“Everyone is in for each other, not for themselves,” Husar said.
Some would believe Husar was in it for himself, leaving Basha to find new football life at Desert Ridge, which could have the state’s best offensive line next season. At 6 feet, 190 pounds and one of the fastest players around, he could emerge as a top running back.
But this isn’t about seeking greener pastures. The move, J.J.’s father George Husar says, is saving a family struggling to make ends meet about $1,000 a month. He said his wife has lupus, and now she is closer to her medical needs. He is closer to work. They are closer to immediate family. And, a mile away from Desert Ridge, J.J. could walk to school.
The move was made before the Arizona Interscholastic Association started discussions this spring on making athletes ineligible for a year if he or she moves within a 50-mile radius to a school from their original domicile. It would be modeled after what Ohio has in place.
Dialogue began after the AIA was being hit with an unusual amount of calls and e-mails over concerns that change-of-domicile procedures were not being followed as laid out in the AIA bylaws. The AIA doesn’t keep data on the number of transfers during a school year. Many never reach the light of publication. But every year in almost every sport there seems to be an impact tranfer helping his or her new school win.
After Laveen Cesar Chavez was embroiled in a recruiting controversy with the AIA three years ago, star receiver/defensive back Davonte’ Neal, then a sophomore, transferred to Scottsdale Chaparral, where he helped the Firebirds capture the past two state championships as the Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year.
Last year, All-Arizona defensive end Jarvis Lewis left Glendale Independence and transferred to Chaparral, where he played a part in last season’s championship.
Running back Manny Vera transferred from Tucson Sunnyside to Vail Cienega last year and Cienega reached the Division II football final.
Chuck Schmidt, the AIA’s associate executive director, said further discussions on the 50-mile rule will be made Monday at the AIA’s Competitive Equity meeting, then shared at the AIA’s May 21 executive board meeting.
All meetings, Schmidt said, are open.
Although emergency legislation could fast-track the rule into existence, a more likely time frame for passage is in the fall, if a consensus can be reached.
So far, the reaction has been mixed.
Peoria Liberty Athletic Director Rick Johnson said, “You can’t legislate integrity.”
Desert Ridge football coach Jeremy Hathcock favors it in an age of lost accountability.
“If I tell my kid you don’t have a starting position, he will leave for another school,” Hathcock said. “I’m tired of that. There is no accountability in sports. Now you’re holding them accountable.
“I think we all want (the AIA) to do something.”
Fifty miles covers most of Maricopa County. Mesa Public Schools Athletic Director Steve Hogen would take the 50-mile rule further.
“I would not mind seeing it go to even 100 miles,” Hogen said.
Schmidt said there would be a hardship process for those who feel they might be unfairly impacted.
Rival schools Chandler and Hamilton have had their share of athletes moving back and forth in recent years. Athletes have transferred between Scottsdale rivals Chaparral and Saguaro.
“Transfers are obviously a concern,” Chandler Athletic Director Dave Shapiro said. “As an athletic director, it’s something we deal with all of the time. It’s hard to judge why someone moves at times. I have a sister school that thinks every time one of their athletes moves to CHS, it’s because we did something illegal, recruited the kid or promised the dad the world. I try not to read (comments on) the on-line blogs, etc., that says Chandler cheats. Or for that matter, I do not concern myself with other schools’ problems.
“I believe that we have done a great job with academics and preparing student-athletes for the future, which makes our school athletics and academics a desirable location for parents.”
Hamilton Principal Fred DePrez believes 50 miles is too far. The approximate distance between Goodyear and Chandler is 42 miles. It is 41 miles between Florence and Chandler and 39 miles between Carefree and Chandler.
“What reasonable person would expect a family whose dad was transferred from Goodyear to the East Valley by his employer to drive a high school student back to Goodyear every day so the child could participate in sports?” DePrez said. “A rule that is going to create multiple appeals, like this rule will, is not a good rule.”
The state open enrollment law for incoming ninth graders allows families to choose any school in which to start high school. DePrez would rather the children stay at the same school for four years. But if there is a family move, he believes a 15-mile daily commute is more reasonable to better impact a transfer rule based on distance.
“In most situations, this distance would not need an appeal and the rule would be enforceable,” DePrez believes.
Tempe McClintock football coach Matt Lewis said he would love to see a 50-mile rule implemented, but would add that underclassmen be eligible to play junior varsity to continue to develop.
“This would eliminate the senior mercenary transfer,” Lewis said. “Not letting them participate (at a lower level) is a punishment too harsh for a non-crime.”
Valley attorney Dick Coffinger, who has represented student-athletes in hardship appeals with the AIA (mainly those transferring from a private to a public school), said a blanket 50-mile rule would “catch everybody in the net,” not just those motivated by athletic reasons.
“Do you penalize all those students and make them sit out a year?” Coffinger asked. “I guess those athletic directors pushing for it feel that it’s a problem. But from the cases I’ve handled, it’s been a financial hardship. They’ve transferred because they lost their house, moving to another school. They should explore less-drastic options.”
The Husars, who would not be affected retroactively by any new bylaw, couldn’t stay in the home they were renting. They could have moved closer to Basha. But that would have meant more miles, more money, more stress.
“It should be that you can come over for the right things,” J.J. Husar said. “We are saving a lot of money for gas. It’s right by (my dad’s) work now. There’s not too much time on the road.”
