JACKSON, Wis. — A group of international students in Jackson are being denied the opportunity to play the sport they love.
Living Word Lutheran High School's soccer coach and international student guardian Oswald Bwechwa Jr. emailed TMJ4 News and said he believes the athletes are being treated unfairly by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, known as the WIAA.
"It kind of hurts me because it's my last year and soccer is kind of everything to us," Junior Omary said. "I feel so upset and frustrated about it because it's my last year of a high school season and I don't get to play."
Omary and three of his fellow international teammates said the denial has an impact beyond the soccer field.
The four athletes moved to Wisconsin from Tanzania in 2022.
"We should look to help each other not to push down people," Jamal Kilimila said. "Everybody should look to help each other."
Bwechwa Jr. said the WIAA denied their eligibility after they transferred to Living Word Lutheran High School in Jackson this year from a different school in Wisconsin where they felt unsafe.
"Them not playing is not good for their moral, confidence and identity as a person," he said. "You're taking away from them. As a youth governing body in high school, your job should be about helping kids play, not finding reasons not for them to play."
Bwechwa Jr. would not say what school they came from, just that the kids felt unsafe. He also said he has contacted a lawyer to file an injunction against the WIAA.
"It can be very harmful in their personal lives," he said. "I'm frustrated for them, sad for them and also just confused. I feel as their guardian here in America I feel like I'm failing them."
Watch: International students in Jackson denied eligibility to play soccer by WIAA
The student athletes have already missed eight games this season. They said they just want to finish out their high school careers playing the sport they love.
"I don't know how I'm going to get to college if coaches aren't able to see me," Kilimila said. "I'm in high school because of scholarship and I want to get scholarships to college too."
The WIAA sent the following statement to TMJ4 News:
We request all inquiries for comments regarding the Living Word Lutheran coach's comments be directed to school administration. As a matter of policy, the WIAA does not release or make statements on confidential student eligibility situations with entities other than the respective member school.
Living Word Lutheran High School's administration also declined to comment.
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