Five-star Texas commit John Meredith III will not be eligible to play varsity athletics at North Crowley after the UIL State Executive Committee denied his appeal Thursday.
The committee voted 3-2 to uphold a previous District 11-6A Executive Committee ruling that Meredith’s transfer from Euless Trinity to North Crowley was for athletic purposes.
Meredith transferred to North Crowley in January. The local district executive committee later ruled him ineligible by a 5-2 vote. Meredith and North Crowley appealed that decision to the UIL State Executive Committee, but Thursday’s ruling keeps the local decision in place.
Meredith remains eligible to play varsity athletics at Euless Trinity, his former school. The ruling does not prevent him from attending North Crowley, but it does prevent him from competing in varsity athletics there under UIL transfer rules.
The case did not center on Meredith’s residency status. According to testimony during the hearing, his mother, Chastity Parks, is a peace officer, and UIL rules include specific exceptions to the standard parent residence requirement for children of peace officers in certain situations.
The question before the committee was whether Meredith’s move to North Crowley was made for athletic purposes.
Parks argued the transfer was based on family circumstances, a shorter commute, and Meredith’s connection to the Crowley community. She said the commute to Euless Trinity had become difficult and was affecting his sleep and academics.
She also said North Crowley felt like home because Meredith had grown up around the Crowley area before his father died in 2021. Parks said the family considered returning to Trinity but ultimately believed North Crowley was the best option for Meredith.
Euless Trinity head coach Aaron Lineweaver had marked on Meredith’s Previous Athletic Participation Form that he believed the move was for athletic purposes. During the hearing, questions were raised about why Meredith chose North Crowley instead of other schools closer to the family’s new residence.
North Crowley head coach DeMarcus Harris supported Meredith’s eligibility appeal and argued there was no clear evidence that the transfer was athletically motivated. Meredith’s representatives also questioned the basis for the athletic-purposes designation.
Meredith is one of the top recruits in the country for the 2027 class. He is committed to Texas and is considered one of the nation’s top defensive backs. He earned major recognition as a junior at Euless Trinity and was selected for the Under Armour All-American Game.
North Crowley won the Class 6A Division I state championship in 2024 and went 12-2 last season. The Panthers were expected to be one of the top contenders in Texas again this fall.
