I often get the question from parents of homeschooled students, “how can my son play sports if I homeschool him? He’s a great athlete but if he doesn’t go to the local public school, what opportunities does he have?” Great question, and the answer used to be, “not many options,” but recently this has begun to change.
There is always the option of playing for a city or county Parks & Rec team, or the local YMCA or fitness club, but for those students who want to test their mettle at the top level, they need to compete against the best, and that generally, is the public and/or private schools. Many states are now allowing students to try out for their local public school teams, and since their parents are paying taxes, the same as everyone else, it’s only fair they get the same opportunity as other “traditional” students.
Tim Tebow is a notable former homeschooled student. Since winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Florida Gators to the NCAA national championship in college football last season, he has done more to help the home school cause of inclusivity than anyone in recent memory. Recently, several states have brought forth bills to allow homeschoolers to play on their local public school teams. These bills have been nicknamed “Tebow Bills.”
Here’s a great article on sports and homeschooling Tim Tebow a shining example for homeschooled athletes.
Home School College Counselor 