student-athlete possesses the skill level and maturity necessary to contribute meaningful playing time at the varsity level or if participation by eighth grade student-athletes is necessary to maintain a viable junior varsity team due to insufficient numbers of students in grades 9-12, provided participation does not impact the junior high program.
According to its policy, the school will consider team roster numbers at each level; the anticipated role and amount of playing time for the student-athlete; the student’s physical, emotional, social and academic readiness; safety; and input from the head coach, athletic director and building administration.
However, “The district believes that participation at the high school level should be reserved primarily for students in grades 9-12,” the policy stated.
Final decisions regarding eighth grade participation in high school athletics will be made by the athletic director and building principal, with the superintendent serving as the final level of review. Written parent/guardian consent will also be required before an eighth grade student-athlete is permitted to participate in high school practices or competitions, the district said.
“All sports have to assess their athletes; we’ve just added another layer,” said Clayton Ridge Superintendent Jay Marley.
At Central, eighth graders will be evaluated for potential recommendation to the high school level by the high school head coach, based on whether the student’s skill set gives the varsity team the best chance to be successful and if it’s developmentally appropriate competition. The overall impact to roster sizes and playing time for eighth grade and high school teams will also be considered, taking into account long-term ramifications on the program and development of individual athletes.
The coach could then make a recommendation, initiating a request using the Central 8th Grade High School Participation Form. A review committee consisting of the coach and high school administrator must reach a consensus in order to proceed to a meeting with the student and their parent/guardian. The family can formally accept or decline the invitation.
“To protect the student and the integrity of the program, unanimous approval is required from all parties listed on the review committee and the parents/guardians. If consensus is not reached, the student will continue participation at the junior high level,” Central’s policy stated.
MFL MarMac’s policy also said parent/guardian permission is required before an eighth grade student may participate in interscholastic athletic contests or competitions at the high school level. Students must meet all annual athletic physical examination requirements as well.
The school said each request will be reviewed individually by the activities director and varsity head coach. They will consider varsity impact and student skill physically, emotionally and technically, as well as high school program sustainability. If the high school program has critically low participation numbers, is the addition of eighth graders necessary to field a viable varsity and/or JV team?
“Eighth grade will follow the Iowa High School Athletic Association standards [for academic requirements], same as the high school,” added MFL MarMac High School Principal Chet Bachman. “If they play up, that’s a decision made by coach, parent, athletic director—everybody has to be on the same page. We created a document they have to sign too.”
Each of the schools noted students who are approved to participate at the high school level may not compete on both the eighth grade and high school teams during the same season. They are limited to one level for each specific activity, per Iowa Code. Once listed on a roster, there is no opportunity to change mid-season.
There are advantages and disadvantages
The schools acknowledged the new legislation comes with advantages and disadvantages.
Reinhart said two neighboring schools have had to cancel their varsity girls basketball seasons, and quarter limits in girls basketball have also been expanded to allow players to play more time than they used to. Moving eighth graders up to JV could potentially help with that.
“There’s a lot of different things to be looking at in terms of maximizing meaningful participation,” he said. “It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Let’s put five girls or five boys on the floor and make it work.’”
MFL MarMac school board member Joshua Grau said he’s also seen this first-hand as a parent. Last year, MFL MarMac did not have enough eighth grade boys to field a full basketball team, so seventh graders had to play up.
“You’re going to have that same scenario, probably, with your JV basketball team,” he said.
Speaking at the July 9 school board meeting, Clayton Ridge Athletic Director Adam Radcliffe estimated the school may have a few eighth grade participants in sports, but not in football or volleyball.
“I have no doubt that our coaches and our athletic directors have already identified some of the eighth graders [who] aren’t ready to be high school athletes. So, I think the majority of our kids will fall under that category,” added Marley, the superintendent.
Reinhart, at Central, believes “eighth graders coming up will be a consideration in most sports every year moving forward.” He listed wrestling and track and field among those that will be most applicable.
Bachman agreed. “I think some of the individual sports could be impacted right away: cross country, golf, lighter weights in wrestling. But like football, that’s a tough one.”
Schools, too, want to be considerate of an athlete’s physical and mental readiness.
“Moving from junior high to high school as an eighth grader is a lot more than ‘Hey, I can play at open gym in the summer or I can pick up with the high school kids.’ There’s a different level of pressure, a different level of scrutiny, bigger crowds, more focused in terms of practice schedule, locker room considerations, extended travel, later nights with games that start at 7 p.m. instead of right after school, early morning practices at 6 a.m., additional camps or competition dates,” Reinhart explained.
“I think it’s a little bit more worrisome to bring up an eighth grader [who has] looked great at camp and all of the sudden they’re not as good when they play games. They can’t go back down. So, you have to, pressure-wise, play them because you brought them up, or you sit them, and they lose a whole year of playing. I think you air on the side of not bringing them up unless you’re going to play them,” Radcliffe mentioned.
Then there’s the potential impact on junior high sports.
Reinhart said he knows of examples where schools are planning to cancel the eighth grade season.
“At the same time, if moving a student up to fill rosters also ends up depleting a junior high roster, is that what is best? Considering which option maximizes meaningful participation is important,” he said.
MFL MarMac Athletic Director Erik Peterson foresees upcoming changes. “It’s going to lead to middle school sports changing from seventh and eighth grade to [include all of] middle school, in my opinion.”
Acknowledging school board concerns about student physical and mental readiness, Peterson believes schools will likely have to allow eighth grade participation in order to remain competitive—both on the court, field or mat and in attracting potential families to their district.
Marley told the Clayton Ridge School Board, “Bottom line: we have to embrace this. It’s not going away.”
Evaluation will continue. For example, Clayton Ridge’s policy said, “The district reserves the right to deny or discontinue participation if it is determined that such participation is not in the best interest of the student-athlete, team or district athletic program.”
“We will evaluate each student individually, look at the program as a whole and make decisions on a case-by-case basis,” Reinhart shared.
“It’s definitely very fluid,” agreed Peterson. “It’s case by case to make sure we are doing what’s in the best interest, overall.”
Steve Van Kooten and Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns contributed to this article.
