How to Protest Player Eligibility

The success of an athletic team depends on the eligibility of all of its players. If a meaningful contributor to the team is suddenly deemed ineligible, the team can suffer. Playing without an integral member of the team can impact the team's season. Thus, if a coach feels like a player's eligibility is unfairly taken away, he can protest it and try to get the player back on his team. How you protest player eligibility depends on your sport's governing body.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find out the specifics about why the player is ineligible. Before you protest your player's eligibility, you need to understand why the player is ineligible. Contact the governing body that identified your player as ineligible, such as your high school sports association or your college conference. Collect as many details about the ineligibility as the governing body will provide.

    • 2

      Assess the player's eligibility based on the facts you have collected. Make sure that the player is being unfairly held from the sport; you do not want to waste your time protesting eligibility if the suspension is fair. For example, if the player was suspended for low grades but her report card shows otherwise, you have a legitimate reason to protest. Talk to the athlete's teachers and collect evidence to protest the ineligibility.

    • 3

      Submit a formal letter with supporting evidence to your sport's governing body to protest player eligibility. Many athletic associations at the high school and college level will have specific guidelines regarding protesting player eligibility. If no such guidelines are in place, compose a letter detailing why you are protesting the eligibility, and cite specific evidence. In the example of a player deemed ineligible for low grades, you can attach a copy of her latest report card or testimony from her teachers about her academic status.

    • 4

      Follow up to protest the eligibility. Some athletic associations will hold a hearing to assess the player's status after you formally protest the ineligibility. Wait for a response from the athletic association or conference as far as how to proceed. If you do not receive a response within two weeks, contact the athletic association or conference by phone to find out the status of your protest and move forward.