The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would allow students to simultaneously play on their school sports team and a travel sports team in the same sport.
Many high school athletes play travel sports, but under current law, student athletes are not allowed to play them at the same time in the same sport. Senate Bill 813 would change that.
Under this legislation, a county board of education and the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) could not restrict or prohibit a student from competing on non-school competitive teams as a condition of playing for a school team.
Supporters of the bill, both on the floor today and in the Senate Education committee last week, expressed the opinion that these decisions should ultimately be left to the students and their parents.
Senate Education Committee Chair Amy Grady (R-Mason, 04) supports the bill and has expressed that often travel ball is an attractive option for student athletes and their parents to garner the attention of college coaches for the chance of earning a scholarship.
On the floor today, Grady gave examples of high school athletes not being able to work with outside, travel sport coaches, even in their spare time, and reiterated her belief the the current law is unnecessarily restrictive.
Opponents of the bill cited sports medicine issues of overuse as well as a lessening of academic focus from student athletes with no grade requirements to play travel sports.
The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.
UPDATE:
The Senate returned at 5 p.m. to take up additional committee reports and read select bills a second and third time.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 28, at 11 a.m.
Morning Meetings for 2/28:
Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10 a.m. in 208W.
