April Legislative Council preview: Transfer rule — again — on the agenda

AURORA — Surprise! The transfer rule will once again be a major topic of discussion at April’s Legislative Council meeting.

The same rule was the center of focus in January, and just last week a transfer rule committee tasked with exploring changes was announced. But next month, two more proposals will deal with the controversial rule. (Find complete info for the April meeting here.)

First is a bylaw proposal from the Board of Directors which centers on the waiver process. It would mandate that all parties provide “true, correct, accurate, complete and/or not false or fraudulent” information during the transfer. If any submitted information is found to be inaccurate, the penalties would be stiff.

For starters, the student involved becomes ineligible for CHSAA competition “at at any level in any sport for a period of up to 12 calendar months from the date the determination was made that incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or false information was provided.”

Secondly, if that student were to gain eligibility based upon information which was later proven to be incorrect, each contest they participated in would be forfeit.

Furthermore, if “someone associated with a school … knowingly participates in providing” the incorrect information, the team would be placed on restriction, making the entire team ineligible for the postseason. If the individual was a coach, they would also be placed on restriction. The school may also be placed on probation, and face other penalties — including the “revoking of CHSAA membership.”

Other states have a similar rule in place, and it has helped them cut down on dishonesty in the transfer process. In fact, this proposal was modeled after something used by California.

If passed, the bylaw would go a long way in strengthening the waiver process.

The second proposal that deals with the transfer rule comes from the 5A Colorado Springs Metro League. It would make most summer transfers eligible only for the last 50 percent (and postseason) of a varsity season in all sports.

The exceptions to this proposal are noteworthy: Students moving from out-of-state, or because of a “documented military move” would be fully eligible. Additionally, a student whose permanent residence has changed “by 30 miles or greater” would be granted full eligibility, as would students who change schools as the result of a “court-ordered school transfer.”

The proposal is much more strict for transfers after the start of school, as the transferred athlete in that scenario would be ineligible for all varsity sports for the remainder of that school year, and then also be subject to the 50 percent rule “for 365 days from date of transfer.”

In submitting this proposal, the CSML said that it would create a “clear, understandable, and enforceable transfer rule.” However, a major drawback is that is abandons the opportunity for students to challenge the rule via a waiver process.

With the creation of the transfer rule subcommittee, it is possible that the second proposal would be withdrawn from the floor. The first proposal (from the Board of Directors) is not likely to be withdrawn, however.

Other notable proposals coming before the April Legislative Council:

• The Front Range League is seeking to stop the proposed 64-team bracket in 4A and 5A basketball. It wants to keep the fields at the current 48- and 32-team format.
• A bylaw proposal that would not allow teams to practice the site of a state tournament, unless is it “expressly allowed” in the sport’s bulletin, or if it is a team’s “regular practice or game facility.” The proposal encompasses all forms of the postseason, including district, regional or state.
• The following sports will have their committee reports voted upon: Basketball, hockey, lacrosse, skiing, spirit, swimming, track and field, and wrestling. In addition to the team sports recommending a move to RPI across the board, a number of the sports are recommending major changes. Basketball’s committee, as noted above, has recommended a 64-team bracket in 5A. Hockey is seeking major realignment, and lacrosse also realigned. Swimming is planning for the addition of 3A girls.