Group questions how schools lure athletes

TALLAHASSEE — Growing concern over recruiting practices is prompting Florida lawmakers to take a longer look at how Florida regulates the movement of high school student athletes.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush recently appointed Rep. Dudley Goodlette, R-Naples, to head an advisory panel to come up with recommendations on high school recruiting efforts.

The task force, established during the 2006 legislative session, is unrelated to recent accounts of over-age students playing at Immokalee High School, state officials say.

Lawmakers this spring postponed until July 2007 a Florida High School Athletics Association decision to tighten rules over student athletes who transfer between schools. It was enacted to address what most parties agree is a problem — overzealous recruiting by schools and sports-shopping by athletes and their parents. The solution has been more elusive.

Generally, the rules prohibit a transfer high school student from playing varsity athletics during the first year after a transfer. The rule set up a number of exceptions for students who move for non-athletic reasons such as when parents take new jobs.

The recruiting issue is more pronounced in public school districts like Lee County that offer parents a school choice option. Not relegated to a particular school based on geography, such districts have become at times the stages for recruiting wars waged by school officials, parents and the athletes themselves.

“We’ve got to do something about kids who jump around for athletic reasons,” said Lee County Athletic Director Doug Jennett, a member of the task force. “We also have a problem with some coaches who are using their influence to encourage these kids to jump around.”

For FHSAA Commissioner John Stewart, whose organization regulates not only sports but other extra-curricular activities, Goodlette was a good choice to lead the 12 other members who make up the task force in what has become an emotional and high-stakes issue.

Parents of home-schooled children say the rules unfairly target their children who want to play sports.

Some private schools also say it’s within their rights to recruit potential students interested in a high-quality sports experience. They also say many private schools don’t offer junior varsity athletics, which would mean that transferring students would have to sit out for a full year.

“The task force is set up to evaluate all the high school recruiting issues, because you do have some high schools attempting to recruit athletes,” said Senate bill sponsor Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples. “There needs to be some evaluation of that. I just want to be fair to the private school children so they can continue to participate.”

The task force will look at the broad issue of high school recruiting. The 13-member task force is made up of members appointed by the House and Senate who are equally divided on whether they support or oppose newly enacted recruiting rules. They are required to have a final report by Jan. 1.

Goodlette said his role is to guide the task force to some middle ground that can accommodate the needs of parents and student athletes without jeopardizing the integrity of athletic programs throughout the state.

“I think we’ve got a pretty balanced panel,” Goodlette said. “I’m looking forward to working with them.”