transfers and eligibility

No school shall include in its line-up any student who has been registered as a transfer from another school within the previous twelve (12) months. The Federation’s Transfer Policy applies to all students transferring into Ontario high schools.

Students who have transferred may be made eligible by the NSSSAA Executive if they fall under OFSAA's exemption classifications. Click here for the complete OFSAA transfer policy.

Section 3 - Teams

a. A team consists of all student-athletes from the same school, except as noted in (b), who qualify for Federation competition as a unit. Each and every member of a team must be eligible in order for that team to be eligible to compete. Reference should be made to the individual sport Playing Regulations for additional eligibility requirements. Note: OFSAA will accept “A” twinned school team entries to its Championships as submitted by NWOSSAA.

b. Student-athletes from two schools may participate on the same school team when all of the following criteria are met:
i. The two schools have entered into an official mutual arrangement of co-participation for the purposes of school sports activities not currently offered at the smaller school providing the smaller school is in compliance with subheading (ii).
ii. The student population of one of the schools is under 100 students, except in the case of football, in which case the student population of one of the schools must be under 240 students. The two schools either share facilities or are in close proximity to each other. The Association supports the mutual arrangement of co-participation of the two schools for sports not currently offered at the smaller school providing the smaller school is in compliance with the first two subheadings (i, ii).

c. OFSAA Championships or Festivals for team sports shall only involve teams which have used OFSAA-eligible student-athletes in all competition during the school year. OFSAA-eligible means the student meets all eligibility requirements as defined in the OFSAA Playing Regulations. Any team using an ineligible student-athlete(s) in any competition during the school year forfeits the right to participate in the OFSAA Championship or Festival.

d. Teams deemed to have competed in any league not governed by their school athletic association are ineligible for the OFSAA championship/festival in that same school year.
Notes:
1. The term “competition” does not exclusively refer to league play; it is defined as any time that two teams play against each other on a playing surface, whether in Ontario or elsewhere.

2. The requirement that only OFSAA-eligible student-athletes be used in all competition applies solely to teams qualifying for OFSAA Championships or Festivals. This does not apply to teams in leagues that do not send teams to OFSAA Championships or Festivals unless otherwise stated by the local or regional high school athletic body of R31 which the school is a member.

3. Team sports shall be considered to be: a. Field hockey b. Football c. Basketball d. Volleyball e. Hockey f. Curling g. Baseball h. Rugby i. Field Lacrosse j. Soccer k. Ultimate l. Slo-Pitch

Section 4 - Individuals

a. To represent a school in any Championship/Festival co-ordinated by the Federation, in any Federation sanctioned event, or in competitions outside Ontario where participation of student-athletes has been sanctioned by the Federation, a student must:
i. Be eligible for competition under the By-Laws, Regulations and Playing Regulations of the Association to which their school belongs.
ii. Be certified as eligible by the Principal of the school.
iii. Meet the following age requirements:
Senior: The individual's birth certificate indicates that they have not reached their 19th birthday by January 1st prior to the start of the school year in which the competition is held.
Junior: The individual's birth certificate indicates that they have not reached their 15th birthday by January 1st prior to the start of the school year in which the competition is held.
Novice: The individual's birth certificate indicates that they have not reached their 14th birthday by January 1st prior to the start of the school year in which the competition is held. Students may compete in this category for one year only in Grade 9.
iv. Be in Grades 9 – 12.
v. Be eligible under the Federation's Transfer Policy. See subsection (f) below.
vi. Be eligible for no more than five (5) consecutive years from date of entry into Grade 9. See subsection (g) below. R32
vii. Have executed the Federation's Release of Liability form where required.
viii. Have signed the Rules of Behaviour signature form for the competition.
ix. In accordance with Rowan’s Law, confirm in writing on the OFSAA form provided, that they and their parent/guardian (if student is under 18 years of age) have reviewed the concussion awareness resource and OFSAA concussion code of conduct within the previous twelve (12) months. Students participating in badminton, cross country, golf and tennis are exempt from this requirement.
x. Students who play on a school prep/elite team and then are no longer on that team but remain at the school, are ineligible for the ‘bona fide’ school team for the current school year and the following school year. A school prep/elite team is a team that represents the school in competition and/or is under the oversight of the school administration.

b. A student may only play on one team in the same sport (team or individual) at the OFSAA level during a school year.

c. All participants should be encouraged to achieve creditable academic progress and to make a contribution to the general educational program of the school:
 i. Each Association, indeed each member school, should develop a policy which would be used to educate students with respect to personal commitment to school and all of its programs, goal setting and goal achievement within school setting, and behaviour of student-athletes as school representatives.
ii. The objective of any policy is to educate, not to punish, and the policy should focus on positive outcomes, not on limiting participation.
iii. Academic progress is a nebulous concept - it should be measured for each individual since arbitrary standards are exclusive and not necessarily educative.
iv. The policy should be used to monitor and mentor student-athletes, their attendance, well-being and their behaviour, as well as their grades.
v. Any change in a student-athlete's attendance, behaviour or academic standing should be reviewed by teacher-coach, student-athlete and appropriate administrator(s). Positive change would be rewarded through recognition and continued eligibility while negative changes would be used to establish parameters for continued eligibility.

d. Course Requirements Policy
i. Students who have fewer than twenty-two (22) credits must be taking courses which define them as full-time students under the Ministry of Education definition. Namely, a student in a traditional school must be registered in a minimum of six (6) full day school credit courses; in a semestered school, a R33 student must be registered in a minimum of three (3) full day school credit courses in the semester in which they participate.
ii. Students who have achieved twenty-two (22) credits must be taking four (4) non-semestered full day school credit courses over the school year or two (2) full day school credit courses in the semester in which they participate.
iii. Students may be exempted from the above course requirements if they have an accommodated timetable or course load as directed by a regulated mental health professional with education and training to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions (i.e. Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Clinical Psychiatric Nurse) and supported by medical documentation. A request for an exemption, with a letter from a regulated mental health professional confirming the student is under their care and that an accommodated timetable or reduced course load is required, must be presented to the Association for approval prior to or during the applicable competition season. In such cases, the student in a non-semestered school must be registered in a minimum of two (2) full day credit courses; in a semestered school, a student must be registered in a minimum of one (1) full day school credit course in the semester in which they participate.

e. Any suspension or disciplinary action in Association play shall be carried forward into Federation competition. The Association convenor shall be responsible for reporting such student-athletes and the nature of the disciplinary action on the Championship Entry Form.

f. Any student who registers and either (i) attends one full term or semester, or (ii) practises or plays, or attends a try-out with an intercollegiate team at a post-secondary institution, and then returns to any high school is ineligible for OFSAA competition in all sports for the remainder of his/her high school career.