MT. JULIET, Tenn. — After nearly an hour of discussion, it took the TSSAA’s Legislative Council less than a minute to deny each of the three proposals to amend the current rules regarding the state’s Transfer Rule and/or Residence Rule.
The three proposals were submitted by McCallie, St. Andrews-Sewanee and Baylor School and voted on during a special called meeting Tuesday. McCallie’s proposal essentially stated that athletic rosters for boarding schools should reflect that of the overall student body, so as not to have a disproportionate number of athletes who are boarding students. That proposal was denied by an 11-1 vote, with only McCallie athletic director Kenny Sholl voting in favor.
The St. Andrews-Sewanee proposal stated students transferring for academic reasons should retain athletic eligibility, and Baylor’s proposal called for a one-time transfer for student-athletes in all divisions. Both of those were unanimously voted down.
The vote means the potential for a prep transfer portal in Tennessee is closed and any family that wants its high school student-athlete to be able to transfer and remain eligible for varsity competition must continue to follow the TSSAA’s decades-old rule of making a bonafide change of residence.
“I think what that vote showed was taking action on the proposals as they’re written,” TSSAA executive director Mark Reeves said. “To accomplish what I think I’m hearing, there are more complexities that weren’t written into those proposals.