Illegal Recruiting in California High Schools?

Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times writes that there is a perception that illegal recruiting in California high schools is “rampant,” resulting from an environment where “transferring has been made easy and catching cheaters is rare.”

From the Times:

The CIF [California Interscholastic Federation] has saved money this year in its legal bills and seen a drop in expenses for hardship waiver requests after the membership’s decision to revise its transfer rules and put in a monthlong sit-out period for students who transfer without moving.

And

I’m not convinced the sit-out period is doing anything other than cutting down on hardship waivers. It sure isn’t deterring transfers. Elite players are still transferring and gaining eligibility immediately by moving. And if they don’t move, sitting out a month is no big deal.

The sport of basketball, in particular, continues to be laughable when it comes to how parents and schools are manipulating the system of rules and regulations.

We’re entering the transfer season for basketball, and those schools that need a player to keep their championship banners coming will always see a transfer show up.

It’s all legal or maybe not. It’s very hard to catch the cheaters unless someone is willing to squeal. Otherwise, it’s pure speculation and innuendo, and no one is going to declare someone ineligible without supporting evidence.

My belief is most of the movement is a result of parents and players engaging in contact and recruitment, and catching them in the act is very difficult. They’ve grown up in a youth system where it’s OK to build all-star teams.