ADVERTISEMENT

Arland Bruce has arrived & is practicing w/ Brody Brecht at Ankeny. FINALLY, ON OCTOBER 1, Ruled ELIGIBLE to Play.

As I've been saying, the majority of the responsibility for transfer waivers fall on the school. I know it's fashionable to shit on the IAHSAA, but that's mostly out of ignorance.

If you are a school hoping to get a waiver for an athlete, you better have done your due diligence.

IAHSAA shouldve dropped the hammer in July and said this is our policy if you want to transfer in. These transfers didnt catch anyone by surprise, it was all over local and national publications in late July, early August.
 
I completely hear you on this.. I have worked with some high level athletes and you are spot on. The difference for a high school kid is that they get 2 maybe 3 years as a varsity player. Going against high level athletes in practice is definitely going to make them better, but they still have to have the opportunity to make plays on the field which is limited to when they are in high school. The transfers affect the number of opportunities those kids get. If the kid does all of the right things and makes improvements necessary - it is up to the coach to find a spot for the kid that will help put the team in the best position possible to win. I just struggle knowing that the kids from Kansas and Colorado would be eligible and playing right now if they hadn't panicked and tried to find greener grass.

These kids were looking for an opportunity, and I hate the IHSAA as much as the next guy. I believe they do a lot of things wrong and are always putting $$ ahead of kids. I honestly have no idea what the hell they are doing and I am not sure they do either. They have never been a leader and resemble the NCAA in many ways... and not in a good way. They really had two options here... and both needed to be addressed in early August when practices started and kids started moving. 1) Anybody who comes to Iowa is immediately eligible due to the pandemic. 2) Transfers for the sake of playing football are ineligible (unless they sell their home and relocate to Iowa - only one residence rule). IHSAA created the mess they are in and I don't feel bad for them one bit - I just think that there is a bigger picture to all of this that goes beyond eligibility.

For the record - if I were Arland, I would forget about a senior year and focus on training and being ready to go in January at Iowa. There really is no reason to risk injury this late in the game, it is just a pissing match between his family (and most of the Iowa fan base) and the IHSAA.
I’m agree, but if the pissing match makes the IHSAA be more specific and update the process then it’s worth it. They have nobody to blame but themselves.
 
So I am guessing this kind of kills the argument now, given that they are just going to rule them all ineligible

They took their time, but it seems they are now choosing to apply the idea all these kids transferred in to play football.

If they picked a side 1 way or another of they all play or none play, it would have save a lot of time, money, and aggrevation.
 
Last edited:
I didn't read this Q&A with Tom Keating from August 11th: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...ctor-tom-keating-jake-rubley-iowa/5581314002/

Here is one of his answers:

Tom Keating: "Really it comes down to if a family is going to pick up and move and give up their home, wherever they’re at now, and come and make a residence in Iowa and some districts in Iowa, then by administrative code, they're eligible. If they don't, if they try to get around it by living with a relative or a friend or renting an apartment or something of that nature, then that doesn't cut it. They wouldn't be eligible in that situation. So we depend, of course, on our schools to make sure that they are checking on the legitimacy of anybody's relocation because, ultimately, that impacts the school's eligibility. You certainly don't want to be playing a student who's not eligible for competition because of a transfer, and our schools are really responsible in that regard. … As far as your pointed question about, 'Is that fair to the kids who are already there?' That's going to be a challenge for school districts if these things happen. And that's going to be their issue to address, and it's tough. As I've told others — for years families have moved into Iowa and their kids have enrolled in schools and they've taken the place of maybe somebody who had been in the district for their whole life. And it wasn't COVID-driven by any means, but it was maybe a job or something else. But, you know, it does impact kids when that happens."

Proof positive that Keating knew that kids were coming to Iowa solely for the purpose of playing football because of COVID. And his response? Essentially: "I'm going to leave it up to the schools to make that determination."

There is COVID guidance to schools on the IHSAA's website: https://www.iahsaa.org/covid-19-fall-football/

If they had the time to issues COVID related guidance to schools and knew full well that kids were coming to Iowa because of states cancelling HS football due to COVID, it seems awfully lazy for the IHSAA to not be proactive and issue guidance to high schools. It is literally their job to provide guidance relating to rules interpretations.

Fast forward to the 4A playoffs. #1 SE Polk wins a first round game and is getting ready to face CR Washington in round two. CR Washington's AD contacts Tom Keating's office and says . . . "hey, looks like Isaiah Emanuel's mother and father are still living in Illinois, I don't think that he's an eligible player." The IHSAA concludes that SE Polk won with an ineligible player and must forfeit its first round win. See how leaving the challenges to players' eligibility to others opens the door for abuse/strategic timing?

Simultaneously, it is not fair to the kids seeking eligibility for them to rely on the schools' interpretation of the rule only then to have the IHSAA intervene after someone challenges a school's determination. Seems like a very backassward way of approaching the issue. "We are the ultimate authority of whether the circumstances involving a kid's transfer permits him to be immediately eligible but we're going to let the schools govern themselves and the kids can rely on that determination but - if someone challenges the school - then we'll look into the issue further and issue a final ruling" doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

That's essentially what I said from the beginning of this thread: the iahsaa doesn't have the man power to vet all of these transfers, especially at the start of the school year and most just get a cursory look and are approved. Bruce was likely brought up by an outsider and the iahsaa was forced to scrutinize the transfer more thoroughly and what they saw didn't look right (which is debatable). Doesn't mean that the iahsaa was singling him out or applying a different set of standards to him necessarily. And now that they have sort of drawn their line in the sand and others have been brought up or asked about, the iahsaa is obligated to look at those transfers more closely as well.

As I've been saying, the majority of the responsibility for transfer waivers fall on the school. I know it's fashionable to shit on the IAHSAA, but that's mostly out of ignorance.
If you are a school hoping to get a waiver for an athlete, you better have done your due diligence.
 
I didn't read this Q&A with Tom Keating from August 11th: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...ctor-tom-keating-jake-rubley-iowa/5581314002/

Here is one of his answers:

Tom Keating: "Really it comes down to if a family is going to pick up and move and give up their home, wherever they’re at now, and come and make a residence in Iowa and some districts in Iowa, then by administrative code, they're eligible. If they don't, if they try to get around it by living with a relative or a friend or renting an apartment or something of that nature, then that doesn't cut it. They wouldn't be eligible in that situation. So we depend, of course, on our schools to make sure that they are checking on the legitimacy of anybody's relocation because, ultimately, that impacts the school's eligibility. You certainly don't want to be playing a student who's not eligible for competition because of a transfer, and our schools are really responsible in that regard. … As far as your pointed question about, 'Is that fair to the kids who are already there?' That's going to be a challenge for school districts if these things happen. And that's going to be their issue to address, and it's tough. As I've told others — for years families have moved into Iowa and their kids have enrolled in schools and they've taken the place of maybe somebody who had been in the district for their whole life. And it wasn't COVID-driven by any means, but it was maybe a job or something else. But, you know, it does impact kids when that happens."

Proof positive that Keating knew that kids were coming to Iowa solely for the purpose of playing football because of COVID. And his response? Essentially: "I'm going to leave it up to the schools to make that determination."

There is COVID guidance to schools on the IHSAA's website: https://www.iahsaa.org/covid-19-fall-football/

If they had the time to issues COVID related guidance to schools and knew full well that kids were coming to Iowa because of states cancelling HS football due to COVID, it seems awfully lazy for the IHSAA to not be proactive and issue guidance to high schools. It is literally their job to provide guidance relating to rules interpretations.

Fast forward to the 4A playoffs. #1 SE Polk wins a first round game and is getting ready to face CR Washington in round two. CR Washington's AD contacts Tom Keating's office and says . . . "hey, looks like Isaiah Emanuel's mother and father are still living in Illinois, I don't think that he's an eligible player." The IHSAA concludes that SE Polk won with an ineligible player and must forfeit its first round win. See how leaving the challenges to players' eligibility to others opens the door for abuse/strategic timing?

Simultaneously, it is not fair to the kids seeking eligibility for them to rely on the schools' interpretation of the rule only then to have the IHSAA intervene after someone challenges a school's determination. Seems like a very backassward way of approaching the issue. "We are the ultimate authority of whether the circumstances involving a kid's transfer permits him to be immediately eligible but we're going to let the schools govern themselves and the kids can rely on that determination but - if someone challenges the school - then we'll look into the issue further and issue a final ruling" doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Um leaving it up to the districts was a big mistake. Grow a pair and make a decision.
 
A lot to chew on as things are moving very fast and a lot of opinions. Let me start by saying, obviously we never wanted any kids ineligible. We wanted Arland eligible. It is not the Bruce’s family nor any of the other kids’ families fault if the rules are poorly written or the enforcement of them appears haphazard at best.

When you read Keating’s comments he did a couple things. First, he said you can’t have 2 places. That is very easy to verify. It takes about 5 minutes per kid. Second, he knows of the “catch all” exemption which I think a global pandemic would qualify for this year.

They painted themselves in a corner. He had an out. Make Arland eligible like the other kids who were already playing. Come out and state due to Covid it seems like the right thing to do. And will give us the opportunity in the offseason to revamp our rules to address issues that have been raised. But thus far his refusal has resulted in this total mess that could have been avoided for all these kids, their families and their respective schools.

I have been asked whether these now ineligibly rulings are being done halfway into the season to avoid the argument that Arland is being treated different. I don’t know that but know that is not the standard. It is what was done or not done at the time of the respective decisions. And IMO they look really bad dropping the hammer on kids now because they were called out on their rules and their enforcement of them. As I stated, and before someone says how much time it would take to see if someone still owns a home in the state they transferred from, it takes about 5 minutes a kid.

And yes, it is up to the school initially but ultimately the IHSAA for eligibility. The Bruce family obviously was led to believe he would be eligible. Sorry for the long post.
 
This is extremely poor form on the leadership at the IHSAA. What is the governing body over the IHSAA? Can these people be removed from their positions?
 
  • Like
Reactions: srams21
This is extremely poor form on the leadership at the IHSAA. What is the governing body over the IHSAA? Can these people be removed from their positions?
Lol. You have no idea what happened and not privy to the details, but you are just sure the "IHSAA" is to blame and they all need to be fired. Wouldn't it be great if people completely unfamiliar with what you do and completely ignorant of all relevant information suddenly decided you were to blame for something and wanted you fired?

This is our society these days, I suppose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WSC72
Lol. You have no idea what happened and not privy to the details, but you are just sure the "IHSAA" is to blame and they all need to be fired. Wouldn't it be great if people completely unfamiliar with what you do and completely ignorant of all relevant information suddenly decided you were to blame for something and wanted you fired?

This is our society these days, I suppose.
Mr. Keating? I thought you were supposed to be out of town and unavailable. At least that's the excuse you used to skip out on tomorrow's hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.
 
Mr. Keating? I thought you were supposed to be out of town and unavailable. At least that's the excuse you used to skip out on tomorrow's hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

In fairness, it appears they have Assocation and Board meetings. I wonder what is on the agenda?! Not just this matter (meaning the kids already ruled upon) but also the Roosevelt kids who have transferred to Dowling in the last week and are waiting an eligibility ruling.
 
Lol. You have no idea what happened and not privy to the details, but you are just sure the "IHSAA" is to blame and they all need to be fired. Wouldn't it be great if people completely unfamiliar with what you do and completely ignorant of all relevant information suddenly decided you were to blame for something and wanted you fired?

This is our society these days, I suppose.

It is their fault.. zero doubt about it
 
Lol. You have no idea what happened and not privy to the details, but you are just sure the "IHSAA" is to blame and they all need to be fired. Wouldn't it be great if people completely unfamiliar with what you do and completely ignorant of all relevant information suddenly decided you were to blame for something and wanted you fired?

This is our society these days, I suppose.
So the vague language of the rules didn’t contribute to it? The ruling of Bruce being ineligible and others not being looked into didn’t contribute to it? And now subsequently ruling others ineligible after 4 games? I find it hard to see how the IHSAA isn’t at fault.
 
  • Like
Reactions: srams21
So the vague language of the rules didn’t contribute to it? The ruling of Bruce being ineligible and others not being looked into didn’t contribute to it? And now subsequently ruling others ineligible after 4 games? I find it hard to see how the IHSAA isn’t at fault.
Ok, first, the IAHSAA could be at fault here. I don't know. That's the point. It also could be the family. Or the school. But virtually no one in this conversation save a few posters will even consider the possibility that the fault lies with anyone else but those overpaid bastards at IAHSAA. My experience in these matters leads me to believe it's the family because it usually is. To be clear, I do not work, nor have I ever worked, for the IAHSAA. I have some experience dealing with eligibility issues though, and while I don't always agree with the decisions of the IAHSAA, I have always found the committee to be professional and thorough.

Btw, some of us don't think the rules are all that vague. I also don't know what you mean when you say "others not looked into." Several players were ruled ineligible before the season started. Only one took it to court. Now decisions are being made (or reversed) four weeks into the season so it has to be because the IAHSAA sucks? Is it possible that the committee received new information?
 
Ok, first, the IAHSAA could be at fault here. I don't know. That's the point. It also could be the family. Or the school. But virtually no one in this conversation save a few posters will even consider the possibility that the fault lies with anyone else but those overpaid bastards at IAHSAA. My experience in these matters leads me to believe it's the family because it usually is. To be clear, I do not work, nor have I ever worked, for the IAHSAA. I have some experience dealing with eligibility issues though, and while I don't always agree with the decisions of the IAHSAA, I have always found the committee to be professional and thorough.

Btw, some of us don't think the rules are all that vague. I also don't know what you mean when you say "others not looked into." Several players were ruled ineligible before the season started. Only one took it to court. Now decisions are being made (or reversed) four weeks into the season so it has to be because the IAHSAA sucks? Is it possible that the committee received new information?

i think it is hard to blame the family. They went through the school. And were NOT told there would be an issue. And raising issues is now the fault of the family? I don’t think so. Last, “new” information is silly. Keating himself said in an interview you cannot have 2 homes. Hawkness - how hard is it to look up the country assessor page for each of the transfers in their home state? 5 minutes tops apiece? There were like 12 transfers. So a whopping 1 hour? Because they are now doing it as they didn’t follow their own rules is not new information. That is info any competent organization should have done from day 1. That would have avoided this whole mess. I know your opinions but to blame the family when they went through the school and try and exonerate the Association under the guise of “new” info the Des Moines Register got in 5 minutes on the internet with a simple public record search is BS. We can agree to disagree but that is not how I would define new info to all of sudden start making kids ineligible. If you don’t think they are doing this now because we have a hearing and they were shown they did not apply their own rules equally I don’t know what to say.
 
Will be interesting to follow this as he enters college.

Reasons:

1-Nearly free housing provided - not sure if the family are Iowa fans or alumni

2-I think it has been mentioned that the family is not well to do financially- who is paying the large lawyer fee

3-Initial judge was an “Iowa fan” I believe has been mentioned as well. I also believe he stated if the case came back before him he would rule him eligible

This could get sticky. I hope not. But could certainly see it happen.
 
Will be interesting to follow this as he enters college.

Reasons:

1-Nearly free housing provided - not sure if the family are Iowa fans or alumni

2-I think it has been mentioned that the family is not well to do financially- who is paying the large lawyer fee

3-Initial judge was an “Iowa fan” I believe has been mentioned as well. I also believe he stated if the case came back before him he would rule him eligible

This could get sticky. I hope not. But could certainly see it happen.
I think the lawyer is in this thread.. actually one post above yours.. maybe he is doing his pro bono work for the year idk..
Also looks like cytwins is blaming the lawyer for others getting ruled ineligible.. that guy needs to seek help.. the lies and deceit he will make up about the hawkeyes and it’s fans are from a mental head case.. I think somebody needs to just out his name so he can finally get the help he needs
 
The ihsaa is proving itself to be petty and drifting toward not having kids interests at heart at all with those recent purge of kids from sports

They should be ashamed of themselves.

I hope there is a legal remedy that ends with that organization being removed and the people within it kept far away from kids
 
I think the lawyer is in this thread.. actually one post above yours.. maybe he is doing his pro bono work for the year idk..
Also looks like cytwins is blaming the lawyer for others getting ruled ineligible.. that guy needs to seek help.. the lies and deceit he will make up about the hawkeyes and it’s fans are from a mental head case.. I think somebody needs to just out his name so he can finally get the help he needs

Roy - people wonder why I worry about that Twins. He knows my name and address and worse my ex and kids’ address. And the crap he has done is sick. He follows all my legal cases and if I don’t have a great result he posts like he did today. I took a “huge” amount of money and “in spite” made other kids Ineligible and it is “sickening” to him. And his little underling Brandon says I am just a “bad person.” Interesting as don’t know them but they are the ones tj
I think the lawyer is in this thread.. actually one post above yours.. maybe he is doing his pro bono work for the year idk..
Also looks like cytwins is blaming the lawyer for others getting ruled ineligible.. that guy needs to seek help.. the lies and deceit he will make up about the hawkeyes and it’s fans are from a mental head case.. I think somebody needs to just out his name so he can finally get the help he needs

Roy - good point on Twins. And people were skeptical when I said he scares me as he and a couple of his psycho underlings have left a bunch of messages previously with my ex and kids. Calling me out to my ex and kids by my screaming my posting name with Hawks suck, “die Kujawa” etc. They know where I live and work but go after a 100 lbs female and 2 kids. He now follows my legal cases and posts crap about me. Including accusing me of taking a “huge” amount of money (not true), getting other kids ineligible (wasn’t me check the Register) and being a “sickening” person (well I try not to be). He is sick and his little buddy Brandon is psycho.
 
Dowling kids don't have to be in any certain area, like a kid from say Urbandale, or maybe DM kids are supposed to live in a certain area of DM where their HS is. Plenty of Dowling kids are from all over Polk County and probably Dallas and Warren. Private school. Now I don't know if that makes any difference in this case.
 
Dowling kids don't have to be in any certain area, like a kid from say Urbandale, or maybe DM kids are supposed to live in a certain area of DM where their HS is. Plenty of Dowling kids are from all over Polk County and probably Dallas and Warren. Private school. Now I don't know if that makes any difference in this case.
Yes it would because they came from out of state.. or id tell Arland just go to ankeny Christian, they pair up with the hawks for football
 
Roy - people wonder why I worry about that Twins. He knows my name and address and worse my ex and kids’ address. And the crap he has done is sick. He follows all my legal cases and if I don’t have a great result he posts like he did today. I took a “huge” amount of money and “in spite” made other kids Ineligible and it is “sickening” to him. And his little underling Brandon says I am just a “bad person.” Interesting as don’t know them but they are the ones tj


Roy - good point on Twins. And people were skeptical when I said he scares me as he and a couple of his psycho underlings have left a bunch of messages previously with my ex and kids. Calling me out to my ex and kids by my screaming my posting name with Hawks suck, “die Kujawa” etc. They know where I live and work but go after a 100 lbs female and 2 kids. He now follows my legal cases and posts crap about me. Including accusing me of taking a “huge” amount of money (not true), getting other kids ineligible (wasn’t me check the Register) and being a “sickening” person (well I try not to be). He is sick and his little buddy Brandon is psycho.
I live in the ankeny area and I’ve come across a guy who I think it may be.. because no matter what he has to jab the hawkeyes.. and he isn’t quite there in the head

mans that’s messed up to take a message board and take it personal like he did.. and what point if he is putting your name out there and running your name through mud is there civil action
 
Dowling kids don't have to be in any certain area, like a kid from say Urbandale, or maybe DM kids are supposed to live in a certain area of DM where their HS is. Plenty of Dowling kids are from all over Polk County and probably Dallas and Warren. Private school. Now I don't know if that makes any difference in this case.
Enrollment in school and athletic eligibility are two entirely different processes. Private schools do not have boundaries for enrollment, so students can attend from anywhere. Athletic eligibility, however, has rules that every school, public or private, must follow. So, if a kid from Lincoln enrolls at Dowling, he has a 90 day waiting period before participating in sports, just like everyone else. Unless he qualifies for an exemption, like the kids we are talking about did.
 
Enrollment in school and athletic eligibility are two entirely different processes. Private schools do not have boundaries for enrollment, so students can attend from anywhere. Athletic eligibility, however, has rules that every school, public or private, must follow. So, if a kid from Lincoln enrolls at Dowling, he has a 90 day waiting period before participating in sports, just like everyone else. Unless he qualifies for an exemption, like the kids we are talking about did.

Hawkness - what do you think will happen with the Roosevelt transfers this week to Dowling?
 
Hawkness - what do you think will happen with the Roosevelt transfers this week to Dowling?
I don't have any information about them. But because Dowling has no boundaries to move into, I suspect they will have to sit out. They really don't have any grounds for an exemption.
 
I live in the ankeny area and I’ve come across a guy who I think it may be.. because no matter what he has to jab the hawkeyes.. and he isn’t quite there in the head

mans that’s messed up to take a message board and take it personal like he did.. and what point if he is putting your name out there and running your name through mud is there civil action

Roy - as I said, I don’t care about me. Trash me all you want. Say I am a POS and crappy lawyer all you want. Great. I will live fine. But stay away from my ex and kids. And it was worse until I brought it up here and my ex disconnected the house phone.
 
I don't have any information about them. But because Dowling has no boundaries to move into, I suspect they will have to sit out. They really don't have any grounds for an exemption.

That is fair. I know you and disagree on things but I do appreciate your thoughts and opinions. And I do agree with many of them BTW. Tomorrow will be an interesting day. I will say that.
 
This mess isn't just about the current situation. The IHSAA has been lazy
Roy - people wonder why I worry about that Twins. He knows my name and address and worse my ex and kids’ address. And the crap he has done is sick. He follows all my legal cases and if I don’t have a great result he posts like he did today. I took a “huge” amount of money and “in spite” made other kids Ineligible and it is “sickening” to him. And his little underling Brandon says I am just a “bad person.” Interesting as don’t know them but they are the ones tj


Roy - good point on Twins. And people were skeptical when I said he scares me as he and a couple of his psycho underlings have left a bunch of messages previously with my ex and kids. Calling me out to my ex and kids by my screaming my posting name with Hawks suck, “die Kujawa” etc. They know where I live and work but go after a 100 lbs female and 2 kids. He now follows my legal cases and posts crap about me. Including accusing me of taking a “huge” amount of money (not true), getting other kids ineligible (wasn’t me check the Register) and being a “sickening” person (well I try not to be). He is sick and his little buddy Brandon is psycho.

OK 23, who is this cy-twins person? Why does he have such a beef with you and the Iowa Hawkeyes? Sounds like he has a pretty miserable life if you ask me.
 
I don't have any information about them. But because Dowling has no boundaries to move into, I suspect they will have to sit out. They really don't have any grounds for an exemption.
Same rule for Dowling The only exemption they have is if they move out of the Des Moines School District and move into the West Des Moines School District where Dowling is located. It's in the rule:

(1) Upon contemporaneous change in parental residence, a student is immediately eligible if the student transfers to the new district of residence or to an accredited nonpublic member or associate member school located in the new school district of residence.
 
Same rule for Dowling The only exemption they have is if they move out of the Des Moines School District and move into the West Des Moines School District where Dowling is located. It's in the rule:

(1) Upon contemporaneous change in parental residence, a student is immediately eligible if the student transfers to the new district of residence or to an accredited nonpublic member or associate member school located in the new school district of residence.
Huh. I was not aware that Dowling was within the WDM school district. I suppose that was part of the reason they added "West Des Moines" to their name? Lol I'm dense sometimes.
 
Can I get the Cliff's notes version of this thread?

Arland Bruce declared ineligible for Ankeny day season started by IHSAA. They appealed and lost. Apparently they emailed the first decision and refused to email the appeal and mailed it instead.
Kid at Valley played two or three games then ruled ineligible.
Kid at Clear Creek Amana played two or three games then ruled ineligible.
I think one at SE Polk is playing and one is ineligible. Rumor is mother of kid playing is still in Illinois.
IHSAA looking like fools right now on many levels. Seem to have many "blind spots" in how they run things there.
There are other kids that transferred. Do they have proper paperwork? Did they follow rules? Did the districts follow rules? Did the IHSAA even check? Who knows.
 
Last edited:
So, was the court appeal hearing cancelled because Keating(sp) could not be there?
Any developments?
 
ADVERTISEMENT