Bill introduced to allow Kentucky high school athletes one transfer with immediate eligibility
One of the biggest changes to college sports over the years since the NCAA Transfer Portal was instituted was the addition of immediate eligibility following a transfer. It used to be that student-athletes who had not yet graduated college were required to sit for one season before gaining eligibility after transferring schools.
That is still the case in many states across the country at the high school level.
Currently, in the state of Kentucky, “any student who transfers enrollment from a district of residence to a nonresident district… shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics for one (1) calendar year from the date of the transfer.”
Now, a Kentucky lawmaker is looking to change that. Representative Nick Wilson, a Republican representing Kentucky District 82, has introduced an act to amend KRS 156.070. The amendment would allow for immediate eligibility for high school athletes after their first transfer.
“A student who is enrolled in grades nine (9) through twelve (12), participates in a varsity contest in any interscholastic sport at a member school following enrollment in grade nine (9), and then transfers to another member school shall be eligible to participate in varsity contests in any interscholastic sport at the new member school for the first time the student makes a transfer. Any further transfers of the student shall be subject to the transfer rules or bylaws adopted by the state board or any agency designated by the state board to manage interscholastic athletics.”