Proposal would ease athletically motivated high school transfers

Jerry Schniepp is all for change.

Schniepp, commissioner of the San Diego Section, and Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod would like to do away with the CIF rule that prohibits athletically motivated transfers by high school students.

“There is ambiguity because some know the rule, and others don’t,” Schniepp said. “Kids transfer out and we — the 10 section commissioners — know the move is athletically motivated. But the athlete doesn’t say anything, no one objects, so the move is OK’d.

“In a similar situation, an athlete transfers and the kid or the parents speak out about lack of playing time or how they were treated by the coaches. Because they spoke out, the transfer is athletically motivated and that player is ineligible.

Jerry Schniepp

“So the perception is that we’re not consistent with our decisions. Until there is a rule change, though, it’s my job to enforce the rule, to base my decisions on the rules.”

Schniepp would not address specific transfer cases, but caught squarely between the California Interscholastic Federation’s current rule and the proposed new rule are the Olave brothers — Chris, a junior, and Joshua, a senior.

The brothers, both receivers/defensive backs, played at Eastlake last season. They transferred to Mission Hills after Eastlake made its third head football coaching change in four years.

Raul Olave, the boys’ father, whose other son, Isaiah, starred at Eastlake for John McFadden and now plays at UC Davis, was on the selection committee to replace Lee Price at Eastlake.

When Dean Tropp was named head football coach, over Raul Olave’s objection, he voiced his concern. Raul Olave then moved the family 50 miles north into the Mission Hills area, and accepted a job at Camp Pendleton.

Because Raul had spoken out, the “parental dissatisfaction” portion of the transfer rule apparently was applied and Chris and Joshua were declared ineligible for football.

The brothers are, however, OK to play basketball and run track for the Grizzlies.

Mission Hills appealed the decision to the CIF’s state office. That appeal was denied.

What upset Mission Hills officials is that other athletes leaving Eastlake have been eligible to play at their new schools.

This season, Dean Klaser, a running back and baseball player who has battled cancer, transferred from Eastlake to Bonita Vista. He was declared ineligible at Bonita Vista, but the decision was overturned by the state on appeal.

Officials at Mission Hills are furious, not about Klaser, but about the Olaves.

Principal Courtney Goode, Athletic Director Ken Putnam and head football coach Chris Hauser declined to be quoted for this story. All mentioned the emotion and delicate nature of the situation.

Roger Blake, CIF executive director, said statewide rules must be the same for all sections, including transfer rules.

“Athletically motivated transfer language was added in 2009,” Blake said. “Now there is discussion to change it.”

The State Federated Council will make that decision in April. The governing boards of the state’s 10 sections will hear the proposal in January and send a recommendation to the Federated Council.

“We asked how we can make transferring better,” said Blake. “So we’re open to discussion.”

The Southern Section has seen a lot of movement in football, where quarterbacks transfer and create a domino effect down the line from school to school.

This year in San Diego, basketball has been a focus.

According to FullTimeHoops.com, Miles Norris, one of the best players in the county, has transferred from Mater Dei Catholic to Helix. 

Warren Washington, a 6-foot-10 junior, has moved from Escondido to Mission Hills.

NaShom Carter, who averaged 14.8 points last season, has transferred from Point Loma to Christian.

Phillip Willis, a junior guard, moved from Horizon Christian to Maranatha Christian.

Anthony Anderson, who averaged 11.0 points, has transferred from Carlsbad to Vista.

Dorian Blue, who averaged 15.7 points and 8.7 rebounds at Lutheran, is now at Foothills Christian.

Jaylen Hands, who has accepted a scholarship offer from UCLA, is now at Foothills Christian after a year at Balboa Prep. Hands began his high school career at Mater Dei Catholic.

California has open enrollment for incoming freshmen, and Blake stressed that parents have a choice where they can send their children.

Ron Nocetti, CIF associate executive director, said the days of the “brick-and-mortar” schools are changing.

“There was a time when kids grew up in a neighborhood, went to that high school and didn’t change,” Nocetti said. “It’s not that way anymore.”

No matter what the State Federated Council decides, Schniepp said two main transfer rules will stay in place. Athletes may not follow their club coach to a school. And there can be no recruiting, pre-enrollment contact or undue influence among the schools and athletes.

“Athletes are changing schools, and the perception is transferring is running rampant,” Schniepp said. “That’s not the case.

“Students, other than athletes, can change schools to get into a better music program. They can change to get into a more-challenging physics program.

“They can change to get into a school with first-class robotics. And there is no penalty. But they can’t always change for football, basketball or other sports without fear of penalty.”

ATHLETE TRANSFERS

Totals for the San Diego Section:

2015-16

• Schools with most transfers in:

56: Torrey Pines

47: Carlsbad

45: Oceanside

44: Mount Miguel

40: Castle Park

• Schools with most transfers out:

42: Helix

32: Eastlake

31: Cathedral Catholic

26: Olympian

2014-15

• Schools with most transfers in (numbers not available):

El Camino

Granite Hills

Monte Vista

Mount Miguel

• Schools with most transfers out:

49: Cathedral Catholic

43: Eastlake

33: Helix

31: Olympian

More numbers

There are approximately 170,000 high school students in the CIF’s San Diego Section. In 2015-16, 71,179 of those students participated in athletics.

In 2015-16, 1,797 athletes in San Diego changed schools. That’s up 50 percent from 2014-15. Of the 1,797 transfers, 79 percent were a valid change of residence.

In 2015-16, 15 transfers were denied in San Diego. That number was 27 in 2014-15.

The 1,797 transfers represented 2.5 percent of the athletes in San Diego (71,179). The statewide number is 1.9 percent of 800,000 athletes at 1,590 schools.

john.maffei@sduniontribune.com