‘Sign of the times:’ New transfer rule approved by TSSAA takes effect this summer

‘Sign of the times:’ New transfer rule approved by TSSAA takes effect this summer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new transfer rule is officially being implemented in Tennessee school athletics.

Starting next school year, student-athletes will be allowed to transfer schools and not be forced to wait to play for their new team, allowing for more flexibility and eligibility.

Earlier this week, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association revised its bylaws in anticipation of the change, which was passed into law by the state in February.

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The rule eliminates a long-standing policy within Tennessee school athletics but only applies to athletes transferring for the first time.

“It’s sort of a sign of the times, like it or not,” Centennial High School athletic director Brian Rector said. *“*I see this is a little more of a middle ground when it comes right down to it. There’s going to be an opportunity (for athletes), and we just need to understand as athletic people and as institutions… that the opportunities are going to exist.”

Rector was understanding of this new reality and believes the TSSAA is trying to adapt appropriately to a changing landscape.

Ultimately, he sees the relationship between players and coaches being hit the hardest by this new rule.

“(Athletic directors are) the least of the worries in this kind of thing. To me, it’s about the coaches, the players and the teams that can be developed,” Rector told News 2 on Friday. “If you try and be nonemotional, that is also difficult because you’re talking about athletes and you’re talking about families who spent time somewhere.”

Even with transfer restrictions being eased, the recruiting rules will remain the same and likely be monitored even more by the TSSAA.

But is there concern about the competitive advantage this may give bigger schools?

“I would rather us not be naive to the idea that this particular law all of a sudden just opened the floodgates of potential recruiting and things of that nature,” Rector answered. “It’s already been happening. There are no doubts about that.”

“Let’s try and control what we can control,” he continued. “When we have a situation that seems like it might be teetering a little bit outside the parameters of the law itself, then we have wonderful people that we can call and ask to get clarification. Will that happen? Absolutely. It will happen. It will happen at every school throughout the entire state. And the TSSAA will answer a bunch of emails and a bunch of phone calls.”

Rector said it’s all about “adjusting” and following the law as it’s written. He would not talk about whether he thinks the decision is “right or wrong or indifferent.”

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A student will be able to use this transfer rule once in middle school and once in high school.

The athlete also must transfer between school years — over the summer — in order to play immediately.

The law will take effect on July 1.

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