Another Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation season is on the brink, which brings about another set of athletes who will transfer to new school this calendar year.
KIF executive secretary Diane Nitta said strict transfer rules are in place, but most league’s around the state follow a different policy.
“We are in the process in conjunction with all other public school leagues of developing a statewide transfer policy,” she said in an e-mail.
However, Nitta said until that policy is developed, the KIF’s member schools follow their own rules.
According to current KIF rules, a student who has represented any school in the County of Kaua‘i and who transfers to another school on Kaua‘i shall be ineligible to represent that school for one calendar year from the date of leaving the former school, unless his or her parents or legal guardians have changed their residence or there has been a change in legal guardianship and the new guardian lives in that district. Moreover, a student whose parents or legal guardians have changed their residence shall be ineligible to participate in the current competition.
Current competition starts with the date indicated as the start of the length that sport is in season for that school.
The definition of legal guardian is a court-ordered relationship with documentation signed by the judge.
Also, transfers to member schools from any other school district or island or from out-of-state are eligible for current participation upon enrollment.
Here are a couple of examples:
• A student lives in the Kapa‘a Geographic Area, attends Kapa‘a High School as a freshman in the 2005-06 school year and plays golf.
Maintaining her current residence, she transfers to Kaua‘i High School on a GE for the 2006-07 school year.
The rules state she will be ineligible to play golf for Kaua‘i High School until the 2007-08 school year.
• A student lives in the Kalaheo Geographic Area (which is currently an open district to attend either Kaua‘i High and Waimea High), attends Kaua‘i High School as a freshman in the 2005-06 school year and plays basketball.
Maintaining his current residence, he transfers to Waimea High School for the 2006-07 school year.
In this instance, the rules also state that he will be ineligible to play basketball for Waimea High School until the 2007-08 school year.
For a complete look at the 2006-07 KIF schedule, check out the Scoreboard on page B2.
