George Guido: Proposed transfer rule a good start

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 | 12:00 AM

At least it's a start.

The PIAA will be voting Wednesday on a measure to not allow a student-athlete to transfer schools once at least 50 percent of the scheduled games have been played.

The measure is up for a second reading at the PIAA Board of Directors meeting in Mechanicsburg.

This would prevent a student-athlete from leaving a school and a team that is going nowhere in the standings to a school that could make the postseason and theoretically raise the athlete's profile for college recruiters.

A district committee, such as the WPIAL board, could review a limited set of acceptable circumstances for a transfer that will be put into play if the measure is approved, provided the transfer was not “materially motivated by an athletic purpose” and there was “exceptional and unusual circumstances.”

A provision was added that prevents parents from using the age-old excuse that the child transferred to improve their academics or for “social reasons.”

As has been stated here many times, scouting is so sophisticated these days that if an athlete's any good, that athlete will be discovered.

The only exception is a late-bloomer who wasn't originally on the scouting radar — and that's good for the athlete because scouts won't have a preconceived notion about him or her.

If the measure passes its second reading, the issue will be placed before the PIAA board at its meeting in March.

I feel the next move for the PIAA should be to freeze rosters late in the regular season to prevent a transfer who might slip through the cracks of the proposed measure and arrive at a new school.

New Kiski Area stadium

Just a few more items need to be taken care of to put the final touches on Dick Dilts Stadium at Kiski Area High School.

Once the weather cooperates, the ticket booths still need to be completed, minor wiring still needs to take place, and the sound system needs to be improved.

Some excavation also needs also to be moved, according to a report at a recent Kiski Area School Board meeting.

The school district, however, does have an occupancy permit from Allegheny Township.

The WPIAL schedule is due out next week, and it might be determined when the first Cavaliers game in their new digs will take place.

The Cavaliers had used Davis Field in downtown Vandergrift since the school opened in 1962.

Dilts retired in 1993 after coaching Kiski Area for 32 years. His 234 victories (214 at Kiski Area and 20 at Pine-Richland) still rank second in Alle-Kiski Valley history behind Chuck Wagner and 13th in WPIAL history.

Headin' out

It would be appropriate if the Norwin girls basketball team uses Willie Nelson's “On the Road Again” as its theme song.

Of the Knights' 21 scheduled games, 14 are away.

In December, Norwin played six tournament showcase games at North Allegheny and only one game at home.

Norwin, seeking its 16th consecutive WPIAL playoff berth, will have four of its final five games at home.

The Knights won WPIAL titles in 2015 and '16.

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.

Tags: Kiski School, Norwin