Let’s talk a bit about transferring, using this year’s basketball season as an example. First, some background.
I write about seven high schools for three papers, Our Town – Santiam, Our Town – Silverton & Mount Angel and The Canyon Weekly. The schools are: Stayton, Cascade, Regis, Silverton, Kennedy, Scio and Santiam. I attended one state basketball tournament this season, the Class 5A at Linfield. Here is how transferring affected what I saw this season:
Hadley Craig (Central to Silverton): The Foxes finished third at state in Class 5A. Craig scored 51 points and led the tournament in rebounding. Would they have finished that high without Craig? It’s unlikely.
Anthony Best (Cascade to Sprague): Sprague wound up 4th in 6A, its best finish ever. Cascade was third in 4A. Would the Cougars have won the 4A title with Best? It’s possible.
Clara Persons (Regis to Salem Academy): Regis did not make the playoffs. Salem Academy won the Class 2A title behind 42 points, ten three-pointers and eight steals by Persons.
Taylor Young (South Medford to Crater): The Comets won the 5A title in overtime against South Albany. Young scored 86 points in the tournament. No analysis necessary here.
Payton Starwalt (Crescent Valley to West Albany): West advanced to the 5A quarterfinals before falling to Silverton, and Starwalt made the all-tournament team. Do the Bulldogs advance that far without her? It’s unlikely.
Breeci Hampton (Cascade to Stayton): Sophomore Hampton drains 11 three-pointers in the state tournament and Stayton wins the title. Cascade finishes fifth. Would the outcomes have been different without Hampton’s move? Maybe.
I realize that transferring is a complex and sometimes overheated issue and that there are numerous legitimate reasons why athletes (and students, period) switch schools. A family move/disruption, a course of study, a desire to play for a certain coach or with friends. That’s all fair. By highlighting the significance of transfers in just one year within the limited pond in which I work… that tells me that either this is an outlier of a season or something more serious is going on.
Apparently the Oregon School Activities Association, which governs high school sports in Oregon, is leaning toward the serious side.
“We know that transfers are seemingly more and more common and have put together a transfer/eligibility task force to examine our current rules and gather input from schools about potential adjustments,” OSAA executive director Peter Weber told Our Town.
The 17-member task force, which includes Weber as well as Regis Athletic Director Jeff Chandler, already has met three times and will continue to meet throughout the 2024-25 school year. Those with suggestions for the task force to consider can contact OSAA assistant executive director Laura Brownrigg at laurenb@osaa.org.
I also checked in with Stayton girls coach Tal Wold, a two-time state title winner and one of the sharpest minds in state hoops. Here is what he had to say:
“Such a complicated question. I think high school is a short portion of someone’s life and if they are not having a great experience where they are and feel they may create great memories somewhere else then they need to try that. It is certainly more prevalent than it used to be and some of that is the OSAA is not sure how to monitor it. I know the grass is not always greener on the other side, but sometimes it is.
“You have on one side of the coin the ‘persevere and make the best of it where you are approach’ and then I hear the argument ‘I need a fresh start, new friends etc.’ What is going on around here is nothing compared to what takes place in the Portland and Eugene areas. I can see both sides of the coin but do not have an answer and cannot say it is totally a negative. I had a transfer this year and more than just basketball she will say her life is so much better and positive from school, social, attitude, etc., and I know we feel so lucky to have her and her kindness. We added a great friend for life.”
Any other thoughts out there? Happy to publish responses in a future column.
Got a news tip? Email me at james.d@mtangelpub.com. Follow me on Twitter @jameshday and Our Town on Facebook.
