(5-6-24) Indiana is considering a one-time ‘free’ transfer after an athlete’s freshman season…with no restrictions. Remember Indiana still does not seed teams in tournaments…they use ping-pong balls in a blind draw to decide brackets…won-lost records are not considered. Making this consideration in transfers a BIG deal.
From the Indy Star article—
This potential proposal, which former IHSAA commissioner Bobby Cox said the board believed eight years ago could “open doors to create a ‘Wild West’ situation”, would allow an athlete to transfer after their freshman year with full eligibility without a change of address.
In August 21, 2023 WIBC article….
The biggest emphasis that the IHSAA wants to make is that any transfer cannot be done for primarily athletic reasons.
IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig –
“The NCAA does a phenomenal job. They have to do what’s best for them, but a transfer portal just doesn’t work for high school sports because every time there’s a transfer for false pretense, there’s a student athlete that loses their opportunity at a team too.”
In an Indy Star article posted today..Neidig said at a meeting of Athletic Directors in Plainfield last month… seems to have a change of heart on transfers –
“You make an initial decision on what school you are going to, and it just isn’t working for you. You may have a kid in private school and go back to public school or vice versa. There could be all kinds of different scenarios. Undue influence still matters. Past link still matters. All of those things we’ve come to know around the transfer rule would still be in place. What this would basically do is provide a single transfer prior to the fall sport season (after their freshman year).”
The above Indy Star story is available on AOL.COM – IHSAA plans to study one-time ‘free’ transfer after freshman year for high school athletes
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