NJSIAA Rules Barnegat Pitcher Jason Groome Ineligible

BARNEGAT, NJ -- Barnegat Township High School pitcher Jason Groome has been ruled ineligible under the NJSIAA's transfer rules and must sit out for 30 days, according to a statement from the school district.

Groome, who has received national attention for his pitching and is anticipated to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft, has been pitching for the Bengals this season after moving back to Barnegat after spending a year in Florida.

In a statement, Barnegat Township School District officials said the team also will forfeit its first two wins of the season -- which include a 19-strikeout no-hitter that Groome pitched against Central Regional last week.

Groome attended IMG Academy in Florida last year. But his parents maintained their home in Barnegat. Under NJSIAA rules, a student-athlete must sit out for 30 days when they transfer from one secondary school to another without "a bona fide change of residence by that student's parent or guardian," according to the association.

The ruling comes less than two days before Groome was expected to be the marquee attraction at the Strike Out Autism Challenge. The event, being played at several high schools around Monmouth and Ocean counties, was to culminate Saturday evening at Count Basie Field in Red Bank, where Groome and the Bengals were to face off with Red Bank Catholic. The game was expected to draw thousands of spectators to see Groome pitch.

Barnegat school officials accepted responsibility for Groome's participation but in a statement noted Groome "could have chosen to play for any varsity high school baseball program in the United States. He chose Barnegat because his family and friends are here. We stand behind Jay, our team, coaches and administration."

NJSIAA spokesman Mike Cherenson said the ruling cannot be appealed.

“While NJSIAA will not comment on specific circumstances related to a particular student athlete, the association’s rules clearly state that a student-athlete transferring from one secondary school to another must provide evidence of a bona fide change of residence as defined by NJSIAA rules," he said in a statement. Otherwise, that student will be deemed ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletic competition for 30 calendar days or half of the maximum number of games allowed in that sport by NJSIAA rules. Further, if it is determined that an ineligible player participated in regular season games, those games must be forfeited. Neither ruling is open to appeal.”

The full statement from Barnegat school district officials follows:

"The Barnegat Township school district was recently notified by the NJSIAA that they received inquiries regarding the residency eligibility status of Jason Groome.

The manual states: "A student-athlete in grades 10, 11, or 12 transferring from one secondary school to another without a bona fide change of residence by that student's parent or guardian, shall be ineligible to participate for a period of thirty calendar days or half the maximum games."

The intent of this rule was to prohibit secondary schools from recruiting student athletes and for student athletes to remain in their home-town or to attend the schools where their residence is located. The Barnegat Township School District does not feel the rule should apply in an instance when a student athlete returns to his home town, where his parents have residence and are taxpayers.

Upon leaving the IMG Academy in Florida, Jason Groome could have chosen to play for any varsity High School baseball program in the United States. He chose Barnegat because his family and friends are here. We stand behind Jay, our team, coaches and administration.

The district is, however prepared to accept the sanctions imposed by the NJSIAA as well as voluntarily forfeit the first two wins of our baseball season. Sanctions include that Groome must be deemed ineligible to participate for thirty days or half of the maximum games.

The school district recognizes our misinterpretation of the NJSIAA residency rule and apologies go out to the team, the players, the coaches, and the families of Barnegat High School baseball as well as our community. We anticipate Jason Groome's ineligibility sanctions to be lifted in late April when the Barnegat High School baseball team will have completed half of their maximum games."

CLICK HERE FOR NJSIAA TRANSFER RULE (http://goo.gl/2EXQV1) – SEE PAGE 46