Battle continues over eligibility for exchange student

When Tommy Calle arrived in St. Augustine from Ecuador last summer as part of Rotary Youth Exchange, his mission was to learn American culture and play tennis.

His athletic plans hit a snag, but those involved in the process are hopeful change could be coming.

Calle became the latest member of the exchange program to experience eligibility issues and has not stepped foot on a court as part of the Yellow Jackets' team for a real match. The Florida High School Athletic Association declared him ineligible this year. The association ruled Calle's four-year window of eligibility, which starts when a student enters ninth grade for the first time, had already been exhausted.

Jerry Cameron, assistant county administrator for community services, serves as a Rotary Youth Exchange Officer for the St. Augustine Rotary Club. He insists the discrepancies that exist between school systems in the U.S. and other countries, such as Ecuador, have presented unnecessary issues when dealing with the FHSAA for many years.

His hope is a better understanding can be reached between the athletic governing body and exchange programs in the country.

"When you're 17 or 18 years old, this is a big deal, going away from home to achieve some personal goal," Cameron said. "The way they are handling this situation is seriously antagonistic to their mission and purpose."

Cameron contends the issue is how Ecuador's education system is labeled compared to that in the U.S. In a comparison chart he sent to the FHSAA, he listed Ecuador's school system running from grades one through 13 whereas the U.S. goes kindergarten through 12.

Therefore, Grade Nine in Ecuador would be equivalent to Grade Eight in the U.S., and Calle would remain eligible to compete athletically though the 2014-15 school year.

The FHSAA did not initially budge on its decision. Michael Colby, director of eligibility, said: "This student is being treated like every other student." However, the FHSAA has agreed to waive its appeal deadline and meet with Calle to go over his case next week. Cameron also expects a meeting between the FHSAA and Rotary Youth Exchange to "pave the way for better relations" moving forward.

Clearing the way

"It's just way too complicated for these kids who want to come over and have the great American experience," said Daphne Cameron, who has been involved in the exchange program for the past eight years and serves as Calle's district counselor. "For eight years it's been a difficulty and a challenge to deal with the Florida High School Athletic Association. … This year it's Tommy who isn't able to play, but every year there is somebody."

Calle, who lives with a host family and turned 18 in January, took tennis lessons during the fall and winter to be better prepared to play for the school when spring rolled around. Instead, he has not been given the opportunity.

"I was so mad because I went two weeks straight to the practices because I really wanted to play," Calle said. "My goal even before I came here was to play tennis and wear the colors of the school, and they tell me, 'No, I'm sorry. You can't play.' I was pretty sad."

Daphne Cameron has fought similar battles unsuccessfully over the years. She said an exchange student from Netherlands named Max was hoping to play soccer but was also turned away in the past. Conversely, she has seen exchange students be cleared to compete, but she has not been able to identify the deciding factors in these decisions.

This time, she wants a clearer understanding.

For Tommy now, and for others who are yet to come.

"When [other exchange students] come to play St. Augustine High School, he has to watch his exchange friends come and play tennis at his own school, and he has to just sit on the side and watch them," she said. "That's just not right."