‘Open Pandora’s box’: Prep coaches concerned about transfer bill

Liberty High School football head coach Rich Muraco is seen during the 2nd half of a football game against Legacy High School, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at Liberty High School in Henderson. (Chitose Suzuki/ Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chitosephotoSpring Valley High School head football coach Marcus Teal, keeps an eye on the video game versus Desert Oasis at Spring Valley High School in this Sept. 24, 2010, file picture. (Las Vegas Review-Journal file).
Rich Muraco stated he's "torn" about a Nevada Senate costs that might develop a brand-new, more liberal transfer guideline for Nevada high school sports, comparable to college sports.

While the Liberty High School football coach and athletic director said he supports openness of choice, he's concerned about the unexpected repercussions the costs could have on the high school sports landscape.

" This might be really bad for CCSD schools," Muraco stated.

The potential one-time transfer rule stems from Senate Bill 114, which asks the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to make a student immediately eligible for all sports activities after their first transfer from one school to another.

Under current NIAA guidelines, a student who transfers to a different school is ineligible to complete in university sports for 180 school days. Students can complete in sub-varsity sports.

Trainees can request a difficulty waiver to be right away eligible if their domestic zone modifications.

Muraco's doubts on the expense are based upon how personal and charter schools could gain from getting gamers.

" I understand we're one of the schools that would take advantage of something like this. … … I'm not totally against it. I'm simply worried how Bishop Gorman could basically utilize this like a transfer website for them," Muraco stated.

The costs unanimously gone through the Nevada State Senate on April 25. It was raised for testament last Tuesday in the State Assembly's Education Committee.

No decisions were made on the bill. It is still pending a vote from the Assembly. When the costs will be talked about again or voted on by the Assembly, there is no schedule for.

" Our subscription wishes to manage this and make considerations for what's being proposed, but to manage it in manner ins which we understand what the ramifications may be, how something requires to be defined and how it will work," NIAA Executive Director Donnie Nelson said. "To just say, ‘‘ You need to do this,' that's not where our membership wishes to begin.".

The costs initially asked the NIAA to approve immediate eligibility to students who transfer to a public charter or magnet school. State Sen. Edgar Flores, D-Las Vegas, included 4 amendments, including one that adds "a one-time eligibility arrangement throughout the board" for private and public schools.

Flores did not return e-mail ask for comment.

" There were negatives and positives to (the current transfer guidelines), however I believe it sort of leveled the playing field more so than what this brand-new rule might do," Spring Valley football and softball coach Marcus Teal stated.

Teal also has actually blended sensations about the costs. He stated this expense might "open Pandora's box," and harm programs like his if players leave for larger programs.

" You may see a lot of exodus from some locations," Teal said. "As the stating goes, the abundant get richer, which's going to play a huge part in this law going through. I'm on the fence due to the fact that I'm just more worried that I might lose some people.".

Recruiting worry.

Shadow Ridge flag football coach Matthew Nighswonger stated he wanted he had spoken out previously before SB114 gone through the Senate. Nighswogner provided testimony versus the bill last Tuesday.

He worries that this expense would open the possibility for more recruiting of athletes.

"( The transfer rule) is among the major things that assist stop recruiting. … … I do feel like it would unlock for a lot more recruiting to be going on," Nighswonger stated.

Teal said coaches are worried that athletes might be poached from their teams, and coaches would have to do the very same things to build up their lineups and keep up with the leading groups in the city.

" There's that natural worry of needing to have or lose kids to go out and attempt to recruit kids to come to play in your program," Teal said.

Nighswonger is also worried that there might become a higher competitive imbalance.

" You see inequities within the athletic systems here in Clark County currently. … … A lot of these schools that have personnel turnover and less stability within their athletic programs, those are the schools that are going to lose even more," Nighswonger said.

Nighswonger said trainees notice the schools that have athletic success and believes an outcome of the costs could be students transferring their senior year to the top schools.

" All of an abrupt these elders are transferring to the very best school for that sport for their senior year when they're established…… to have a little bit more publicity, notoriety and acknowledgment," Nighswonger stated.

Waiting game.

According to data from the NIAA, there were simply over 40,000 individuals in high school athletics last year. That data does not consist of unique private identifiers, so if a trainee plays 3 sports, they are counted 3 times.

Nelson stated that based upon the data, there were between 5,000-6,000 transfers statewide. He said that number is better to under 3,000 considering that athletes that play numerous sports.

Nelson stated the NIAA is in a holding pattern to see what's next for the bill. If it passes, he isn't sure if the Legislature or NIAA would need to come up with the required.

" The NIAA would need to see what the mandated execution of this would be," Nelson said. "And we 'd also need to discover if there are any more details as to what it truly requires right now. It's still really broad.".

Teal stated it's a "bad decision" to have the Legislature trying and developing rules to oversee high school sports.

" Once you permit the legislature to begin stepping in and overruling high school sports and doing things, I think it sets a precedent for a little bit of upheaval with the state association," Teal stated.

Muraco is worried about how this would be carried out and having lawmakers violate the NIAA.

" I don't believe that a lot of times individuals necessarily composing the laws really comprehend all the logistics of how things have to get done," Muraco stated. "We'll see what takes place if it passes.".

Fifth-year of eligibility.

Another bill that would impact high school sports, Senate Bill 196, is likewise still alive in the Legislature.

SB196 states students who were in high school during the state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic are granted an additional year of eligibility for NIAA occasions. Current sophomores, senior citizens and juniors would have 10 semesters of eligibility.

" I can't even see how that would be fathomable," Teal said.

The costs unanimously travelled through the Senate on April 20 and was brought up for statement at the Assembly's Education Committee meeting Thursday. No decisions were made on the bill and there is no timetable for future conversations or votes.

State Sen. Scott Hammond, R-Las Vegas, the bill's sponsor, did not return e-mail ask for remark.

Nelson said he has no idea the number of trainees would make the most of an additional year of eligibility. He revealed concerns school districts might face if a lot of trainees take benefit of it and class sizes grow.

" What are we doing when we allow that to occur? That doesn't make sense to me. I would be totally versus that," Teal stated.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.