I definitely agree with you in this area. Sportsmanship is the loser here and also the opportunity for the local players to get playing time and enjoy the development of team play along with fair play.

All involved need to stand up and say enough is enough. If we cannot develop our local players, then we don't deserve the championship. Each state needs to take a stronger stand on transferring from one school to another based upon "educational" benefits as the lie goes. Not one of these transfer students is doing it for "educational" benefits. They are doing it for prestige, a better playing or coaching situation, a better chance to get to college or advancing their own personal gains and not the gains of the community in which they live or are now proposing to live.

Michael, I agree with the moral of your story, and I know your intent was to teach rather than to insult. But your use of a broad brush to paint this picture was insulting.

As a parent and coach, I believe you have unfairly smeared the countless innocent, hard-working, dedicated and ethical administrators, coaches, players and families who strive to make their programs highly successful.

Your statement "Today, few highly successful programs are built on local kids" infers that most highly successful programs are playing non-local kids, and this is somehow unethical and even cheating. Michael, this is simply not true. Perhaps a few are cheating, but not many, and not for long before they are caught and punished.

If you are excluding from the local kids category those students who have legally transferred to a particular school and are otherwise eligible to play, surely you are not saying it is unethical to allow those transfer students to play, are you? Would it not be unethical (and perhaps even illegal discrimination) to deny an otherwise eligible student the right to try out and participate solely because he is a transfer student?

But an even more serious issue is your apparent definition of "highly successful programs" as being solely a measurement of win-loss records. Isn't the win-loss record the LEAST important factor in determining whether or not a program is highly successful? Your own Pursuing Victory With Honor program correctly stresses the importance of sportsmanship and teamwork in combination with developing the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

Michael, I know where your heart is on this subject, but your heart and your pen were not in the same room when this commentary was written.

Good thoughts, but as a mother and coach who walks both sides of the fence, I would encourage parents and students to be the activist they need to be to pursue their passions. I am privileged to be the assistant coach of a rowing team - no one comes to high school knowing rowing so our wonderful head coach practices exactly what he preaches - just teach the kids to row - everyone gets a chance. Our team, the largest sports team in the school (70 strong) and only 4 years being a varsity sport, has athletes ranging from special education students to national qualifiers - just teach everyone!
I had wanted my son to be on the team, but he decided to become an elite athlete, swimming twice a day to pursue incredible excellence. Don't give up on high school sports. Opportunity still exists for all.

Thanks for bringing up this issue and increasing awareness of this growing problem. I know there are state high school associations trying to prevent this from happening, but when parents lie to break the rules or the spirit of the rules, it is very difficult to enforce those rules.

In the state that I reside, high school coaches have told me that the state association looks the other way when these all-star teams form. The reason is that these teams get national rankings and TV exposure from ESPN that make people feel good about the state. I am thankful my coaching career is over because to start coaching in the atmosphere that exists today would be very discouraging.

Mr. Josephson, I really must post here in your defense regarding the gentleman who suggests you have unfairly smeared the innocent when you are clearly standing up for the innocent. This guy reminds me of terrorists who hide among women and children and then accuse the military of killing women and children, a practice they attempt daily. He didn't read the part about the schools that get beaten badly because they will not slight their kids for a football empire...whatever value that has. When he suggests they have legally transferred, he means they have transferred for what reason? All they have to do is to say: "I came here for educational values" period. The fact that they are often transferring with a 2.8 GPA and a history of incomplete assignments has no bearing. I've seen this firsthand and it is sad to see a student who has been committed to their sport in their town since 7th grade and earlier, with a dream of representing his hometown, only to be cast aside in their varsity years for a blue chip (sport) transfer who has Division I scholarship written all over them. It’s sickening and to hide behind the legitimate transfers to criticize your message is even worse. The schools (coaches) are involved and let me tell you how I know…and excuse me for being simple-minded. If a talented running back transfers to a school that is tracking for a run at a state title, where do you suppose the coach will position him? He could be great as a defensive safety, but he would basically refuse and his dad would throw a fit…what goes around…

This comment is right on. Everyone seems to be avoiding the fact that high school sports, especially basketball and football, have gotten out of control. Shopping for athletes should not be condoned or allowed. It will be the bane of high school sports. I hope you will continue to attack this problem.