Lincoln Park AD Bariski talks transfer rules with state legislators

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 | 12:24 AM

Lincoln Park athletic director Mike Bariski supports the competitive balance formula proposed by the PIAA, but told state legislators he disagrees with a rule that forces transfers to sit out the playoffs.

The Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Committee, wading into the public vs. private and charter schools debate, heard testimony Monday in Harrisburg from Bariski, PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi and Pennsylvania Catholic Conference Director of Education Sean McAleer.

The oversight committee was interested in PIAA proposals meant to address transfer and competitive balance issues, topics loudly raised in recent months by public schools across the state.

“Dr. Lombardi said a change has to happen, and I think the committee agrees with that,” Bariski said Tuesday, a day after addressing the committee. “I don't know if the Catholic schools agree, they might, but we (as charter schools) agree to parts of it.”

Bariski, who coaches boys basketball, represented the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.

Lombardi shared with state legislators details from several proposals that the PIAA board has considered in recent months.

Among them, the PIAA executive committee created a competitive balance formula that would determine a team's classification. The formula considers enrollment, postseason success and the number of transfers that team received in the past two years.

If approved by the PIAA board, Lombardi has said the formula would take effect for the 2020-21 school year.

Bariski accepts that idea, noting Lincoln Park already voluntarily plays in a higher boys basketball classification. However, he opposes a second PIAA proposal that rewrites the current transfer rule. Under the new rule, students who transfer after ninth grade would be ineligible to participate in the postseason that year.

Midseason transfers must sit out 21 days.

Bariski said the PIAA shouldn't create a rule that takes away opportunities.

“I told the committee that a kid might work five, six, seven, eight years to get an opportunity to play in that scenario — that playoff atmosphere — and he can't,” Bariski said.

The PIAA board already approved the rule changes on a first-read basis and could enacted them in July. But Bariski argued that the current transfer rules would work if all 12 PIAA districts apply them equally.

“Eight or maybe nine districts look at it the same way,” Bariski said. “I think three or four districts do not.”

So Bariski suggested that rather than rely on 12 separate district committees, the PIAA should assume responsibility for vetting transfers and make all eligibility decisions itself.

“Form a committee from people all around the state that look at each and every transfer,” Bariski said. “I know it's a monumental task, but with Skype and FaceTime everybody doesn't need to be in the same room. If each and every transfer is looked at the same way, then it becomes fair and equitable. Then Philly and Harrisburg and Pittsburgh are all looking at things the same way.

“If every transfer was looked at by a committee and then decided on, you wouldn't need to play with any of these rules,” Bariski added. “The (oversight) committee liked that suggestion.”

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Lincoln Park