‘Disturbing’ trend continues

Record number of high school athletes changed schools statewide last season, the fourth year in a row it increased.

The final number on high school sports transfers is in for the 2017-18 school year. There were 16,839 transfers reported by member schools of the California Interscholastic Federation.

That’s a record number of transfers statewide and the fourth consecutive year of an increase.

In 2014-15, the number was 15,865. In 2015-16, it was 15,882. In 2016-17, it was 16,595. The total increase over four years is 974 transfers, or comes out to a rise of 6.1%.

Roger Blake, the CIF’s executive director, said Monday that the commissioners of the CIF’s 10 sections would examine the data but don’t expect action to be taken. Stricter rules would result in additional legal costs, which the CIF has tried to avoid.

“The number is less than 2% of total participants, but it’s the same schools getting the superstar transfers, and that’s not the intent of education-based athletics,” Blake said. “It’s disturbing when parents are looking to move their sons and daughters solely for athletics.”

In 2012, the CIF changed its transfer rules, removing a one-year punishment for switching schools without moving and making it about a month sit-out period. There were 4,242 sit-out period athletes last school year. That’s up from 3,714 four years ago, an increase of 14.2%.

The Southern Section had the most transfers, 7,289.