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High Schools recruiting players...ethical?

AlistarWills

AlistarWills

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Jul 26, 2006
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So I knew it went on, but not to the extent that it is. When I played in the early 90's it came to light that another team in the county tried to recruit our starting tailback back in Jr High. This school was known for doing this type of thing. So this year Hoover forfeits several games over a kid from Hanceville that was ineligible due to not moving or whatever. I later find out that Cullman has a kid playing RB that also came from Hanceville. I look at this and say to myself, where would Hanceville be right now, if two stud players hadn't moved to larger schools? Is it ethical for High Schools to go recruit from other schools to get the talent that normally wouldn't be at their school? Maybe these kids moved on their own, I don't know, but it smells like a fish. I'm sure the lure of playing at a bigger school to get noticed gets thrown out there. I'm not picking on Hoover, or Cullman, or Oneonta (well maybe a little since I didn't mention them before) but to me, its not ethical to be going out and recruiting talent for High School University. I don't care if its a coach doing it or some "booster". I think the AHSAA needs to toughen up rules on this kind of crap.
 
tidehawk

tidehawk

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Feb 9, 2001
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It does happen, although in my opinion it is highly unethical. The AHSAA has rules in place to make sure it is limited - players have to make legitimate moves, etc. However, there are ways of getting around the rules. I know of a very highly ranked HS in the state that had its current starting QB move in this past year when his father "suddenly" got a good job near the community, making it possible for the family to move to the area. May have been legit, maybe not, but I have heard plenty of scuttlebutt about it.:pDT_wc:
 
J

Jref

1st Team
Oct 3, 2001
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Although I know that recruiting happens, I believe that it is a lot less common than most fans think.

It's not unusual for athletes and their families to make bona fide moves for athletic reasons, but that doesn't mean that they were induced to do so by the school.

When the late Sammy Dunn was the baseball coach at Vestavia, many players moved to that school zone to get a chance to play for him because of his reputation for success, as well as promoting players for college ball. The same is true of Rush Propst and Waldon Tucker in football.

Success breeds success.
 
edwd58

edwd58

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Aug 2, 2006
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Tidehawk, nothing personal here, but with as much scrutiny as has been given the transfer you refer to, I would have hoped that this particular "story" would have been put to rest by now. The AHSAA has looked at it every way known to man and, apparently, every time it has come up clean. And in the end, that is the only test that must be passed.

Now, about the topic in general. I do believe that some coaches recruit. When I was in high school in Montgomery (granted it was during the dark ages) it happened quite frequently. My school lost a few key kids to the "Big Two" that certainly could have made a difference in our season! But what is a coach do to when a parent comes to him and says "I'd like for my child to play for you"? My guess is he tells them what must happen before that can take place and wishes them well. I think it crosses into the realm of unethical when the coach gets actively involved in making those things happen.

All in all, Jref did a great job of summing up the other things I'd want to say on the subject. Coaches at successful programs don't need to recruit, the program's reputation does it for them.
 
AlistarWills

AlistarWills

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Bama Torch in Pcola said:
I'm not sure why you would mention Oneonta.
Click to expand...
I played with someone they tried to recruit (he didn't go) and I work with a guys who's cousin (lineman) played at Locust Fork whom they tried to recruit a year or two ago. So yeah, they do it. Haven't had a ton of success lately, but they grab what they can.
 
A

AdamMc2003

1st Team
Dec 14, 2005
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EVERY school does it, maybe not to the extent of some(for example my next door neighbor plays on the offensive line of a 5A powerhouse THAT ISN'T EVEN IN OUR COUNTY!!!!) and even at my old high school one of our top receivers didn't live in the zone, his dad owned a rental house, turned the electricity on for it and gave it as their residence... But yeah, it goes on more than people think, honestly, if all the people that lived in my zone went to the school they were SUPPOSED to, a certain school here would be a powerhouse, but all of the talent goes to the "bigger" schools for the college exposure, can't blame them, if my son was ever showing a lot of athletic ability, i'd want him to have the best chance to get a scholly as well, not to say you can't at a smaller school, just not as likely...
 
B

BamaSteve999

1st Team
Oct 22, 2004
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I do not suggest that any impropriety has occurred in any way, but I understand that Leroy High School does a really good job of this. It is also my understanding that they have an advantage being the only high school in Washington County that is qualified under the No Child Left Behind legislation, which allows any other student in the county to elect to attend there, and that they allow attendance from Clarke County residents (particularly Jackson, which is right across the river) for a fee. If anybody has better knowledge on this please post it.

FYI, Sweet Water has the same situation in its county as I understand it. This may understand why some of the sparsely populated southern counties seem to be producing really good football teams at the same schools. Given the cyclical nature of high school athletes, you would expect it to be very hard for smaller (public) schools to have consistent success.
 
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