Last October there was a memo from the SCHSL Commissioner that which effectively denied Homeschool teams from participating in tournaments and invitationals. For example if my JV team wanted to participate in the Irmo JV tournament we would not be allowed to. This memo applied to other sports as well. Cross country meets are mostly invitationals which would be included in this ban. To be clear the word "ban" was never used, but it effectively does this.
There was no cause for this action--there were NO problems. I've heard the reason to be basically that if a homeschool program, or any other program that is not under a state association, does something that would warrant a fine, suspension, etc. if it were under an association, there is no mechanism for providing punishment to the program.
In my 6 years coaching Covenant Central we have NEVER had a situation which would come close to the situation described. And if we did I would personally suspend the player (which I have for Red Cards). But even if we did have such a situation, wouldn't the host team for the tournament NOT invite us back?
The action taken by the Commissioner does NOT affect if Brookland-Cayce, Airport, Lugoff-Elgin, Andrews, Lake City, Dutch Fork, White Knoll, Dreher or other teams we have played in the past and usually have performed well in usually tough, but fair contests, want to play us again. But we can't go to the invitationals hosted by these programs.
This is an unwarranted action and is the type of action which needs to be overriden by either the SCHSL executive committee itself or some other body.
All any team has to do is to say "no" you may not play in our invitational. A committee in Columbia should not be the ones dictating such denial.
