Transfer rules in the NCAA

For years there has been speculation about the rules around college athletes transferring schools. Some sports are different than others, but the general rule is if you wanted to leave you must ask your coach, they would then decide whether or not to release you, then you could go looking for another school.

The nightmare athletes ran into is coaches who did not want to release them, had that power.

 Emily Hill was a volleyball player at Mississippi State University in 2016. After two seasons, she decided it wasn’t the place for her anymore and asked for permission to leave.

The coach would not let her go.

She then had to meet with the conference commissioner and beg for help.

Hill is just one of the many athletes who had this issue under the old transfer rule. Stories like this were happening often and many were wondering if the NCAA was going to condone this behavior from schools. 

July 2018 is the month almost everything changed.

It put more control into the hand of the athlete, which is where it should be since the NCAA controls everything else. The new rule states students can now say I want to leave, and they will be added in an online portal where other coaches can contact them.

This may sound all fine and dandy, but the rule still has some glitches.

Depending on when a student announces their departure, coaches then have the opportunity to take away a persons’ scholarship. This is why there is still controversy.

I think the new rule is a good step in the right direction. What I struggle with is the fact that college athletes are having a fight to be treated like humans.

 I understand they are getting their school paid for and there are people who think that should be enough.

But once you step into their shoes you have no idea how much they give up and what they go through. To make it even more stressful, when you want out of a certain program you now have to be strategic or else schools have the power to take everything away from you including your education.

This is the part of life college athletes didn’t know they signed up for.

It’s the devil inside of the NCAA.