I never like getting a phone call from a student-athlete telling me they want to transfer to another school. Transferring is another way of a student-athlete telling me they made a bad decision. They didn’t do their home work on a school, coaching staff, or the roster. In today’s recruiting, coaches are taught to sell their program to the best of their ability. A huge selling point is “Your son/daughter has a great chance to play early!” The reality is everyone on the team has a great chance to play early and it’s the coach’s job to determine who is going to play by the end of the first practice.If I could give any of our student-athlete’s advice on playing at the next level, it would be to understand there is competition everywhere. It is on you to find out where the best fit is both academically and athletically. Here are some tips for our current college athletes looking into transferring.
Sometimes, you have to wait your time to get on the field. Just remember, you’re only a play away from getting out there. Work hard on the practice field and prove to the staff you’re the one who is supposed to be playing.
There will be many hoops in the administration process that you have to jump through. Release forms, paperwork, and un-easy conversations. You must learn the transfer and eligibility rules-for the NCAA, the conference and the new school you plan to join.
If you are set on transferring and feel it’s the absolute right thing to do, then understand you have to play by the rules. Due to NCAA rules, you cannot talk to another school until you have received written permission from your current school. There are several key factors which determine when you will be eligible.
Before you make this decision we want you to understand the situation and to do your research. Focus not only on sports but education as well. Transferring can not only shorten your playing clock, but also affect the amount of time it will take for you to earn your degree. To learn more about transferring see the NCAA guidebook on transferring at https://www.ncaa.org/. We at NCSA want our student-athletes to have a great college experience. The goal is to receive a great education and make a considerable contribution at the next level. Please let NCSA help you with any questions on transferring.
