Southern Section Votes to Eliminate Soccer Limit Rule

The Southern Section Council narrowly voted Thursday to comply with the California Interscholastic Federation by eliminating a controversial Southern Section rule that limited the number of high school soccer players who could compete on non-school-sponsored teams.

The council voted, 29-24, to bring the Southern Section back into compliance with CIF rule 600. The state rule stipulates that, in the sport of soccer only, it is permissible for students to compete in contests on outside teams.

Southern Section rule 272.1 limited to five the number of high school team members competing on the same outside team.

The Southern Section rule had been the center of controversy ever since it was passed three years ago. The rule was challenged in 1987 by the Brea Soccer Assn., which appealed to CIF Commissioner Tom Byrnes. Last January, the State Federated Council upheld Byrnes’ earlier ruling that rule 272.1 was out of compliance with the state.

Southern Section Council members were given four options for consideration before Thursday’s meeting: to comply with the ruling, to refuse to comply, to ask for a re-evaluation by the State Federated Council or to submit a rewritten version of rule 600 for state consideration and oppose the state executive committee.