Jenks High School Senior Sues OSSAA Over Sports Eligibility

A Jenks High School senior is suing the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) over its decision to bar him from playing football and running track this year.

The lawsuit, filed by Kayleb Barnett, alleges that Barnett moved from his mother’s house in Broken Arrow to his father’s house in the Jenks school district earlier this year.

Barnett subsequently applied for an OSSAA waiver in May to exempt him from the rule requiring student-athletes to sit out a year after transferring.

The waiver request was denied because the OSSAA claimed Jenks recruited Barnett to join the Trojans.

Barnett says that his parents were never married and he had always planned to live with his dad his senior year. He moved to Jenks in May.

"He is having his future jeopardized because somebody at the OSSAA feels that perhaps there is an indication that he was recruited to come play at Jenks," said Tadd Bogan with Jones Gotcher & Bogan.

He argues that the OSSAA’s decision puts him at risk of losing potential college scholarships.

The OSSAA spokesperson said the association cannot comment on active litigation.