Can 8th graders play on a high school team?
No. Our league rules state that 8th graders must play on the junior high team. UIL and TAPPS have the same rule.
It is important to know that UIL/TAPPS/TAIAO all have rules that once an 8th grader plays in a high school contest, that athlete's high school eligibility limit of 4 years BEGINS. This means that they are giving up their senior year of eligibility because they are starting their high school career earlier. If your athlete enrolls in a school, the school will investigate and account for their previous athletic experience.
There is an exception in TAIAO that allows 8th graders to play up in a very specific case. The TAIAO rules describe when this applies and the caveats that go with it. BVCHEA high school teams, so far, have large enough rosters, and have not had to consider playing up 8th graders.
Are TAIAO eligibility rules more restrictive than UIL or TAPPS?
The short answer is NO, they are not more restrictive in totality. Age limits along with maximum total years are the same.
The longer answer is that there are some differences when defining what is “restrictive.” TAIAO sets a hard limit on max age for homeschooled children without proof of being held back in K-6 by an accredited school. TAIAO also allows some flexibility in areas that UIL and TAPPS do not. UIL and TAPPS are very restrictive in the area of academic performance enforcement.
Can my player be granted an extra year if they didn’t get much playing time? Can my player be granted an extra year if they were injured?
Unfortunately, no. Eligibility is determined by years of play and age limits.
Can my player have a “super senior” year?
No. TAIAO rules, like UIL and TAPPS, do not permit super seniors to participate. UIL, TAPPS, and TAIAO allow 4 years of participation at the high school level. Super seniors, if allowed, would be taking a spot that should go to a player of high school age. We are thrilled that a player enjoyed the sport and wishes to continue playing. We encourage them to pursue intramural sports at their college or recreational leagues for adults. And we welcome them to come back and help at Mustangs practice!
Can my player turn 19 their senior year? Why not?
No. The normal grade/age association is that students finish up their senior year while they are 18. Schools educate children until they reach the age of 18 and are considered adults. The occurrence of a 19 year old on a school team is rare.
Children grow physically each year, and (males in particular) begin to gain in physical stature quite significantly later in high school and into their college years.
Because many homeschool organizations have modeled their programs after the club/select system rather than UIL, they’ve opened the door to their teams having 19 year olds. There have been instances of homeschool teams where the varsity roster is entirely 19 year olds. This has gotten the attention of UIL and TAPPS and is already putting homeschool organizations at risk of losing the ability to schedule games with UIL/TAPPS opponents. By following TAIAO rules across the board, BVCHEA is ensuring that all our teams are preserving the integrity of homeschool sports.
Per TAIAO rules, the only exception that allows for an athlete to play while they turn 19 within the academic year is if the athlete was held back in K-6 by an accredited academic institution.
Is there any way to get around the rules? Is there a way to grant an exception for my player?
As Christians, we should work to understand and adhere to the rules with clear consciences. It is important to play with integrity and to teach our kids the same. TAIAO rules, like UIL and TAPPs rules, do not play favorites. They have been developed over many years and apply to all participants. TAIAO rules outline any exceptions that may apply.
Do ALL Mustangs sports/activities follow the TAIAO eligibility rules?
Yes. BVCHEA feels that it is important to have consistency across all sports and activities. It doesn’t make sense for a student to be eligible to play one sport, but not another. Schools don’t don’t operate like this, and neither does BVCHEA.
Why doesn’t BVCHEA abandon TAIAO (UIL/TAPPS) rules and adopt the rules of homeschool national tournament organizations?
The rules put forth by the national tournaments are lacking in areas and are inconsistent across sports. They are attractive to homeschool teams because they have very wide eligibility requirements. A big problem area for homeschool sports is that because of the lax rules, these teams have no way of limiting the number of 19 year old (or “super senior”) players, so these teams could have an entire roster of college aged players. BVCHEA wants our homeschool families to play school sports, and part of that is playing according to the rules that schools have to follow.
National homeschool rules are also restrictive in that they do not permit non-homeschoolers. BVCHEA allows students to participate if they are homeschooled or attend a school that does not offer the sport. Homeschool national tournaments prohibit these athletes from participating. This can have an impact on BVCHEA sports which include non-homeschool families, including families from multi-day co-ops and half-day schools.
Does my child need to get medical clearance to play?
YES! It is a league requirement that BVCHEA players have a sports physical on file. Your child cannot play unless we have this form. The form is good for two years from the date of the exam. You can upload a photo or scan of the paperwork to your BVCHEA TeamSideline account. From a web browser, sign into BVCHEA.org, click “Members,” click the pencil icon next to your player, and upload the document to the player’s record. It is highly recommended that you and your player discuss any health concerns with the coaches.
My child attends a school/institution that does not offer sports. Can my child play BVCHEA sports?
YES! BVCHEA allows participation from non-homeschooled players who do not have the opportunity to play sports at their school. BVCHEA family membership dues are required. If the school begins to offer sports, your child will need to play for their school team if their sport is offered.
IMPORTANT: Please note that BVCHEA is a homeschool organization and its teams may play in homeschool tournaments that ONLY allow homeschooled players. For these events, your child cannot be on the roster or play in those games, but is welcome to come cheer on their teammates. We know this may be a difficult situation, so please discuss with your player before the season begins.
My child attends a school that offers sports, but does not offer the specific sport they want to play. If BVCHEA offers this sport, can my child play with the BVCHEA team?
YES! If your child's school does not offer a specific sport, BVCHEA allows them to play. BVCHEA family membership dues are required. A transfer process will also be required so that eligibility records can be kept. In addition, if your school begins offering that sport, your child will need to join their classmates on the school team and will not be able to play that sport for BVCHEA. BVCHEA's policy is that our volunteers/coaches do not poach or recruit players away from other teams.
IMPORTANT: Please note that BVCHEA is a homeschool organization and its teams may play in homeschool tournaments that ONLY allow homeschooled players. For these events, your child cannot be on the roster or play in those games, but is welcome to come cheer on their teammates. We know this may be a difficult situation, so please discuss with your player before registering.
My child has played sports with another school/organization, but now we homeschool and we’d like to join BVCHEA and play for the Mustangs. Can we do that?
YES! If you have played for another school/organization, you will need to follow the transfer process. This helps the league track eligibility and ensures there are no recruiting violations. The transfer process applies if your child played for another academic institution such as a public/private school OR homeschool organization.
Transfer forms are not needed for participation in Little League/city league/club or travel team/church league.
I need to go through the transfer process so that my child can play. I am worried his/her previous coach will not sign off on my player leaving the team.
The only way the previous coach could negatively impact the transfer process is to claim a violation. If the former coach ignores the request or doesn't respond, TAIAO will assume their approval. Coaches have all dealt with player movement, so while they may not like that your player is leaving, the likelihood of a coach trying to stop a transfer is rare.
My family does not belong to a church. (Or my family is not Christian.) Can my child play for the Mustangs?
BVCHEA is a Christian organization. As such, our volunteers, coaches, parents, & players strive to exhibit Christian virtues. Our teams pray during practice and games and participate in short devotionals. Respect for other players, coaches, opponents, and spectators is something that should be paramount to all who participate in our programs. Cursing and other inappropriate behavior should be avoided on and off the field. If you feel that your family can work within those parameters, you are welcome to participate.
My child was hurt while practicing/playing for the Mustangs. What can I do?
More than likely, your insurance company covers sports injuries. Please reach out to them to discuss. If you do not have insurance or the injury is not covered, please reach out to a BVCHEA board member to discuss the BVCHEA insurance process.
My child was removed or expelled from their school. Can we play for the Mustangs?
The league rules state that any player who was previously expelled from their former team must wait one year before being allowed to participate. BVCHEA is a Christian organization and expects all participants to exhibit good character and behavior at all times. If your child has a history of behavior issues and would like to participate, please contact us to discuss.
My player is not getting playtime. What can they do?
BVCHEA leadership encourages coaches to field competitive teams, much like school teams do. Most coaches determine this by what they see during practice. It’s important for all players to give their best effort, have a coachable attitude, and show their determination to get better. Coaches are also encouraged to play those on the bench as opportunities arise. If your player feels like they should have more playing time, encourage them to approach the coaching staff and inquire about things they can do to improve their skills. If you need to discuss your concern with someone other than a coach, you can reach out to the board member who serves on that sport’s committee.
The intensity level of one Mustangs sport was very different from another. Is this normal?
The intensity and competitive level of Mustangs sports can vary. We rely on our amazing parent volunteers who coach our programs. These coaches have different coaching styles and methods, and rosters change from year to year, so experiences will be different from sport to sport.