FHSAA says ‘transfer season’ is playing by the rules

– Dallas Jackson, NationalHSFootball.com

Player movement in Florida — nicknamed ‘Transfer Season’ — is a real and openly discussed period of the year for high school football fans and so long as everyone is filling out the proper paperwork nothing will be done to slow the process.

Mark Walton and Amir Rasul are the most recent high-profile players to change schools. Monday night the story broke that Walton was transferring from Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington to Miami (Fla.) Central and Rasul was being ushered in as his replacement by leaving his private school, Miami (Fla.) Columbus.

There is speculation that quarterback prospect Malik Atkins could join the move from Booker T. Washington to Central. None of the named trio will be last player to make a move within the state.

Florida High School Athletic Association spokesperson Corey Sobers said that so long as all parties are in compliance that acrimony over the moves is something that comes with the territory.

“The key to the whole thing is there is always allegations and always the perception that these moves are for athletics,” Sobers said. “The burden of proof is where the rubber meets the road. It is on each school district to make sure everyone is following the procedure — and it is usually handled at that level before it ever gets to us — but there will always be accusations when a handful of players are ending up a couple of schools.

“I don’t think the fact that people look at football first will change but unless you have clear, convincing evidence there is nothing to be done at our level. The stance of the FHSAA is that as an organization we support school choice for academics; alleging someone is moving for athletics does not make it true. There may be something to it and there may not be but again there needs to be clear and convincing evidence to make a player ineligible for one year and we would make that ruling if that were the case but so many times it is allegations and speculation.”

The state has guidelines set for transfers through both residence and education.

Its rule reads that a the state ‘will establish the school in which a student begins the ninth grade as the student’s school of residence for athletic purposes. Any subsequent transfer during the student’s high school career, other than one corresponding with a joint physical relocation by the student and his or her parents to another address that requires a change in school, will restrict the student’s eligibility to the sub-varsity level in the new school for one calendar year. The rule provides 10 exceptions through which a waiver of the period of restricted eligibility may be sought from the Commissioner.’

The association has been moving forward with new limitations including a recently passed ‘follow-the-coach’ rules that do not allow for transfers under a “previous contact” amendment and would make a player ineligible for one season with the option to play sub-varsity during the waiting period.

According to Sobers the bylaws of the FHSAA allows for each county or each school district the ability to adapt the rules to be more stringent on transfers.

The moves within Dade County have become the most high profile but residency rules are easily circumvented with the close proximity of schools and the abundance of apartments within the city limits.

Booker T. Washington and Miami Central are separated by 8 miles — between Jackson Memorial Hospital and North Shore Medical Center — with neighborhoods that overlap. Changing residences within the two districts could require as little as a three block move.

Sobers said that fairly or unfairly the moves within Dade and Broward Counties often receive the most scrutiny.

“Transfers happen all over the state and they happen at all times of the year so it isn’t just football and it isn’t just in those counties,” he said. “I understand why the most attention is paid to them and it is because that is where the powerhouses are and it is where all of our large school state champions came from this year but it is an issue everywhere.

“It occurs, and whether you choose to look at it is an issue or not is probably based on your perception. A parent has the right to switch schools of their children as they see fit so long as they follow the rules in place. We deal with eligibility and if those kids are eligible immediately or not, but we can not stop them from transferring one way or the other if they want to move.”

Booker T. Washington coach Ice Harris did not outwardly voice disapproval of the move of Walton to his rival school.

“It’s all good,” Harris said. “What we do at Booker T. Washington is develop young people, watch the next young back we put out there.”

Not all schools view transfers as simply as that. It was reported by Matt Baker of The Tampa Bay Times that Dade City (Fla.) Pasco was requesting an investigation over the transfer of sophomore sensation Nate Craig following his transfer to Tampa (Fla.) Catholic.

In his report Pasco officials accuse Tampa Catholic coaches of recruiting the player.

His mother denies the allegations saying, “It has nothing to do with football. It’s all about education. That’s what people need to understand.”

Sobers said that the FHSAA responds to allegations of illegal contact the same all over the states 67 counties.

“I know there is a concern in some areas that these transfers shift competitive balance because kids may gravitate to certain schools but if there is no enticement and no recruitment going on parents and students have the right to make these changes,” he said.

“The FHSAA supports changing school of choice for academic purposes and I know the common comeback from that is that the moves are made for athletics but there has to be clear and convincing evidence that that is the case and so long as everyone is following the protocols that are in place with the current bylaws then there is nothing wrong with it.”

WEIGH IN: Should the FHSAA change its position on transfers involving athletes?