CIF transfer revisions almost certain to be approved

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Get ready for big changes in CIF transfer rules.

With the Southern Section, Central Section, City Section, San Francisco Section and Sac-Joaquin Section all endorsing a proposal to revise CIF transfer rules, it appears a mere formality that the State Federated Council will approve the revisions at its meeting on Friday in Milpitas.

‘Based on the what the votes have been at the section level, all indicators show it’s going to pass,’ said Roger Blake, set to succeed Marie Ishida as the CIF executive director.

There are 10 sections in the CIF, and they are given a percentage of votes at the council meeting based on the number of schools in their section. There also is a requirement that at least six sections support the proposal. The Central Coast Section will be making a final decision on Wednesday, and its commissioner, Nancy Lazenby Blaser, said Monday that she expects a vote in favor of the revisions. That would be the sixth section to support the measure.

The new rule for the 2012-13 school year would create a sit-out period ranging from 30 to 35 days for high school athletes who transfer without moving. The previous penalty for transferring without moving was one year of ineligibility.

Athletes would become eligible on Oct. 1 for fall sports, Dec. 31 for winter sports and April 1, 2013 for spring sports. Commissioners believe that missing a certain amount of games will provide enough fear to discourage widespread movement of athletes.

Coaches in Southern California, however, have voiced concern that missing one month of a season will not deter some seniors from transferring with the hope of playing for a better program to get more exposure.

Still to be decided on Friday is when the rule would take effect. Also, there’s a question whether current freshmen will be still allowed a one-time free transfer under the old rule or have to be part of the new rule.

Commissioners held a two-hour conference call on Monday trying to come up with a consensus.

“I guarantee you if we see it’s not working, we’ll make changes down the road,’ said Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod. ‘We will examine what’s good and what isnt.”

Added Blake: ‘We have to do it right. We can’t roll this out and not have it right.’

-- Eric Sondheimer