We know that high school athletics is an ever-evolving issue in this state. The Legislature and the governor are involved. In other words, sports are really important around here. In further words, football and basketball are really important around here.
So important that the landscape looks increasingly like a scholastic version of free agency. It’s about students who are good athletes transferring. Sometimes because the family moves. Sometimes because a magnet program is inviting. Sometimes because a coach or a school booster crosses the “recruiter” line. Sometimes because a helicopter parent hovers too low on a sham residential move. We’ve seen the latter here in Hillsborough County.
We know how it works. De facto free agency–allowing student-athletes to be “immediately” eligible when transferring schools–has its detractors, advocates and apologists.
Nobody says anything about a thespian transfer. Or a young musician looking for a better program. Or a talented artist looking for the most inspiring mentor. That’s because such pursuits are extensions of what schools are inherently all about, such as extending the horizons of academics, creativity and discipline.
But they are not trade schools for promising football and basketball players.
What are high school sports for? Are they outlets for student-athletes representing their classmates and schools–or are they try-outs for IMG Academy and high-pressure proving grounds for big-time, mega-revenue college sports? The fact that we’re asking this question speaks volumes.