BY KYLE LOVERN
The West Virginia Legislature recently passed a bill that will significantly change the transfer rules for West Virginia high school athletes. HB 2820 would allow students in grades 9-12 to transfer one time for any reason to another school without losing a year of eligibility.
The bill has been sent to Governor Jim Justice for final signature and approval.
This new rule could open up a can of worms for high school athletes transferring and even recruiting by certain schools and coaches. This has been going on for years in some counties, but more under the table or behind closed doors.
If Gov. Justice, a longtime high school hoops coach, signs the bill into law, it will replace the current rule that gives students coming out of middle school the choice of their high school.
However it would penalize them a year of eligibility if they change schools during high school. Students are allowed to transfer without losing eligibility if their family actually relocates. This has been done in the past where students allegedly move, and they have become immediately eligible even though in reality they may just rent an address in another school district.
Reportedly officials from the WVSSAC are not in favor of the bill. WVSSAC oversees high school sports in the Mountain State and makes eligibility decisions.
The “no-excuses” one-time transfer will inevitably activate more recruiting of high school athletes. The SSAC rule 127-2-9 states, “The use of influence by a person or group, connected or not connected with the school, to secure or retain a student for athletic participation is not permitted and may cause the student to be ineligible and may cause certain sanctions to be placed against the member school.”
But that rule is already extremely hard to enforce because there is rarely a paper trail. Things will become even more difficult with a no-excuse transfer policy.
Undoubtedly, some coaches will be tempted to recruit and steal players from other teams. Some parents and friends of certain programs will try to convince players to transfer to other schools. Don’t kid yourself; it will happen.
Larger schools, in more heavily populated areas of the state, such as the Kanawha Valley, could see a big difference.
Some do not think it will be as bad in rural counties but don’t be surprised if it happens in every county.
Parents or student-athletes may not be happy with playing time, get mad at a coach or decide they want to play for a school with a tradition of winning in certain sports.
You have seen big changes in college sports with the new transfer portal that allows athletes to change schools without sitting out a year like in the past. Then there is the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) where college athletes are now allowed to make money via commercials and endorsements. Will this eventually trickle down to the high school level?
Perks and recruiting often go hand in hand.
The rule change, if it becomes law, will be a step toward the conclusion of the last remaining assembly for true amateurs in West Virginia high school sports.
(Some information for this column is provided with permission by WVMetroNews commentator Hoppy Kercheval.)