A lot of positives in high school transfers
By David Purdum / For the AJC
After covering high school athletics for more than a decade, including the last seven years in Georgia, I’ve come to the realization that I’m pro-transfer.
If a parent believes their son or daughter has a better opportunity to earn a scholarship if they attend another program, I say move. Make it a bona fide one, like the Georgia High School Association requires, of course, but I can’t criticize anyone for doing what they believe is in the best interest of their child.
Financially, with the skyrocketing cost of college tuition, it’s cheaper to move in most cases. Plus, it’s tough to put a value on providing your child with a better shot at making it to the next level. If that’s not the No. 1 goal of high school sports, what is?
More than 6,000 Georgia high school student-athletes transferred and applied to play varsity sports immediately at their new school in 2010-2011.
Gary Phillips, assistant executive director for the GHSA, said his office has been reviewing more than 20 transfer applications a day as the school year kicks off. An estimated 20 percent have to be returned to the schools for further information, Phillips said. GHSA executive director Dr. Ralph Swearngin, along with Phillips, have decades of experience and have taken steps to make the review process as efficient as possible. But do the math: With more than 6,000 applications—and more than 1,000 requiring a second review—time spent on each transfer request is very limited at best.
In addition, Phillips has to deal with an increased number of complaints about coaches “recruiting” players from other schools at this time of year. I’ve heard rumors of coaches popping in at a Dairy Queen, for example, that happens to be an after-school hangout for players from a near-by team. In Louisiana, I’ve seen coaches from a feeder system to a powerful private school lined up at Pop Warner games. But I don’t think coach-to-player recruiting is as rampant as some believe. The majority of coaches I’ve spoken say players interested in transferring come to them, not the other way around.
“Most of the recruiting complaints don’t play out,” Phillips said. “People always like to come to us with rumors instead of proof. In most cases, it’s parent-to-parent communication when it comes to transfers.”
Phillips said the most common argument from those who oppose transfers is the rich getting richer, making it hard for schools to catch up. Meanwhile, schools are using resources to hire private investigators to look into the legitimacy of out-going transfers. What would happen if a program re-allocated those funds and spent them on making their own program more attractive to players?
In the end, transfers will remain a polarizing topic, one that I will be covering throughout the football season. If you have story tips or concerns, please email me at dpurdum@ajc.com.
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20 comments Add your comment
Max Sizemore
August 21st, 2012
8:18 am
I would think that the goal of participating in high school athletics is camaraderie, fun, learning to cope with difficulty and other life lessons, and a number of other things. Reaching the “next level” might be, uh, last on the list.
AJC
August 21st, 2012
8:55 am
@Max Sizemore: Those are definitely benefits of high school athletics, but feel like ultimate goal is still to get the kids, who have the ability, to the next level.
Hardhat
August 21st, 2012
8:58 am
@David Purdum you have got to be kidding. Do you really think Phillps believes what he is saying? The reason he goes along with this transfer request is no funds to really look into these cases. Yes it is parent to parent or players but sent on the coaches behalf. Transfers=Recruiting
Just a heads up Pop Warner is not a feeder school so private school coaches are allowed and there are many public school coaches too. Go to say 8th grade Dekalb feeder games and watch coaches talk to kids not in their feeder system. It gets to the kids as well as their parents they are convinced if they leave that feeder school team and come across the county to play high school they will play in the NFL.
This year we see cases of 4 schools in 4 years. That kid has the means to move or somebody helps him out with it. He probably gets a scholarship and does well because he has a talent level of lets say a 9. But when he transfers in for his senior year he is placed in front of 2 or 3 kids competing for a spot and they are a 7 talent level and have been busting their butts for 3 years. How fair is that?What about their chances of a scholarshipto those 3 kids? Guess you didn’t think of them. Still Pro-Transfer? What about the school the kid left in his 3rd year and took reps and playing time from kids there? Will they reach their potential? Yes it is that coaches fault for selling out for a year.His players now did not reach where they could of and they lost a chance of a scholarship due to a greedy coach. Lets face it the coach has a job and many years in which to suceed but the kids in high school only have 4 years to shine and get that scholarship. Transfers only help that player who probably was going to get a scholarship anywa y and that coach while it leaves a ripple effect that hurts more players than it helps.
My idea is if you are not in by your sophmore year you shouldn’t be able to transfer unless you sit a year. Now something to be said for if your coach leaves you should be able to leave too but GSHA has a rule that you can not follow him. Hate to see a pure passer get stuck in a wishbone but someday there has to be a transfer rule and one that most people can agree on.
David Purdum
August 21st, 2012
9:12 am
@Hardhat: Lot of good points. Disagree that transfers only help the player that was already going to get scholarship. Lots of kids may be buried on depth chart/in coach’s doghouse; they move and get a better shot. Age limits in different states also make transferring beneficial in some cases.
Also, know Pop Warner is not feeder system of private school program. The coaches who attended the game were from a La. powerwhouse Simply using it as an example of the recruiting that goes on — which I really don’t have a problem with.
Hate to see a kid who’s put in the time lose his spot to a transfer, but if a joins a company and is better at his job than me, he’s going to get promoted ahead of me, despite my seniority.
Good post. Appreciate the feedback and look forward to covering the issue further throughout the season.
Hardhat
August 21st, 2012
10:37 am
I understand the age thing as a legit reason but how will they keep up in school being from Alabama? Just kidding never miss a chance to dog the state of Alabama. I guess we agree to disagree. The job thing not a good analogy because this is high school not a job except to the coaches. We agree to disagree. Love a good thought provoking article.
BG
August 21st, 2012
1:02 pm
Here is the bottom line: Parents/Coaches- How about teaching our kids to actually compete/work hard for something. When they get out in real world, these kids will think they can just jump from job to job because they don’t like it or don’t want to actually work hard to further thmeselves. Mommy and Daddy ain’t always gonna be around to get them that ‘next job’
bucket
August 21st, 2012
1:09 pm
“If that’s not the No. 1 goal of high school sports, what is?” The vast majority of kids who participate in high school sports have absolutely no shot to earn a scholarship at the next level playing sports. Most teams are lucky if they have just a handful of kids to get a good look from recruiters. The teams who are receiving the transfers are always pro-transfer, but the GHSA has an obligation to make sure there is a level playing field for all competitors, not just the ones who have aspirations of playing at the next level. Obviously, no one would blame a parent for trying to get their child into the best situation, but the GHSA is hurting the kids who are left behind and the integrity of classifications and regions when they allow kids to transfer without any restrictions or penalties as happens a lot more than anyone wants to admit.
David Purdum
August 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
@bucket: Good post. With so many transfers–6,000+ in one year–I just can’t see the GHSA being able to thoroughly investigate all of them. They did deny 1,400+, but you have to wonder how many others are not legit. I feel bad for the players and parents who have invested in a program for years, only to have a transfer move in and take their child’s spot. But it’s kind of fact of life: If someone’s better at a job, they’ll replace someone that’s not as good. Appreciate the feedback.
Turner Co Fan
August 21st, 2012
1:48 pm
I’m a resident in Turner County and we’ve had three or four kids move to Tift County because our former basketball coach is now employed down there. Some of the moves are very questionable also as two actually chose to reside in Turner County. I’ve been told by our football coach that there is nothing the GHSA will do unless we have concrete proof. It’s a shame this shady stuff goes on as the smaller schools do a lot of the legwork coaching these kids up through grade school, middle school, and the first bit of high school before they fall under the unfluence of vultures. It’s sad.
RealTalk
August 21st, 2012
4:21 pm
@HardHat
What’s up with the long dissertation? If someone chooses to move to a new school cluster they are free to do so, why do they need to sit out a year?
Like GHSA Director said it is a free country, they can’t tell people where to move to.
dontgothere
August 21st, 2012
4:23 pm
I agree with Hardhat…transfers should have to sit a year…it would do away with alot of the transfers for starters, and it would also give GHSA more time to take a closer look at those that need it. When a kid comes in from another state and his folks are half a state away because the dad is coaching at another level, this kid should have to sit out at the varsity level, as well. I do believe that he should be allowed to participate at the JV level if it is available at the new school. In this instance, the kid’s new coach is his uncle at a successful program. Meanwhile, the programs around the Dad’s new job aren’t nearly as good. I’m pretty sure one of those schools would love to have an all state caliber qb come in – even if he did have to sit out a year before he was eligible for varsity.
Rick
August 21st, 2012
7:29 pm
How about let the kids in the metro area transfer and the coaches recruit themselves into oblivion. While they are at it however, the GHSA needs to revamp the classifications so that little schools in far rural areas, such as the one I coach at, don’t have to compete with them. When we get a transfer, it’s not for athletics. It’s because the people moved here. We are 45 miles from the nearest decent size town. We should not have to compete with “all star” metro teams. It is killing the sport of football in small towns!!!!!
bksmith14
August 21st, 2012
8:04 pm
i imagine 18 of the 20 transfer request are from colquitt county and coach propst
Black
August 21st, 2012
8:37 pm
Ghsa will only block certain schools. They are afraid of the big schools. There are many transfers that are not legit but they say they don’t have enough man power to investigate. Look at past champions first and go through their roster and you may find several illegal moves.
buford 2004
August 21st, 2012
9:07 pm
unless you are a city school like Buford, and none of this matters. My senior year there, we had 6 kids playing on our team who did not live in Buford. See we have an open enrollment deal where anyone in Gwinnett County can come to Buford and they don’t even have to move. Can you say ….SWEET ???
cat doc
August 22nd, 2012
4:53 am
Propst lets em graduate in Alabama, then brings em to Georgia to be 5th year seniors. Go figure? Once a cheat always a cheat.
Bill
August 22nd, 2012
12:57 pm
These kids are in high school. Their #1 priority should be to graduate high school with good grades. End of story there. Extra curricular activities, having some great benefits, are extra. If an athlete is good and the parents are helpful, as well as the coach, he or she will get looked at. I don’t like the transfers. The GHSA should get some courage and say, “You live in a district, that’s where you play, if you leave the district then you leave your eligibility” plain and simple (basically because people say they move because of better academics and other such BS). Bona fide move – establish residency for 6-months, Military families move from base to base so they are exempt, coaches children are exempt due to the nature of the coaching business. Students in Alabama who don’t meet age requirements, why don’t you? Did you fail too many grades, did your parents hold you back so you would be bigger or did you wait till you were 6 to start kindergarten?
RealTalk
August 22nd, 2012
2:11 pm
Only people want transfers to sit out are those who are mad that a transfer plays and their son does not.
I saw if you feel there is a better situation for you son move him, end of story.
RealTalk
August 22nd, 2012
2:12 pm
say*
N.Fulton Fan
September 3rd, 2012
2:40 pm
Someone explain to me why Milton even has a basketball feeder program. Seriously? What’s the point of feeder programs when you have a coach, school that openly recruits? Face it, high school sports is now big business. Does anyone honestly believe that some of these coaches don’t benefit financially in some manner because of their ability to beat the system and load the teams? Is winning MORE important to these schools than developing the kids in the community? I can see where it may be for a while, but eventually the support erodes from the parent level. The parents do all of the booster club work and most of these “recruits” parents aren’t even involved, much less volunteer to lift a finger. Eventually those who are involved, who’s kids sit the bench as the recruits get all the playing time become disenfranchised and quit helping or volunteering. Those who don’t see the long term ramifications will eventually see the program suffer or collapse. Then there are those who realize that it’s often better to see their kids stick together as a community by coming up through the program and have a more positive HS experience, win or lose. Winning at the cost of our kid’s isn’t much of a win if you ask me. Kudos to the parents who help get rid of these “recruiter” coaches who don’t really have the best interest of the kids. They use kids to fulfill their own career aspirations or to make up for their own shortcomings as coaches and mentors.