Basketball players' transfers to Hellgate High prompt call for review of policy

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article reporting on the high number of basketball transfers at Hellgate High School in Missoula.  This article was published in the February 2, 2012 edition.


Basketball players' transfers to Hellgate High prompt call for review of policy


As mentioned this article was published in 2012.  As we now know there were even a greater number of basketball transfers to Hellgate from other high schools in the area, both within the district and from without.  msw is uncertain who all the Hellgate transfers were on the 2012-2013 Hellgate basketball teams, however, this would be interesting to know.  It is the belief of msw that there were approximately 6-7 transfers.

Question:  Has there been a review by any school officials on any level regarding problems with high school student athlete transfers and more specifially the high school basketball transfer?

msw is not aware of any review - if anyone knows if there has been discussions on this topic by state officials please post a comment.

See prior post for more conversation regarding student athlete transfers.

Here are some quotes from the article mentioned above:

"The Missoula Hellgate boys' basketball program is getting lots of attention these days."
&
"Hellgate recently welcomed in two highly regarded transfers from other high schools in the region - with more possibly on the way - leaving coaches, players and fans all scratching their heads over the mid-season exodus."
&
"Last week, Frenchtown sophomore Hunter Mahlum began taking classes at Hellgate. Then on Monday, 6-foot-3 freshman Tres Tinkle transferred from crosstown rival Big Sky. Both are currently playing with the Knights' JV team."
&
"Mahlum played mostly JV at Frenchtown."
&
""I can't comment on the intentions of each individual family," Big Sky coach Ty Solberg said. "But I do know there are people around the state who are concerned about this.""
&
"Tinkle, the son of Montana men's basketball coach Wayne Tinkle, was one of the first players off Big Sky's bench this winter. He made his first varsity start last Saturday against Hellgate, scoring eight points.""

&

"My issue, perhaps, is with the adults involved.""

&
"And by adults, Solberg means the policy makers who write the rules."
&
"As it stands now, players who transfer from one district to another must sit out 90 school days before resuming play at the varsity level. But, as Solberg points out, Missoula schools are part of the same district - Tinkle could play varsity if his residence was within Hellgate's attendance area - and with open enrollment transferring is pretty simple."

&

"Solberg would like to see a stricter rule put in place. Perhaps one similar to the Greater Spokane League, which makes athletes sit out one school year if they transfer.
&
""It's tough when these things happen, especially during the season," Solberg said. "I don't want there to be an option for there to be grass that's greener on the other side. I want it to be let's improve here, with the guys I went to elementary and middle school with. Those are valuable lessons. Call me old school, but I would like the thought process to be let's make it better.""
&
""I would like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt," he added. "I just hope it isn't being initiated by our leaders.""
&
"Hays denied recruiting the players, which is against Montana High School Association by-laws."
&
"They all play AAU basketball together and then they all start talking. They're kids. We have to understand as coaches, yeah, we try to steer them the right way in life ... but it snowballs and everybody calls their buddy and says, ‘Hey, wouldn't you like to play together?' It just wasn't like that 20 years ago.""
&
"The whole thing seems foreign to Solberg.""

&

""I didn't go to a school where you could transfer," said Solberg, who played hoops at Lewistown. "I'm from a one-school town. I feel for the kids who already exist at the school, who might say ‘my spot is being taken away. I've worked hard all year, now somebody better comes and my spot is possibly gone.'""

&

"Hays would only confirm the addition of Mahlum and Tinkle to his squad."

&

""I don't know if there will be others or not," he said, adding this is not the first time transferring at the semester has happened."

&

"Another source said as many as three more area players might transfer to Hellgate, including one more from Frenchtown and two from Missoula Sentinel, although some of them may wait until the end of the season or even the school year."

&

"Matosich has seen the transfer rule work both ways. Last year, one of his former players (Connor Woodill) had a successful senior year after transferring to Hellgate. This year Matosich received a transfer (Jason Neibergs) from Big Sky. It's a trend that he doesn't like to see grow."

&

""There's this thought that, at this moment things aren't going my way. But if I go over ‘here,' things can go a little bit better."

&

""It's the old saying, the grass is greener on the other side. Well, it's really not. ... The thing I tell my guys is, struggling is a good thing. It's not a bad word. It really isn't. That's where you define yourself.""

&

""You can have that legacy of being on the Dream Team or the legacy of being on the team that turned it around.""