TEXARKANA, Texas -- Texas State Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio, has introduced a bill that could grant Texas high school students the ability to transfer to another district for athletic purposes without penalty.
The bill, which seeks to prohibit the University Interscholastic League (UIL) from penalizing such transfers, has sparked intense debate among high school coaches and athletic directors.
Critics argue the bill could lead to high school recruitment and reduce opportunities for students already in a district.
Currently, UIL guidelines mandate that students transferring for athletic reasons must sit out from varsity competition for a year, even if both parents move to the new district. Recruiting at any grade level is also prohibited under UIL guidelines.
The athletic directors/head football coaches at all three Texas-side schools are in agreement -- they are against the bill.
"Our Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and myself included as a part of the association fully disagree with the bill and are in full support of our current UIL rules and regulations," said Texas High's Gerry Stanford.
"I do not see it having a chance to pass at this time."
Pleasant Grove's Josh Gibson agrees.
"In reference to the possible rule change, my stance would be with the THSCA and UIL against the proposed change.
"There is a current system in place that is both fair and more importantly, holds all parties accountable.
"The proposed change could create a free agent market at the high school level."
Liberty-Eylau's Dewaski Davis said the proposed bill is "a bad thing for our state.
"We already have rules in place to prevent this from happening. I feel like this may cause some major migration of athletes," Davis said."Basically this would prevent parity from happening in UIL sports.
"We see how it's affecting college sports. We need to teach our kids to persevere and not give up when things do not go their way."
Gervin-Hawkins' proposal would allow students to transfer once between 8th and 12th grade without penalty, similar to a provision passed by the NCAA in 2021. This provision has been linked to a significant increase in transfer portal entries, with 3,083 FBS college football players entering the portal during the 2021-22 transfer cycle, up from 1,717 in 2018-19.
The University of Colorado, under the guidance of first-year coach Dion Sanders, has lost more than 50 players to the college portal bill.
The Buffaloes, who struggled to a 1-11 season last year, could have 71 new scholarship athletes before the 2023 season opens.
Even Arkansas has been hit by the transfer portal, with the Razorbacks losing 27 scholarship athletes following a 7-6 record.
Despite the concerns, Gervin-Hawkins believes her bill would empower parents and student-athletes to choose the best institution for them, particularly in unfavorable circumstances. Many high school coaches in Texas, however, fear the consequences of what they call a "free-for-all," arguing that the bill could destabilize the public school system and harm high school athletics.
Although the bill's chances of passing before the legislative session ends on May 29 are slim, Gervin-Hawkins indicated she will remain committed to what she believes is advocating for student-athletes' rights. The bill is currently pending in committee, with many coaches believing that a discussion about UIL transfer processes is necessary, though few coaches feel that this proposal is the best course of action.
"I hope this bill doesn't pass," Coach Davis said. "Our coaches association has lobbied hard against other bills that were bad for high school."
In this undated photo, Texas High head football coach Gerry Stan ford walks across the Tigers' football field. (Photo by Kevin Sutton/TXKSports.com)
Dewaski Davis (Photo by Kevin Sutton)