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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah High School Activities Association proposes prohibiting athletes transferring to another school from competing for a full school year.
That is unless they move within the new school's boundaries.
The UHSAA staff said it has been unable to enforce the state's current transfer rule, which is that students shall not transfer from one high school to another for athletic reasons.
"We've tried everything," UHSAA director Evan Excell said a trustees meeting Thursday.
The board voted unanimously to approve the proposed constitutional amendment. The rule will undergo a second reading in March, and if it passes, will be submitted to member schools for a vote.
The most substantial change would be that even on first entry, as a freshman, sophomore or move-in, student athletes would be ineligible for any level of competition, including practices, if they did not live within the school's boundaries.
"We've been persuaded that the rule we've been using on first entry and transfers is inadequate in influencing students not to transfer for athletics," UHSAA attorney Mark Van Wagoner said. "We don't have all of the details worked out, but we're attempting to make the least burdensome rule."
The UHSAA determined earlier that some students were persuaded to attend schools outside their home school boundaries after attending summer camps at other schools or playing on club teams with those students or for those coaches.
The association tried changing the rules, but was not able to curtail the transfers.
"We have found it to be almost impossible to enforce," Van Wagoner said. "We have students who are transferring for what we see as phony reasons. We now believe that perhaps the best way to deal with transfers is with a residential requirement."
Van Wagoner said the committee that recommended the rule change and the UHSAA staff are convinced improper transfers are "occurring in every sport. It's insidious, and it's skewing high school sports. We attempt to seek those cases and bring them to a hearing."
Excell said the UHSAA will need the support of the state School Board.
"If we can't get them on board with this, it will never go to battle," he said.
Associate State Superintendent Ray Timothy said, "I think that may help resolve a lot of the conflict seen in the last couple of years with student transfers for athletic reasons. It sounds like a good move."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
