Homeschooled Students Play Sports

April 4, 2017

Parents whose life was centered around soccer signed their son up for the sport at age 4 and peaked an interest in him that carried on to his high school years. Homeschooled student Jared Dean has played soccer for a club since he was 11 years old and never had the chance to play for school team.

Now Jared is a junior and has finally received the opportunity to play for a school team. Because of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s new bylaw that allows homeschooled students  to play for a school team, Jared attended soccer tryouts and made the team.

“For the past few years they have been trying to pass the “Tebow Bill” which allowed all homeschoolers to play high school sports. It didn’t pass for a few years, though it got closer every year, so the AHSAA came forward and said they would allow homeschoolers to play as long as they participate in the required classes. So we contacted Mr Watts and let him know and we are still figuring it out from there,” Jared said.

Jared is required to attend soccer PE and take an online class in order to play. He does all of his other schoolwork at home.

“I was very excited when the new bylaws were announced last spring. Jared is very passionate about soccer and loves to play at a competitive level, so to see him make the team and get to play competitively in the spring as well as his fall club season was awesome,” Jared’s mother Julie Dean said.

Jared plays right wing and center attaching mid. He finds that playing for a school sport is similar to a club except the attitude towards the team is different.

“Club is basically a travel team you have to tryout for. There is a much higher commitment level in school soccer,” Jared said.

Julie says that these bylaws that have allowed Jared to play provide homeschooled students exposure to competition. She says that it allows them benefits they would not have if they were not on a school team.

“I think it gives homeschooled students opportunities in the sense that it allows them to tryout and compete competitively in their sport. Playing for a school is different from a club in a couple of ways: it gives more exposure to college coaches, who recruit more actively in the spring and it is another opportunity to be a part of a team, as an extension of the school,” Julie said.

Jared sees the chance to be recruited as the big difference between school sports and club sports. He says this is opportunity for homeschooled students.

“It’s great for soccer especially because most players also play club in the fall which is just as competitive as school. However, most colleges won’t scout during club season because that is when their season is. As a result of this most if not all for most schools scouting happens during school season,” Jared said.

Jared says that his experience with playing a school sport has opened opportunity. Soccer has been the sport of his choice ever since he began playing it. He was interested in playing for a school team for a couple of years and finally, he could.

“This is the first year homeschoolers can play. I love playing for Sparkman and it’s been great so far,” Jared said.

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