Transfer rule ensures athletics don’t play a role in decision to change schools

Question: What is the basis for CHSAA’s transfer rule?

Often, we’re asked why we have a transfer rule. People not associated with high school sports wonder why such a big deal is made about a student changing schools.

One of the primary objectives of the CHSAA is to ensure that student athletes are just that: students — and then athletes. As we all know, there is much documentation regarding that changing schools and curriculums is not a positive thing for a student’s academic progress. Curriculums do not always match up well enough for a smooth transition when changing schools.

We need to ensure that athletics do not play a role in a student’s decision to change schools. The transfer rule is intended to do just that.

One of the best lessons athletics can teach a student is that people are best served when they face issues head on and work through those issues. Working through our differences for a common goal is a lifelong lesson that athletics can teach better than any other vehicle. Moving or transferring when things get tough is not the best solution. Again, the transfer rule is designed to help ensure this lesson is taught.

High school athletics, unlike clubs, are designed to be centered around a community, and to teach that the individual serves the school, not vice versa. Transferring is potentially undermining this value and our rule works well to promote these values.

Participation is a privilege and the transfer rule that seeks to preserve that privilege for all who earn it.  Finally, and most important, is that the transfer rule was put in place to ensure a level playing field for all competitors. This means that winning is not the most important thing and to ensure that all students — not just the elite athlete — have a fair and equal chance to play.