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| Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (Photo: Gene Simmons/Ohsfbmedia.com file) |
MASSILLON, Ohio — Parents of five Massillon football players and one adult player decided to take legal action by filing a "Declaratory judgment injunction and equitable relief" to fight back against the Ohio High School Athletic Association's decision that made those players ineligible based on bylaw 4-7-2 Exception 1, based on what the court documents show.
Out of the six players on the team, five are under 18 years old while one player has reached adulthood.
According to the complaint filed in Stark County Common Pleas Court, the players "moved to build better lives" and also stated that some moved for safety, some needed more space, some sought greater stability, a better home, or to be closer to family.
Those six players desire to continue to participate in the school's extracurricular activity of interscholastic football, as all are students and residents of Massillon City School District, as listed in the complaint.
An affected transfer student becomes ineligible beginning with game 6 unless an applicable exception or other relief applies.
Leading up to game six of the high school football season, Massillon Washington High School requested to work with the OHSAA; each of the plaintiffs, over the course of weeks and even months, submitted the requested paperwork to confirm to the OHSAA that the reason the families moved to Massillon was to build better lives.
The OHSAA has adopted regulations by which it claims that it will not try to restrict or interfere with a transfer student-athlete's participation in a sport if the student-athlete's move to the jurisdiction of a new school is what OHSAA considers a "bona fide" move. The "bona fide" move rule is referred to by OHSAA as Bylaw 4-7-2, Exception 1.
The OHSAA denied or did not approve the Bylaw 4-7-2 Exception 1 request, according to the complaint.
Stark County Common Pleas Judge Chryssa Hartnett granted the injunction/temporary restraining order on behalf of the six players to continue to participate in football, with a preliminary injunction hearing on October 6, 2026.
That information was forwarded to the Ohio High School Athletic Association to Kristin Ronai, Associate Executive Director, and Executive Director of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Doug Ute.
The six plaintiffs are represented by Leondias Plakas of Plakas & Mannos law firm.
The six athletes were eligible to participate in their September 25 matchup against Canada North. Their scheduled October 2 game with Farrel PA has been postponed following Farrel's report of player injuries, with a ruling expected on Tuesday, October 6, ahead of their upcoming contest against Cornerstone Christian (TX).
Ohsfbmedia.com did not reach out to the plaintiffs or defendants for comments.
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