By Darron Thomas
I spent much time last week conversing with MAIS coaches and athletic directors about the practice of openly recruiting athletes within the MAIS by member schools. All asked not to be named and I sensed that fear of retribution by the MAIS was the primary concern.
I spent much time last week conversing with MAIS coaches and athletic directors about the practice of openly recruiting athletes within the MAIS by member schools. All asked not to be named and I sensed that fear of retribution by the MAIS was the primary concern.
When word began to surface months ago pertaining to MRA being banned by the MHSAA from competing with its member schools I, like others, just shrugged it off as sour grapes from the public school system. Then The Clarion Ledger published a piece last week confirming that not only had MRA been banned but also Magnolia Heights.
Not long after that article was published I began receiving communications from MAIS coaches and athletic directors who had much more to add with regards to recruiting of athletes at the high school level.
The scope of their experience didn't focus only on the two schools mentioned in The Clarion Ledger and the MHSAA, rather the focus was on the recruiting practices of a handful of MAIS schools within the association that seemed to go unchecked and lacked any over-site from the MAIS.
One representative of an MAIS school told of a basketball tournament in which a AAAA head coach was asking players from a smaller school where they had planned on attending school the following year. The coach of the smaller school told the coach not to speak to any of his players or family members. It was later learned the players were offered "scholarships" to attend another school the following year.
The representative claimed passionately that the MAIS would never dole out any form of punishment to what many call the "Big Three" schools in Jackson. The representative said the players were offered "free tuition" to attend the larger school the following school year.
One coach said, "There are really no rules pertaining to transfers receiving financial aid to play a particular sport."
Another said, "Everyone is cheating and honestly I don't think anyone really even knows the rules, it's just finger pointing and until an open discussion takes place about the matter nothing will change."
"One highly successful coach who had transfer students participating in athletics multiple years stated he had never seen any form regarding transfers.
Another coach told of a "sponsor" at one of the largest MAIS schools who was footing the bill for tuition and gear for several very highly skilled athletes for years until there was a falling out between he and the head coach.
One thing is clear. Either many coaches and athletic directors haven't been educated in the area of the AAC Handbook or the MAIS is not proactive in policing this area.
A coach for whom I have great respect echoed what he felt most coaches would do if they had an opportunity to land a prize athlete, take him or her.
One coach of a smaller school who had moderate success competing against large MAIS schools and claimed a state title not long ago said they were known as "transfer academy" and felt they were targets for years until they started losing and only then did the focus on them cease.
Finally, one coach expressed his opinion as such: "The only time the MAIS doles out punishment or chooses to change language in the handbook is when a small school does the unthinkable and upsets one of the major powers in Jackson in an athletic event."
If this situation is in fact happening at an alarming rate as some suggest, perhaps the MAIS can avoid the fiasco that took place during tournament play a few years back when Central Private shocked the MAIS in defeating Jackson Prep for the Overall Basketball Championship. The whole debacle regarding the Australian transfer kids could have, and very honestly should have, been dealt with much earlier if indeed proper protocol had been adhered to and monitored by those paid to do so.
I will give credit to MAIS Executive Director Shane Blanton who has done solid work in advancing the MAIS into this century, specifically in the aspect of technology. The interactive athletic score reporting program has been a huge success in the area of football and with his foresight the MAIS will prosper in growth. His vision was much needed.
Not long after that article was published I began receiving communications from MAIS coaches and athletic directors who had much more to add with regards to recruiting of athletes at the high school level.
The scope of their experience didn't focus only on the two schools mentioned in The Clarion Ledger and the MHSAA, rather the focus was on the recruiting practices of a handful of MAIS schools within the association that seemed to go unchecked and lacked any over-site from the MAIS.
One representative of an MAIS school told of a basketball tournament in which a AAAA head coach was asking players from a smaller school where they had planned on attending school the following year. The coach of the smaller school told the coach not to speak to any of his players or family members. It was later learned the players were offered "scholarships" to attend another school the following year.
The representative claimed passionately that the MAIS would never dole out any form of punishment to what many call the "Big Three" schools in Jackson. The representative said the players were offered "free tuition" to attend the larger school the following school year.
One coach said, "There are really no rules pertaining to transfers receiving financial aid to play a particular sport."
Another said, "Everyone is cheating and honestly I don't think anyone really even knows the rules, it's just finger pointing and until an open discussion takes place about the matter nothing will change."
"One highly successful coach who had transfer students participating in athletics multiple years stated he had never seen any form regarding transfers.
Another coach told of a "sponsor" at one of the largest MAIS schools who was footing the bill for tuition and gear for several very highly skilled athletes for years until there was a falling out between he and the head coach.
One thing is clear. Either many coaches and athletic directors haven't been educated in the area of the AAC Handbook or the MAIS is not proactive in policing this area.
A coach for whom I have great respect echoed what he felt most coaches would do if they had an opportunity to land a prize athlete, take him or her.
One coach of a smaller school who had moderate success competing against large MAIS schools and claimed a state title not long ago said they were known as "transfer academy" and felt they were targets for years until they started losing and only then did the focus on them cease.
Finally, one coach expressed his opinion as such: "The only time the MAIS doles out punishment or chooses to change language in the handbook is when a small school does the unthinkable and upsets one of the major powers in Jackson in an athletic event."
If this situation is in fact happening at an alarming rate as some suggest, perhaps the MAIS can avoid the fiasco that took place during tournament play a few years back when Central Private shocked the MAIS in defeating Jackson Prep for the Overall Basketball Championship. The whole debacle regarding the Australian transfer kids could have, and very honestly should have, been dealt with much earlier if indeed proper protocol had been adhered to and monitored by those paid to do so.
I will give credit to MAIS Executive Director Shane Blanton who has done solid work in advancing the MAIS into this century, specifically in the aspect of technology. The interactive athletic score reporting program has been a huge success in the area of football and with his foresight the MAIS will prosper in growth. His vision was much needed.
Below is language from the MAIS AAC Handbook:
The language in the MAIS AAC Handbook in section H, pages 43 & 44 - Financial Consideration states:
No student may be eligible to participate in inter-school athletics if he has been shown financial consideration by a school, or any of its associated organizations, on the basis of his value to the activity program of the school. A student shown financial consideration of any kind shall be so noted on the eligibility lists that are submitted to the Director of Activities.
An acceptable school supported financial aid plan should:
1. Be in writing and on file in the school office
2. Be approved by the school board
3. Be controlled and supervised by the school board
4. Contain details of the qualifying criteria for aid
5. Include all students in the grade structure of the school
6. Demonstrate through documentation, the application and approval process
7. Comply with MAIS athletic eligibility reporting, i.e., mark 'yes' on online Eligibility Form for students receiving financial aid
8. Show evidence of including non-athletes
Signs of Misguided and Faulty Financial Aid:
1. A pattern of transfers into an athletic program receiving financial aid, especially at the senior high level
2. Shear numbers of athletes receiving financial aid
3. Involvement of Boosters' Clubs with financial aid
4. Discovery of transfers receiving aid, but not listed on the MAIS Eligibility Report
5. Aid to athletes coming from one source, or benefactor, over an extended period of time
6. No evidence of inclusion of non-athletes
7. Consistent reports from other member schools that a problem exists with the competitions financial aid as it relates to recruiting.
Section P - Recruiting - Page 52
The recruiting and/or undue influence of a student-athlete of a MAIS member school
by anyone directly or indirectly associated with another member school shall result
in said school being placed on probation, and not being eligible for the championship
in all sports for a period of one (1) year. In addition, a fine in the amount of $500.00
shall be assessed the school in violation. Further, such recruiting and/or undue
influence shall cause the student-athlete to be ineligible for one (1) year if he or she
transfers. Recruiting and/or undue influence would include (but not be limited to) a
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student-athlete receiving merchandise such as clothing and equipment and/or
moneys for the individual's expenditures.
Reporting Athletic Eligibility Data
After the information on each athlete has been verified and entered, both the headmaster and the athletic director are required to sign the Headmaster / AD Verification Form. This form is to then be sent to the MAIS Office via paper mail. The deadline for turning in this form is always the Thursday before the first varsity football game.
On the form is a check box that asks: Receives Financial Aid? YES or NO?
At the bottom of the form states:
The deadline for submitting your data online AND mailing in the Headmaster/AD Form by traditional mail is August 20, 2015.
My writing on this subject is not to be mean spirited, only a source of information for the readers to render their own opinions based on personal information I received. I was blocked by the MAIS when I wrote a critical piece a year or so ago and I must say it was done in a clever way. I quickly realized the method used to do so and the sources. My hope is that this piece is constructive and as a parent who sent two sons to MAIS schools from K-1 to 12th grade I feel I'm still a stakeholder, as many other parents are, in the MAIS.
I will never forget being told by an MAIS Executive Committee member that it wasn't the business of MAIS parents and patrons of matters discussed in meetings. The first thing that popped into my head was the thousands of dollars I spent for my sons to attend an MAIS school and the tons of money, mileage and the loading up of kids in my vehicle to travel all over to play sports.
The MAIS is not perfect but I'm thankful for it and may God continue to allow growth to take place.
I will never forget being told by an MAIS Executive Committee member that it wasn't the business of MAIS parents and patrons of matters discussed in meetings. The first thing that popped into my head was the thousands of dollars I spent for my sons to attend an MAIS school and the tons of money, mileage and the loading up of kids in my vehicle to travel all over to play sports.
The MAIS is not perfect but I'm thankful for it and may God continue to allow growth to take place.
