Indiana to consider implementing ‘past-link’ rule

The Indiana High School Athletic Association may consider implementing a new rule that would strengthen penalties on some student-athlete transfers.

ihsaaReferred to as the “past-link” rule, student-athletes would be ineligible for 365 days if it’s established that he or she transferred to a school with a coach, manager or trainer on staff that worked with them during the summer or with a club team. IHSAA commissioner Bobby Cox told The Indianapolis Star that the proposal received support during area principal meetings.

From The Indianapolis Star:

“I think the membership likes it,” Cox said. “The concern that is being raised by the basketball coaches is that they are growing weary of having to fight and defend for their own kids. A kid is in my program and is developing into a nice player and somebody comes in and tries to sway that kid to go to a different school for whatever purpose.”

The rule would potentially limit the practice of hiring assistant coaches affiliated with travel teams, or at least diminish the significance. Marty Johnson, athletic director at Perry Meridian and associate director of the IBCA, told the Star last summer the coaches association planned to pursue a rule similar to the one implemented by Michigan.

The measure is clearly an effort to reduce recruiting at the high school level, something that has become a hot-button issue in recent years. The proposal originated with the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, The Star reported.

The IHSAA’s Board of Directors is expected to discuss the rule at its meeting on May 4.


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