BOWLING

BOWLING
Cardinal Mooney -- is looking for a bowling coach. Contact Don Bucci at 788-5007 or 788-9897.
OHSAA says it has little control over sports transfers
Eds: SUBS 4th graf to INSERT first reference to Ohio High School Athletic Association; moving on state news and sports lines
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- High school athletes are transferring at will because of the state's open enrollment law, and the organization that is supposed to police the practice says it lacks the resources to control it, The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday.
Ohio's open enrollment law allows students living in one school district to go to school in another, as long as there is room and the school district takes transfer students.
The law, passed by the Legislature in 1989, was intended to give students more academic options, but clearly is being used for athletics.
A survey mailed by Ohio High School Athletic Association Commissioner Clair Muscaro to its 819 member schools showed more than 1,200 athletes changed schools during the 1999-2000 school year, the newspaper said.
Transfers are generally regulated by the schools, which are on an honor system to ensure athletes meet all requirements to play, Muscaro said. Policing all 225,000 students is beyond the OHSAA's reach, despite an annual budget of $15 million.
Larry Wolf, football coach at Bishop Ready High School in Columbus, said athletes transfer from one school to another because they want to play for a strong program.
"When my high school baseball team won the state championship (in 1971), what made it so special was that we did it with a group of guys who played together at the same park since we were little kids," Wolf said.
"I go to state tournaments in various sports now, and I see these collections of all-state teams from an entire part of the state. It's absolutely nuts. It's spiraling completely out of control."
In an effort to curb some of the movement, the OHSAA's member schools in October passed a bylaw change that makes a transfer student ineligible to play sports for one year at the new school. There are some exceptions, such as moving with parents into a new school district.
The new rules take effect in the fall.
"Without question, this is going to restrict movement of students transferring strictly for athletic reasons," Muscaro said. "We're also trying to get the open enrollment statute changed. ... Because of the concern about massive numbers of transfers by athletes, we're working with the Legislature and the schools to find a solution. Ultimately, all of this may have to be settled in the courtroom."
Another problem with athletes transferring is recruiting, which public school coaches are prohibited from doing according to OHSAA bylaws.
Fred Erfurt, basketball coach at Centennial High School, said illegal contact with athletes runs rampant in the Columbus City League.
"Open enrollment doesn't bother me, but if there's undue influence being placed on a student to transfer to another school for athletic reasons, by God that person should be fired," Erfurt said. "We need to take a serious look at what the adults involved are doing. They're the problem, not the kids."
The number of illegal recruiting allegations has drastically increased since open enrollment began, but there usually isn't enough evidence to warrant an investigation, Muscaro said.