Zachary Wargo is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Phoenix Christian for AZPreps365.com.

Mateo Massocco is a senior who attends Phoenix Christian and is a foreign exchange student from Italy. He plays soccer and basketball in Italy and felt disappointed when he found out that he wasn't allowed to play varsity sports at the school due to an Arizona Interscholastic Association rule. He wanted to play basketball and soccer in his last year of high school.

Phoenix Christian has helped Massocco gain a quality education and he said has enjoyed his experience so far at the school, but he wishes he could play sports.

“Basketball for me is not just a sport, it’s a place where you can play with your friends and with a real team,” Massocco said. “Now that I can’t play basketball here at Phoenix Christian, it’s a bit frustrating since I can still practice and support my teammates, but I can’t play.”

The AIA established the rule that foreign exchange students are unable to compete in varsity sports and aren’t allowed to play junior varsity as seniors.

A spokesperson for the AIA estimated the rule has been in place for at least 15 years, most likely up to 20 years. 

At Phoenix Christian, the school is proud of its diverse student population. It offers foreign exchange students the opportunity to gain an education in an attempt to go onto college to obtain a degree.

“Right now, we are carrying 20 international students, and in years past we have been as high as 30 students,” Phoenix Christian athletic director Dan Fort said. “They add flavor to the school, I just wish they could add flavor to the athletic program.”

The school believes that it would be beneficial to have foreign exchange students playing sports at Phoenix Christian, and it would allow more junior varsity teams to play in and around the Valley.

Fort would love to have foreign exchange student-athletes be able to compete, not just at Phoenix Christian but around the state. It would boost participation numbers and help students become more involved.

Fort, who is also the head football coach, has had about five foreign exchange students approach him in the past year about playing football, with another seven students asking about playing soccer at Phoenix Christian.

Boys basketball head coach and assistant athletic director Ben Stryczek had the same problems of turning away foreign exchange student basketball players due to the AIA rule.

“I have had two seniors that are from Italy and that I have met here at Phoenix Christian, as they were extremely disappointed that they were not allowed to try out for the team.” He said.

Phoenix Christian ranks second in being the most diverse private school in Arizona according to Niche, which is a company that ranks and reviews schools and colleges across the country.

Fort said Phoenix Christian is a diverse school. According to Niche the school has demographics of 68% of students being white, 12% black, 10% Hispanic students, and 9% being of Asian or multicultural descent.

“I love that we have such a diverse basketball team which is one of many reasons why I wanted to coach at Phoenix Christian,” Stryczek said.

The school prides itself in having many students come from diverse backgrounds, but athletics is one aspect where Phoenix Christian could take advantage of its roster if not for an AIA rule to show more diversity.

“There are people who work at this level that love our students, and when you do that, you’re going to start letting people know they’re accepted for who they are,” Fort said.