The debate over the TSSAA’s residence rule has ended. That’s because on Tuesday the Legislative Council — which writes and modifies the rules all member schools must abide by — voted, by an overwhelming 12-1 margin, to remove the decades-old rule from its bylaws.
The controversy surrounding the rule was that it gave boarding schools like Baylor and McCallie an unfair advantage because of their ability to house out-of-state — particularly international — student-athletes in on-campus dorms. The original pushback began only recently, after the McCallie and Baylor football programs — helped by multiple talented Canadian transfers — combined to claim each of the past six Division II-AAA state championships.
“It’s a relief,” said McCallie athletic director Kenny Sholl, who is also a member of the council. “For the rule to be the same for everyone, and level the playing field, the organization was either going to have to become more restrictive or open things up to allow other schools to have similar opportunities that we boarding schools have.
“I believe the vote we made today is the right one for all schools. The vote today does exhibit how the organization is trying to respond to the ever-changing landscape of school choice. When (TSSAA executive director) Mark Reeves told us that Tennessee is one of the few states that still has a residence rule, I think that compelled some folks to realize we need to be more flexible and make the change.”