Each week, five high school coaches will discuss one issue that affects Georgia high school sports. | Last week: Coaching pressures
At Issue: The Georgia High School Association has introduced several rules in an effort to slow the transfer trend in high school sports, but one fact remains: If parents and players want to make bona fide moves into a district to play for successful coaches and programs, there's little from a legal standpoint that can be done. And parents and players continue to move. It's the classic scenario of the rich getting richer, top players leaving lesser programs and creating an uneven playing field in high school sports.
With that in mind, is there anything that can be done to slow the transfer process?
The Skinny: Brandon Lindsey led Johnson-Savannah to back-to-back Class AAA state championships in 2018 and 2019 before the Atomsmashers fell short of a three-peat after a 52-50 loss to Greater Atlanta Christian in the semifinals this season.
In August of 2019, Johnson’s team got stronger when point guard Jaida Burgess transferred from then Region 3-AAA rival Beach. Burgess averaged 17 points, six steals, four rebounds and three assists per game for the semifinalist Bulldogs in 2019.
Lindsey, who had taken over the job of athletic director from Ashley Tremble-Hamer, followed the transfer rules closely to make sure the move met the standards outlined in the GHSA bylaws.
“I was surprised when I found out she was coming to Johnson,” Lindsey told the Savannah Morning News in August. “I do know that it was a bona fide move into our district. Everything is on the up-and-up. We made sure to have a school counselor verify the move.”
Burgess’ transfer obviously aided Johnson-Savannah, and it was welcomed. But it illustrates one of the main questions about the transfer trend: If a player makes a bona fide move, what’s a coach supposed to do?
Lindsey: "When you talk about transfers, I tell you that there are different reasons that go into it. And what I can say is that from the coaching perspective, you have to look at it like when your program garners some success it's going to attract people. It's going to attract people. Bottom line. And then you have to wonder and you have to ask yourself a question. Does anyone do this thing to be in second place? Everyone wants to be the best coach and have the best program that they possibly can have. And so when you're attracting talent, in one capacity, you're doing something well. But then on the flip side of that the cultures at other programs have to ask themselves questions. What am I doing? Or what's going on in my program where it is not sustaining the talent that's there? As coaches, it's not like when kids show up at your front door you're going to say, 'Oh man, you're a transfer; we don't want you.' It's not about that. I take it as a great honor when kids transfer into the program for the right reasons. They come to Johnson High School to get an education. And then they want to be a part of my program. I think I take that as a great honor.
“People are allowed to change their minds on things, and people can go out in their daily lives to find the best fit that benefits them. And so it is with education. So it is with athletics. So it is with jobs. So it is with picking out what restaurant you want to eat at. People have the right to change their minds. And from the coaching perspective, it's ‘damned if you do damned if you don’t.’ When kids show up, of course, you’re going to hear the murmuring of, ‘This coach is recruiting.’ But that’s not the case. They’re showing up, sometimes because it’s the best fit for that family. We tend to forget about the things that the kids have going on at the home. Whether it’s a new job, something’s going on inside where it dictates transfers. That’s something that comes along with the territory. I don’t think transfers drive the decisions at home. I think the home drives the decision to make the student transfer.
“I’ve had all-state players of the year that stayed with me for four years — Marianna Williams, Alexis Pearce. All-state players across, you know, all publications. And then also I’ve been fortunate enough to get transfers to come in as well. And so I’ve seen it on both sides — dealing with kids that you’ve grown for years and also growing your program to where it's attractive. And also being in an environment where the educational program attracts parents and that attracts students and that attracts families, too. I’ve seen both sides of the coin. I’m liberal. I’m open to transfers, because I understand what the landscape is.”
AT ISSUE: High school transfers
• Robin Hines, GHSA executive director
• Brandon Lindsey, Johnson-Savannah girls basketball coach
• Jason Carrera, Meadowcreek football coach
• Daniel Brunner, Walton football coach
• Davis Russell, Bremen football coach
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