📝 Calvin Ridley

[bama alum]

Tweet from Cecil Hurt:

Cecil Hurt @CecilHurt · 19h

UA commit. RT @sgorten: WR Calvin Ridley @ridley_calvin ineligible after 3rd wk of season due to age restriction, Monarch AD confirms.

 

[PhillyGirl]

He is really old for a senior in high school. Was he held back or something?

 

[psychojoe]

Jalston Fowler did not play his last year in high school for the same reason.

 

[BamaFan334]

How old is too old? I have never seen this issue come up before.

 

[PhillyGirl]

From AL.com-

"Ridley, a standout for Monarch High School, turns 19 years and 9 months after the third week of the season, according to the Sun-Sentinel. His date of birth is Dec. 20, 1994. In the state of Florida, students can't be older than that and play high school sports."

 

[alabama mike]

Ohio has an age limit for athletics as well.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I assume he had to repeat a year or something, given that high age for 12th grade?

 

[UAgrad93]

Once a student reaches the age of 19yrs 9 months, he or she is ruled ineligible. Chances are, Ridley was held back early in elementary school. Some families elect to hold their kids back due to their birthday. Spring and Summer birthdays are the most common. My son has a May birthday and we chose to hold him back a year at kindergarten. I didn't like the idea of him turning 18 in May then off to college in June. Now, he will turn 19 in May and then go to BAMA in June, a year older and wiser. I did it for maturity purposes. Some do it for athletic purposes only.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Ah, totally forgot about being held back. I was an October birthday, so it was never an issue for me. I think I would prefer to hold back as well, if I had a kid with a summer birthday, for maturity purposes.

It's a bummer Ridley won't get more time in games though.

 

[BamaFan334]

Wonder if he could double up in classes and enroll early? Sounds dumb considering he was held back, but I have heard of plenty of people getting held back early in school and coming out to be in the Top 5% of their class.

 

[UAgrad93]

I think he is scheduled to be an early enrollee if I'm not mistaken.

 

[psychojoe]

I graduated from high school with a guy who was a pretty good player but could not play his last year on account of the age 19 rule. He was never held back, but he suffered a severely broken leg when he was about ten years (auto accident) old and did not go to school that year. Not always for academic reasons or maturity reASONS.