Hersey High School Wrestling Coach Joseph Rupslauk and his staff have been fired following an investigation scrutinizing residency eligibility issues and recruiting practices by the only District 214 public high school located in Arlington Heights.
News of an investigation broke in December 2025, but initially details of the investigation not provided.
After the investigation, High School District 214 self-reported the findings to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
High School District 214 conducted an internal review related to the John Hersey High School boys wrestling program and self-reported concerns to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
As part of that review, the district identified residency eligibility issues and determined that several students do not reside within the attendance boundaries of John Hersey High School. Families directly affected by those determinations have been notified, and the district continues to work closely with the IHSA on this matter. In connection with this work, the district is reviewing its internal processes and procedures related to residency verification and will continue that work throughout the remainder of the school year to strengthen oversight and reduce the risk of similar issues in the future.
The district also identified concerns related to potential recruiting practices and in-season training activities outside of the school program. Those concerns were included in the district’s self-report to the IHSA and remain under review.
The coaching staff previously placed on administrative leave has been formally relieved of their coaching duties. The season will continue under interim leadership, and the district has begun planning for the program’s future.
Because this matter involves student eligibility and personnel issues and remains under review with the IHSA, the district will not comment further at this time.
— Statement from High School District 214
According to IHSA By-laws, proof that a student and his/her parents have moved to a new school district and are living there
full time requires the following evidence.
Documents requested by the Executive Director, including but not limited to some or all of the following:
a lease or rental contract,
closing documents,
recorded title, affidavit of parent and student,
documentation from the principals of the respective schools involved,
telephone/utility and post office records, and such other evidence as may be deemed necessary by the Executive
Director in a particular situation to enable the Executive Director to verify the facts.
Schools requesting an eligibility ruling that provide such documents and information shall be subject to penalty if the information provided is found to be false.
Here are the IHSA rules regarding transfers …
3.3040 TRANSFER
The eligibility of a student who transfers attendance from one high school to another high school is subject to the following Sections 3.041-3.047 and their sub-sections. Such student must additionally be in compliance with the applicable residency provisions of By- laws 3.031-3.034 and their respective sub-sections after the transfer. Except as provided in Section 6.010 of these by-laws, a student who does not comply with the applicable provisions of Sections 3.041-3.047 ofthese by-laws and theirsub-sectionsshall be ineligible for a period not to exceed 365 days.
3.041 In all transfer cases, both the principal of the school from which the student transfers and the school to which the student transfers must approve of the transfer and execute a form provided by the IHSA Office. This form is to be initiated and signed by the principal of the school to which the student transfers and provided to the principal of the school from which the student transfers for signature by that principal. The concurrence of the principals accepting a transfer shall not be determinative of eligibility or binding on the Executive Director and/or the Board of Directors who shall have the discretion to investigate the accuracy of such conclusion and to override the acceptance of a transfer if evidence of violation or avoidance of non- compliance with any by-law, or recruiting in connection with the transfer is found. A student is not eligible to participate in an interscholastic contest until the transfer form, fully executed by both principals, is on file in the offices of the school to which the student transfers.
3.042 After the official start date of an IHSA sport season for the current school year, if a student changes attendance from that high school to another high school, the student shall be ineligible for the remainder of the school year in any sport in which he/she participated or was participating in a practice or interscholastic contest in the current school year at the school from which the transfer occurs; or Once classes begin in a school for the current school year, if a student changes attendance from that high school to another high school, the student shall be ineligible for a period of thirty days, commencing on the first day of attendance at the new high school, in any sport in which he/she was not participating or had not participated during the current school year at the school from which the student transferred.
3.043 In addition, a student who transfers attendance from one highschoolto anotherhigh school pursuant tothese by-laws,shall be ineligible unless:
3043.1 The student transfers attendance in conjunction with a change in residence by both the student and his or her parents,
custodial parent, surviving parent (in the case of a student with one deceased parent), or guardian from one public high
school district to a different public high school district; or
3.043.2 The student transfers attendance from one public high school in a school district which supports two (2) or more public high
schools to another public high school in that school district, and the transfer is in conjunction with a change in residence by
both the student and his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent, or guardian to a residence within the boundaries
established by the governing board of the school district for the high school to which the student transfers; or
3.043.3 In the event the student transfers attendance from any high school to any other high school, and the transfer is not in
conjunction with a change in residence by both the student and his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent, or
guardian to a residence outside the boundaries of the public school district attendance area the family originally resided in,
the Executive Directormay grant eligibility based on documentation thatthe transfermet one of the following conditions:
• The student is enrolling for the first time in the student’s home public member high school with boundaries;
• Change in family’s financial position;
• Extenuating circumstances documented by the sending school’s principal or official representative;
• Limited eligibility may be granted when the student transfers schools prior to the beginning of the student’s Junior year.
3.043.4 The student, who is a child of divorced or legally separated parents, transfers attendance from one high school to another in
conjunction with a change in legal custody between the parents by action of a judge of a court of proper jurisdiction, and a
change in the student’s residence from the former custodial parent to the parent to whom custody has been awarded by the
court, provided that a copy of the petition and the court order so changing custody is on file with the principal of the high
school to which the student transfers.
3.044 The student, who (a) is an orphan; (b) is a child of divorced, legally separated, or unmarried parents with respect to whom there has not been a change in custody ordered by a court of proper jurisdiction; or (c) is a ward of the state who transfers attendance from one high school to another high school, shall be subject to the eligibility provisions of Sections 3.043.1-3.043.3 as if the student resided with his/her parent(s), provided that following the transfer, the student continues to reside with the same family, foster family, group home or other unit or entity after the transfer as prior to and at the time of the transfer.
3.045 In the case of a student who transfers attendance from one high school to another in conjunction with the adoption of the student
after the student has entered high school for the first time, or a change in guardianship of the student by order of a court of proper
jurisdiction, the student shall be ineligible pending a ruling by the Executive Director. In such cases, the Executive Director may grant eligibility only if it is determined, after investigation, that the circumstances giving rise to the change of guardianship or adoption and the transfer were completely beyond the control of all of the following:
(1) the student
(2) the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s)
(3) the schools to and from which the student transferred.
Any action, inaction, or voluntary or self-initiated decision of the student, parent/guardian or the school to or from which the student
transfers, or any one or more of them, which results in, affects, causes or pertains to the transfer shall not be considered to be
“circumstances completely beyond the control.” The studentmay practice, butshallnot participate inan interscholastic athletic contest
until a ruling on the student’s eligibility has been made by the Executive Director.
3.046 In all other circumstances involving a transfer, the student shall be ineligible pending a ruling by the Executive Director. In such cases, the Executive Director may grant eligibility if it is determined after investigation that the circumstances giving rise to the transfer were completely beyond the control of all of the following:
(1) the student
(2) the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s)
(3) the schools to and from which the student transferred.
Any action, inaction, or decision of the student, parent/guardian or the school to or from which the student transfers, or any one
or more of them, which results in, affects, causes or pertains to the transfer shall not be considered to be “circumstances completely
beyond the control.” The student may practice, but shall not participate in an interscholastic athletic contest until a ruling on the
student’s eligibility has been made by the Executive Director.
3.047 The member school to which a student transfers shall enforce any period of ineligibility imposed or that would have been imposed
upon the student by the school from which the student is transferring, even if the student is otherwise eligible under these by-laws.
The period of ineligibility at the school to which the student transfers shall be the remaining duration of the period of ineligibility imposed or that would have been imposed had the student not transferred, but not longer than 365 days after the date of the transfer, whichever is less.
