(12-12-25) Today State Representative Angie King (R-Celina) announced that she had introduced the Student Athlete Mobility (SAM) Act, to give students the ability to participate in sports that are not offered at their home school.

According to Rep. King’s press release…The legislation removes barriers, promotes collaboration between districts, and ensures all students can benefit from athletic participation. If passed, this bill would allow students to participate in team sports like baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, or any other sport that requires cooperative participation by multiple students at a neighboring school, if the sport they wish to play is not offered at their current school.

If this sounds familiar it is…twice (2022 & 2023) Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) member schools have voted down the same type proposals

Issue 1B, which would have permitted a student enrolled at a public school that does not sponsor a team sport to potentially play that sport at a public school located in a bordering public school district, failed for a second consecutive year by a margin of 427 to 374 (13 abstained). The margin was significantly greater than the 2022 vote which failed by 13 votes (406 to 393), the closest vote in documented OHSAA history.

The OHSAA in the past several years has seen input from outside sources that overturns their authority…the recent NIL vote was moved forward after a lawsuit was filed. Plus the recent decision to cut the number of football playoff qualifiers…that saw a high ranking elected representative get involved.