Huntingdon proposes rule amendment to TSSAA

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. – Huntingdon High School is asking for a rule change to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Open Facilities policy.

Under the current definition, schools may use their facilities for students in their building prior to or at the conclusion of the school day.

Mustangs assistant football and basketball coach Jay Lowery would like to add “or at the conclusion of the in season sport practice/game” to that rule.

Unlike their region rivals or surrounding schools in Carroll County, the Mustangs eight graders go to schools under a different roof.

“Everybody around us in our district — Bruceton, West Carroll, Gleason, Greenfield. All those schools are under one roof,” Lowery said. “Their eight graders are allowed to play.”

The TSSAA voted to table the proposal on Wednesday and asked the staff to bring back recommended language that would clarify the proposed definition of Open Facilities.

“Here we are, a 1A school, and we have the same amount of students say West Carroll, but because our school district decided to build two buildings, you’re punishing those eight graders not to have a fifth year of eligibility of high school ball,” Lowery told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness Sports.

Lowery believes the Mustangs’ proposed change would help out the school’s spring sports.

“I understand the rules there for say Big Sandy or Clarksburg. You might not have enough to have a team. That was why the rule started,” Lowery explained. “But now you have bigger schools who are building one building, where they are putting their middle school right next door and building an awning from one to the other so their middle-schoolers can play.”

Lowery isn’t pleading for his Huntingdon’s eighth graders to play specifically.

His reason for the proposal is to make things fair.

“I kind of proposed a few things,” Lowery said. “It’s something we deal in our district. Worst thing they can do is tell me no, so I’ll try.”