Eighth graders will be allowed to participate in varsity sports this fall under emergency rules approved by the State Board of Education. The legislature passed and Governor Reynolds signed a bill allowing eighth graders to participate in all varsity sports. Tom Keating is Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association.
Eight graders are already allowed to compete in varsity baseball and softball. The new law applies to all sports if approved at the local level.
Iowa becomes the 25th state to allow eighth graders to compete in all varsity sports.
Critics of the new law have expressed concern about eighth graders competing in varsity football.
