SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer Middle School Players

I know that middle school kids can play on the JV team, but not on the varsity team (correct?). Can a school apply for an exemption? Does it matter what classification you are? I know of one rural school who has 8th and 7th graders not only on their varsity roster, but must also be playing as their roster only lists like 15 players with six being of the middle school age.

I would like to know more info about this too

anything would be helpful

the team we played 2nite, east clarendon, almost their whole team is middle school, its only their first year havin a team tho, but idk how it works, i wasnt allowed to play varsity when i was in middle school but mayb they do make exceptions now.

we have an 8th grader on our team and he starts at stopper I don't think it matters if you are good enough to play varsity

Somewhere there is a rule that says that Soccer is considered a contact sport and as such you must be in 9th grade or above to play on varsity. What I don't know is what types of schools that applies to.

CF

thats the same rule I was reffering too. My first year of HS, middle schoolers were allowed to play varsity. After my freshmen year, the HSL changed the classification to soccer to a contact sport. I was under the impression that this rule was universal across the board. Maybe I am wrong. Kevin or Kyle, got any insight to this matter?

I believe that the Scisa rule is that middle schoolers can play varsity soccer in 6th or 7th grade, and play for 6 or 7 years.

I thought it was universal as well.

BenP, the SCISA rule is that 7th and 8th graders are elegible to play certain varsity sports, soccer being one of them. Other varsity sports, swimming being one of them, the lower age limit goes down. SCISA also has an 8 semester rule for elegibility, meaning, when a player enters the 9th grade, he has 8 consectutive semesters of varsity participation. It's available in the bluebook at the SCISA web page. So for SCISA, if the talent level and physical maturity are appropriate, there are 6 possible years for varsity soccer participation. There was a 7th grader on Pinewood's Championship team from last year.

I have heard about the contact sport ruling for the SCHSL, meaning no varsity play until 9th grade. Not being part of the SCHSL, I haven't had the need to do the research.

This brings to mind the incredible story I read several years ago about former Kentucky All American football player Dennis Johnson who played varsity football in the 2nd grade. I promise that is what the article in USA Today said. He played for a small HS in KY with his father as coach. He was like 5-8 170 lbs in 2nd grade.And of course his mother was dead set against it. The state of KY Athletic Assoc. heard about it and changed the rule to make the 7th grade the earliest a kid could play football.
By the way it didn't seem to harm Dennis as he grew to 6-7 280 and was USA Today HS Defensive player of the year, All American at Ky and 1st rounder in the NFL. After reading about the Arena player being killed on the field, its a scary thought to think of a 2nd grader out there among jrs and srs.