I heard recently that a bill could be filed soon, and may already be filed by the time this newspaper hits shelves, that would seek to simplify the process for high school athletes who are transferring from one school to another.
Now, this is a topic that I have hesitated to columnize on in recent years, simply because it is so emotionally charged.
Most folks seem to feel that there is generally too much transferring going on in high school these days. That being said, I think that many people will agree with that sentiment right up until they feel that THEIR child should transfer for one reason or another. Then it’s different. And if anyone criticizes that decision in any way? Well, things can get ugly pretty quick.
So, let me just say right up front that it is not my intention to single anyone out with this column. Everyone’s situation is different, and I am well aware that circumstances often dictate that a transfer from one school to another is necessary. It may be a change in residence, it could be a legit educational opportunity, or it could be a personal matter that is frankly nobody else’s business. Whatever the case, I understand that just because a kid starts out in one school system, it doesn’t mean that he or she should have to stay in that same system until they graduate.
Transferring from one school to another is perfectly legal, and generally speaking, I do not have a problem with it.
The problem that I do have is, based on what I have seen, not all transfers are handled equally.
Let’s be real… We know that many transfers happen specifically for the purpose of a student-athlete being able to play on one team or another. We’ve all seen it. If things don’t work out here, then we’ll try over there. If they don’t work out there, then we’ll go on to the next. Personally, I think that the priorities are just a little out of whack in the vast majority of these cases, but that is just one man’s opinion. Take it with a grain of salt, as they say.
The fact is, whether anyone agrees with it or not, we live in a free country. If a student’s family decides that it is truly in his or her best interests to enroll in another school, or multiple schools, then that is their choice and nobody else’s. BUT, and this is the main point that I am trying to get across, the process should be the same for everyone. All the time.
I have personally seen a student-athlete start a season with one team, and finish that same season with another. Meanwhile, I have seen instances of a player having to sit out nearly an entire season because they moved to another school district during an offseason period.
I am no expert in the rules that are set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and enforced by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), but I am able to look at what is going on around me and see that, clearly, not all transfer situations are being handled equally.
I won’t go into why I think this is the case (you can come up with your own theories there), but I will say that I would one hundred percent be in favor any proposed legislation that would help to make this problem more manageable for everyone.
As I write these words no bills have been filed in Frankfort, but if what I was told does come to fruition, there is a possibility that legislators could vote during this session to allow student-athletes one “free” transfer. This means that, if a transfer is desired, and all other aspects of the move are deemed legal, then they get to just… go. No big review process, no need for any additional detective work by KHSAA officials, and no drawn-out ugliness between families and administrators at the school(s).
Perhaps I am oversimplifying this to a certain degree (I almost certainly am), but just for the sake of argument, let’s at least consider the possibility. I really do think it would be a great idea to implement something like this, as it seems to me that it would take a whole lot of pressure and worry off of everyone involved. It makes more sense to look into things at a deeper level if a student is attempting to transfer multiple times. In that case, yes, we probably need to do some extra leg work to ensure that nothing fishy or potentially harmful to the student is going on. But outside of that? I say let’s make it as easy as possible for guys and girls to make a move ONCE. If it is truly what needs to happen for the student to find happiness and success, then make absolutely sure that it’s what everyone wants and just go on ahead to greener pastures. Best of luck!
I will likely write more about this topic at a later date, especially if this bill gets filed in the General Assembly. In the meantime, I wanted to go ahead and at least introduce the concept and explore some of the possibilities for how it might help. In a perfect world, there would not need to be as much discussion about transfers at the high school level. We do not live in a perfect world, though, and the unfortunate truth is that concepts like NIL money deals and transfer portals in college usually just end up trickling down in some form or fashion to the high school ranks. It only serves to complicate things in my opinion, but again… take that with a grain of salt.
Some things change for the better, and some change for the worse. The one guarantee is that they will continue to change, so stay tuned and we will see where we go from here.
