'Nothing is automatic': No clear path to AIA football eligibility for former Saguaro players

Scottsdale Saguaro has lost more than 20 football players since capturing the 6A title after an injury-plagued 2023 season.

But will all of those transfers be eligible starting Game 1?

Not quite.

They have to go through a hardship process through the Arizona Interscholastic Association with the deadline to submit a hardship being Aug. 6.

The AIA hardship committee will hear the hardships the following week.

Earlier this week, Javier Olivas, father of former Saguaro safety Zeth Thues, told The Arizona Republic that his son is expected to be eligible for Game 1 to play for defending Open state champion Peoria Liberty, after being told by Saguaro Athletic Director Matt Harris that he wouldn't get in the way of those transferring before Jan. 16.

But David Hines, executive director of the AIA, told The Republic on Friday that no hardships from Saguaro have been received nor considered at this time.

"Decisions will be determined when the hardship process begins in a couple of weeks," Hines said.

Football hardships are being heard Aug. 13-14, while the rest of the fall sports transfer hardships will be heard the following week, Hines said.

This has been one of the biggest offseasons for Arizona high school football transfers, basically turning the AIA into a transfer portal. But unlike the NCAA, transfers have to go through a process before they can be approved to play at the start of a season.

It's not just Saguaro losing players. Other schools have lost key players, including Glendale Cactus with wide receiver/defensive back Nikko Boncore and offensive lineman Jesus Diaz III both transferring to Open runner-up Peoria Centennial.

Hines said there are fast-track transfers and the traditional continue-on-to-the-committee hardship, but there needs to be a process for all transfers.

"Nothing has been approved," Hines said of the Saguaro players who transferred out.

Read more: Arizona high school sports culture influenced by transfers, promise of college NIL deals

Those who don't go through an appeal must sit the first five games before becoming eligible if this was their first time transferring. If it's a second transfer, the athlete would have to sit a full calendar year if he or she doesn't win a hardship appeal from the AIA.

Hines said there can be some circumstances for a hardship.

"Here's an example," Hines said. "If they say, 'My son or daughter needs special attention, academically.' The school might say, 'We don't have the capability to do that.' If a kid transfers to the school, the administration can say, 'We tried to work through the problem and unfortunately we're not able to do that.' They can say, 'It's beyond our control.' We would approve the transfer.

"What's kind of a misconception is that an administrator goes, 'I approve it,' and the receiving school says, 'Yeah, if you approve it and we approve it, it's automatic.'

"Nothing is automatic. If something like that comes through, it is reviewed by our office and determined, 'Is it really a hardship, or does it need to go to a committee?' Just because a fast track is put in, it's not an automatic that they're eligible.' It's just part of a process."

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Nothing is automatic': No clear path to AIA football eligibility for former Saguaro players