LAYTON, Utah — Layton Christian Academy is home to about 550 students, more than half of whom are international. Hundreds of their international students compete in Utah high school sports.
"I was just looking for a better opportunity than in my country," said Brazilian student Otavio who plays on the school's basketball team.
"I feel like the biggest opportunity in Utah is getting offers from other colleges because I've been talking to other colleges and they want me to swim for them," said Turkish student Pinar. "America has always been my dream."
The way international students like Otavio and Pinar are allowed to compete at the varsity level in Utah high school sports could change as soon as next year. The Utah High School Activities Association has proposed increasing restrictions on F-1 visa students in high school sports.
"I felt welcomed here for almost two years; now I feel like they don't want us," said Layton Christian Academy student Nehir.
The UHSAA was prompted to look at its rules after seeing rules in surrounding states and hearing concerns like international recruiting. There is currently an ongoing investigation into alleged international recruiting practices by Layton Christian Academy and other schools.
"We're looking at all documentation. We're still waiting back for information from schools and individuals as we move forward," said UHSAA assistant director Brenan Jackson.
"We do not recruit to play sports — our kids pay tuition," said Layton Christian Academy's head of school, Chris Crowder, when asked by FOX 13 News if the school engaged in international recruiting.
Under the proposed bylaw, schools with F-1 visa players would have three choices:
- Go independent and create their own schedule
- Play varsity games with F-1 students, but give up the right to compete in the postseason
- Allow F-1 students to play sub-varsity, only local students would play on varsity teams and be able to compete in the postseason.
"This proposed bylaw to ban students from participating in Utah High School Activities Association with the other public schools would devastate our school," Crowder said. "Also, these international students that have come here, some of them for 2, 3, 4 years, and they just want to chase the American dream."
"I see there is a level of restrictions, but not a ban," Jackson said. "So the schools, instead of us telling them what they're going to do, the schools then have three options they can look at and choose what's best for them."
The proposed bylaw is still in the discussion phase. Jackson says it has to go through the Executive Committee for possible additions and/or subtractions then the Board of Trustees will meet May 1.
