To everyone here in the flrunners community that truly know me, you understand that I stand strong in my convictions, that I am no stranger toward debating, and that I love to put out the occasional Raposo Rant. To be honest, I've tried to do a better job over the last few months in not starting arguments unnecessarily, although I still hold my ground in the same silly discussions that come up from time to time. But here is a long time issue that has slowly arisen, and has finally gotten to a point where it should be addressed openly, no different than when there are cross country courses that are way less than 5k in length and I put it out there for everyone to discuss.
Well this article addresses an elephant in the room so ridiculously big that no one cares to tackle it. Such a sensitive issue that everyone is scared of the backlash. And so tricky to deal with because hardly anyone thinks it can be stopped. The good thing for me is that I couldn't care less about the size, the sensitivity, or that it can't be stopped, because I'm pointing out the obvious, calling it how it is, and I have no problem discussing it in a public setting. So while people don't like it when issues are called out, the whole point is that they need to be called out. And for those that haven't figured it out yet, the issues we're discussing is recruiting / transferring / eligibility / certain programs becoming unstoppable powerhouses, and everything in between.
So why the sudden spike in interest more than usual? Because a letter was recently sent to me which took a different look at the new state legislation proposal compared to how many people are looking at it, myself included. Personally I am a fan of following the rules and when guys like Nevin Shapiro and Shakey Rodriguez get what's coming to them I think it's a good thing. However, this letter actually sides with the Florida State Legislature and gives a new perspective, one that I think is an interesting viewpoint and sides with open transferring between schools. So hey, maybe I am completely in the wrong about this idea, but either way, there should always be a discussion about it. And although I'm sure many might disagree, hopefully this is the beginning of that conversation for some.
Here's the email:
"As I read about the State Legislature attempting to dissolve the FHSAA, and instituting up policies that will enable students to be able to attend 'any school they would like' for athletic reasons, at first I was abhorred. My initial reaction was that this would destroy the natural competitive balance between schools, and that such a change would prevent development of athletic programs, since each county's top athletes would simply choose the more established athletic programs in the area. I was holding on to an idealistic belief that our present system prevented recruiting and encouraged students to go their home schools or stay in their private schools.
But then, I opened my eyes, and realized what was actually taking place (at least in South Florida) and made connections between the accolades of the top track and field programs down here and where their athletes reside. In particular the light bulb came on when I read over and over again this past weekend about South Florida Schools who are running US #1 relays on this Fl Runners web site. As I looked at the names on these national relays, and traced their athletic profiles, I discovered that many of these runners have shuffled schools from year to year with ease, despite FHSAA and local regulations intended to prevent such 'free agency'.
Here are some things I noticed. In South Florida there is one elite state athlete competing in the sprints/jumps/hurdles who is now at her fourth high school in four years. At our states most prominent and respected South Florida women's program (Northwestern), it revealed a roster that is composed of over a dozen athletes who transferred from other Miami public and private schools after their freshman year. This search also reveals that many of this flagship track school's athletes who did not transfer after ninth grade attended middle schools that are not in this school's feeder district. The data search further reveals that this is not simply a Miami phenomenon. There is a Broward Public High School (Hallandale) with national visibility that is openly adding senior 'transfers', to its squad, they too having a double digit number of athletes that started their careers elsewhere. This practice is not limited to public schools of course. The most prominent private school track power among South Florida private schools (St Thomas Aquinas) showcases a number of national caliber athletes who have transferred from other schools after ninth grade began.
And down in South Florida, it's all out in the open… At a recent meet, coaches from one school were out at a field event openly asking athletes to come to their school in the middle of a field event, right in front of the athletes' present coaches. Coaches and parents don't cover their tracks as they did in the past. There is no need to. Who is the last track and field athlete to have been self-reported ineligible by a principal for lying about their address? What team is the last team to have sanctions imposed for recruiting? Who is the last coach to have been relieved of duties by his/her principal for recruiting?
Don't get me wrong. If my son/daughter had the opportunity to attend one of these national powers, I might be creative, and maybe even be dishonest, in an attempt to get him/her to the environment that would serve their talents. I honestly don't blame the parents or the athletes for wanting what is best for them. Equally, I don't fault the FHSAA bylaws which are intended to promote fairness. They are created in good faith with proper ideals in mind. What I blame is the practical unenforceability of a system which has been so incapacitated by politics that unethical principals and coaches are blatantly ignoring the system in attempts to be the best themselves with little or no regard to the strength of the system as a whole.
In conclusion, I guess my point is that to say 'we have a system now that promotes fairness and prevents free agency (and recruiting), and a system which punishes those who break the rules' is absurd. Our present system only discourages dishonest practices among the ethical schools and programs. It is time, I am afraid to open the flood gates and allow each 'honest' school the opportunity to compete with those that benefit from recruiting/rule breaking which cannot be controlled. Would I rather the state legislature support the FHSAA and ask them to crack down on violators of policy? Yes, of course… but that clearly is not the way things are moving. So let's all just get an even playing field.
Signed,
Eyes wide open"
While I still maintain my belief of investigating and punishing those individuals who do break the recruiting rules, I think this was a great perspective from the other side. I hope this spurs healthy conversation, although I'm sure there will be a lot of people just defending the powerhouse programs either because of a guilty conscience or their blindness to what's going on around them. It always amazes me when people praise certain programs because they think they have the magical secret to coaching, when those of us who have have been around for a hot minute have enough knowledge and experience to understand that there are no special recipes in coaching, just that some coaches have better ingredients coming into their kitchens.
EDIT: Someone told me that Shakey Rodriguez read this article and wasn't pleased. lol