NCAA-D1/MPA may have same transfer rule again, BUT for different reasons

The NCAA Division 1 and the Maine Principals Association could possibly have something in common again regarding their athletic transfer rules by allowing transfers to be eligible immediately if they meet certain different guidelines of each organization.

That is if the NCAA passes a possible new transfer rule which would allow any athlete to transfer from one school to another without having to sit out a year (as the current transfer rule they have to sit out a year unless it is the graduate rule) if the athlete has a set GPA that is leading him/her to graduation at the school at the time they are transferring.

The MPA’s old transfer rule was like the NCAA’s current 1 year sit out transfer rule which when both were in effect at the same time, then they had something in common. If an athlete and his/her family did not change domicile to the community that the school was in that the athlete was transferring to the athlete had to sit out a year from the date of the transfer.

The MPA changed that transfer rule which now allows an athlete to transfer and immediately be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics IF the parents/guardians, athlete, sending and receiving principals of the schools involved sign the MPA TRANSFER WAVIER FORM THAT STATES THE TRANSFER IS “NOT FOR ATHLETIC PURPOSES”.

If the NCAA happens to pass this new developing possible transfer rule it will be like the MPA’s current transfer rule and again have something in common again which means if they meet certain GPA standards at the school they are transferring from, compared to the parents/guardians, athlete, sending and receiving principals of the 2 schools involved signing the MPA’s TRANSFER WAVIER FORM THAT THE TRANSFER IS “NOT FOR ATHLETIC PURPOSES”, the athletes will be immediately eligible.

Both organizations will have different rules, but the results will be the same as far as the athletes are concerned as they will be eligible immediately when transferring if they meet their organizations rules guidelines.

TWO different RULES, but with the same RESULTS….IMMEDIATE ELIGIBILITY.

This also means that the NCAA D-1 schools will probably see more transfers, just as the Maine High Schools did when their original transfer rule was changed.

I coached high school school basketball under both MPA transfer rules and there were very few transfers and certainly less problems of the possible breaking of the transfer rule by tampering/recruiting under the original old transfer rule.

The NCAA may also have some of the same problems that the MPA schools have seen besides just the increase in the number of transfers, which the MPA did not have under their original old rule…..such as the POSSIBLE BREAKING of their two different TRANSFER RULES, ETC.

Too me, “two poor rules do not a good rule make.

The NCAA should keep their current transfer 1 year sit out rule and the MPA should go back to it’s original transfer 1 year sit out rule if there is no domicile change.

By doing this it would eliminate the problems that immediate eligibility policies can cause for both the NCAA and the MPA which neither had with their original 1 year sit out policies.

“THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE NCAA TRANSFER MOVES THAN SOME MOVING COMPANIES MAKE” IN A YEAR. The NCAA has 351 men’s basketball teams.

The past few years the NCAA men’s basketball teams have averaged over 700 transfers a year with their current 1 year sit out rule. That is an average of about 2 tranfers per team.

The 1 year sit out year for both the NCAA now and the MPA as the original transfer rule both were suitable deterrents to transfers then the current MPA rule and the proposed NCAA rule which has or will open the door to more transfers.

OJMO……Only Just My Opinion.

What do you think?