KHSAA cannot grant waiver of state regulation for Reed Sheppard and Travis Perry

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Reed Sheppard, center, won't be able to play in the Midwest Charity Classic because of KHSAA bylaws. (Twitter Photo)

Kentucky High School Athletic Association commissioner Julian Tackett understands the sentiment for wanting a way for North Laurel’s Reed Sheppard and Lyon County’s Travis Perry to be able to play in the Midwest Charity Classic in Lexington to raise money for eastern Kentucky flood relief.

“It’s not that anybody thinks it’s a bad call. Our whole staff has helped with flood relief,” said Tackett Wednesday. “I have lobbied to try and get it (the rule) changed. Schools did not want that.”

Tackett and the KHSAA Board of Control proposed an amendment at the 2021 annual meeting of the member schools that would have removed preseason restrictions in basketball under Bylaw 9. Schools had a chance to vote to do which would have allowed players to participate in games like this one or others. Instead, the vote was 50 to change the rule and 145 against.

The bylaw prevents students who have enrolled in the ninth grade, played basketball at a school at any level and have eligibility remaining in basketball from participating on any non-school sponsored basketball team or in any all-star game from the first day of the school year onward.

“It is clear that the wish of the membership is to have that rule enforced and accordingly no waivers will be given,” the KHSAA posted on Twitter.

Tackett said the KHSAA only gets involved if there is a violation of the rule. If a player would play in an unsanctioned church league or festival game, the punishment likely would be sitting out one regular season game for each game/violation. However, Tackett says he can never remember an “intentional” violation of the rule like it would be if Sheppard and/or Perry played.

“There is no waiver of the rule. It is a state regulation,” Tackett said. “It is not our regulation. It is a state regulation.”

He also rightfully noted that if waivers/exceptions were granted for one event, it would be next to impossible to turn down waiver requests for other events/games.

“Where would you draw the line even if we could grant a waiver?” he said. “Schools not only reaffirmed they did not want this, but said, ‘Heck no,’ they didn’t want it with that vote last year. It was not even close.”

Announcement of the game earlier this week contained a provision that Sheppard and Perry needed a waiver to participate. Tackett said the KHSAA had “received nothing in the office asking for anything unless it came today” in connection with the charity game.

However, Tackett does have an interesting proposal that I really liked.

“We play more (regular-season basketball ) games than anybody in the country,” the KHSAA commissioner said. “Take games that first weekend all across the state and play for flood relief with the money going to eastern Kentucky. That way it is not just a single game helping and gives everybody a chance to help.”

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