Proposed WIAA amendments include transfer rule change, transgender athlete policies, girls flag football 

Several new amendments have been proposed for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) to vote on next spring.

They range from issues like protecting the arms of youth baseball and softball players and moving to make flag football an officially sanctioned sport, to more controversial issues such as tweaks to the current transfer rules, and eligibility restrictions for transgender student-athletes.

The amendments, all of which were submitted by a member school or the WIAA Executive Board, will be voted on by the WIAA's Representative Assembly from April 9 to 18, 2025. The Representative Assembly is comprised of 53 (35 high school, 18 middle level) school administrators from each of the six WIAA districts.

Here are a few notable proposed amendments.

TRANSFERRING STUDENTS

This amendment was submitted by the WIAA's Executive Board on behalf of its Transfer Committee, which it formed in the 2023-24 school year to take a closer look at the rules.

The existing rules surrounding residence moves and hardship rules would stay in effect. What's new: the proposed amendment would allow for a one-time transfer to a new school during the student-athlete's four-year period of high school eligibility. Currently, student-athletes are not granted a one-time "free" transfer without their athletic eligibility being affected.

The News Tribune reported last spring that the WIAA was considering changes to the transfer rules in response to pressure from at least one state lawmaker.

The one-time penalty-free transfer would need to occur during a "WIAA defined window of transfer," the amendment states, i.e. between the final day of school and the first day of turnouts for a WIAA fall sport. The document lists pros and cons for passing the amendment. Among the pros:

• Provides Flexibility for Families: The proposed amendment allows families the option to adjust an initial school choice decision one time during a student's four consecutive years of interscholastic eligibility when necessary.
• Aligns with School Choice Laws: The proposed amendment ensures transfer rules for students moving from middle to high school are consistent with state school choice legislation.

The cons — which some coaches and administrators statewide have been sounding the alarm on since the conversation began in the 2023-24 school year — largely center around competitive equity. Sources told The News Tribune last spring they were concerned that loosening the transfer rules could lead to an eventual full-fledged transfer portal, which they feared has the potential to alter high school sports in the same way college sports have been changed.

Among the cons listed in the doc:

• Potential of Increased Transfers: Redefining the window of transfer could potentially lead to more frequent transfers between schools.
• Risk of Transfers for Athletic Advantage: The proposed amendment could potentially lead to students seeking to transfer for athletic reasons, which may be influenced by family finances.
• Potential Impact on Competitive Equity: The proposed amendment could lead to increased transfers, which could then affect balance within leagues and classifications, impacting competitive fairness.

Supporters of loosening the rules argue that student-athletes (and their families) should have free choice of which schools they want to attend, without their athletic eligibility being affected. Critics argue loosening the rules could be a slippery slope while also dealing an immediate blow to competitive equity, paving the way for super teams to be formed.

GENDER IDENTITY PARTICIPATION

There are two amendment proposals concerning gender identity participation, an issue thrust into the spotlight after a transgender athlete from the Spokane area won a girls state track and field championship last spring.

Amendment No. 7 essentially seeks to prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports and girls' divisions within a sport. Transgender students would be required to compete in boys' sports and boys' divisions within sports.

In the document, the rationale explained: The policy is modeled after Alaska's program which replaces boys' sports with an open division for all student-athletes while also creating eligibility restrictions for girls' sports and girls' divisions. Among the pros listed:

• Focus is on fair competition and protecting the integrity of female sports. Restricting girls' sports to those assigned female at birth aims to maintain a level playing field, addressing concerns about potential physical advantages in certain sports.
• The policy emphasizes inclusivity and encourages transgender and gender-diverse students to participate in athletics & activities. The policy aligns with local, state, and federal guidelines that mandate equal opportunities for all students.

Among the cons listed:

• Restricting participation in girls' athletics to girls assigned female at birth may spark legal challenges at federal and state levels. Although the policy states a commitment to inclusivity, some may interpret it as discriminatory based on gender expression or identity, particularly student-athletes who identify as female but are unable to compete in girls' sports.
• Any appeal process could be complicated and may involve medical evaluations that raise privacy and ethical concerns. Schools and athletic organizations may face challenges implementing and enforcing the policy, especially regarding medical assessments or appeals, leading to administrative burdens and potential inconsistencies in implementation.

Amendment No. 8, which seems far less likely to have any realistic shot of passing, states that athletic programs "be offered separately for boys, girls and an open division for all students interested."

The proposed amendment was submitted by the Eastmont School District, Cashmere School District, Colville School District, Lynden School District, Mead School District, Moses Lake School District, and Thorp School District.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

Amendment No. 13 proposes that girls flag football be added as an official WIAA high school sport. A similar amendment failed narrowly last year. Currently, girls flag football is offered as a winter sport and has grown considerably. There are currently over 90 teams competing in five of the WIAA's six districts. Among the pros listed in the document:

• This proposal is certainly good for student athletes and aims to provide an additional opportunity for female student athletes to engage in healthy, organized physical activity and competition.
• Flag Football is one of the fastest growing youth sports with nearly 500,000 female athletes between the ages of 6-17 playing the sport last year. This represented an impressive 63% increase from 2019.

The lone con listed:

• The addition of Flag may draw athletes from other sports reducing participation depending on the selected season.

For an amendment to pass, 60 percent approval is needed from voting members of the Assembly. 

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