Transfer Portal - Good or Evil?

[Hockeynation]

This. I don't think that it does the original program any good to have someone on the roster who doesn't want to be there.

In an ideal world, maybe people would have more of a desire to finish what they started. However, it is a free country, and the ultimate decision for where a young lady goes to college should rest with her, if she has the resume to gain admission.

Great point, and great thread. Mobility, freedom and opportunity is fundamental. Your absolutely right about the ultimate decision being left with the athlete. Male and female athletes should always have a choice to adapt and adjust if their college experience is not ideal.Hopefully this environment brings a sense of accountability and sensibility for the programs to treat their players well and want them to stay.

 

[Offsides Guy]

This is definitely a nuanced topic. I would never begrudge a player who transfers because she is totally unhappy in the current program/school. But I’m guessing I’m not alone in saying I have a hard time with players who transfer even when they’re getting playing time and clearly considered a strong player by the coaches but feel their current situation isn’t quite perfect. These days so many of these players are raised in environment of constant praise that they expect everything to be exactly as they want it when they get to college.

The coaches who take these transfer players also carry much of the blame. And the situation would police itself better if coaches wouldn’t take players who seem to be abandoning their current teams just because things aren’t perfect for the player. I realize it’s tough for a coach not to pursue a talented player but I wish coaches would dig a little deeper and pass on players who seem to be selfishly abandoning their current programs. I’m not sure those types of players add much to your team culture when you bring them in.

 

[pgb-ohio]

This is definitely a nuanced topic. I would never begrudge a player who transfers because she is totally unhappy in the current program/school. But I’m guessing I’m not alone in saying I have a hard time with players who transfer even when they’re getting playing time and clearly considered a strong player by the coaches but feel their current situation isn’t quite perfect. These days so many of these players are raised in environment of constant praise that they expect everything to be exactly as they want it when they get to college...

Definitely a nuanced topic. And Yes: I'd certainly never demonize a player who legally transfers, either to my favorite team or to a rival.

"Mobility, freedom and opportunity" are worthwhile values and should be given their due. But I also believe that roster stability and loyalty to current teammates are worthwhile as well. Under the current rules, the scales have tipped in the direction of freedom & mobility. To borrow Hockeynation's word, freedom & mobility are being treated as fundamental values, while stability and loyalty have a somewhat lesser status.

As I indicated over in the Buckeye thread, I can live with the current situation. I'm fine with coaches fully competing within the agreed upon rules. But as transfers become increasingly routine, I do wonder if college sports is taking yet another step in the direction of professional sports, with indifference to the traditional college experience.

I can't help but notice that the freedom "purists" rarely mention the academic side of things. Changing schools in mid-stream often involves some setbacks on the academic side. Sometimes credits won't transfer. Sometimes a change of majors is required, and so on. Giving the student-athlete a real chance to regain their academic footing is one reason that I still believe a transfer/redshirt year is a good idea. At least when there's scholarship $$ involved to financially support that redshirt year.

Regardless of the exact rule, sports and life will go on.

As a closing point, I agree with Hockeynation that this is a great thread, decidedly more civil than some of the previous conversations on this topic. Importantly, I commend Hockeybuckeye for getting the thread off to a fine start, and for his contributions along the way.

 

[4and20]

Regarding the issue of a student athlete wanting to transfer due to not seeing eye to eye with the coach their first or second season. A wise friend was dealing with this issue with one of his daughters a number of years back. His advice to his daughter was this is life and in the real world you are not going to get along with everyone you work with or your boss every or all the time. You made a commitment and should see it through. His daughter stayed where she was at and finished her four hockey career and was very happy she did.

Not always the result, but in this case it worked out well and was a great learning experience. PS, in the end she grew to appreciate and respect her coach. Maybe not quite what this tread is about as this case was DIII.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

As a closing point, I agree with Hockeynation that this is a great thread, decidedly more civil than some of the previous conversations on this topic. Importantly, I commend Hockeybuckeye for getting the thread off to a fine start, and for his contributions along the way.

Thank you Mr.PGB! I really liked the various perspectives and opinions on this subject and all the points that were made on the many aspects of the Transfer Portal.
I made the points I wanted to share and the only thing left I think is to see if the NCAA along the road somewhere tweaks and makes changes to the portal and what effect it will have. Until then it is what it is.

 

[Timothy A]

Regarding the issue of a student athlete wanting to transfer due to not seeing eye to eye with the coach their first or second season. A wise friend was dealing with this issue with one of his daughters a number of years back. His advice to his daughter was this is life and in the real world you are not going to get along with everyone you work with or your boss every or all the time. You made a commitment and should see it through. His daughter stayed where she was at and finished her four hockey career and was very happy she did.

Not always the result, but in this case it worked out well and was a great learning experience. PS, in the end she grew to appreciate and respect her coach. Maybe not quite what this tread is about as this case was DIII.

In this age of instant gratification, the big picture/long term play, some people just can't deal with things not going 100% their way. The people I respect the most are the people who I didn't always agree with as a student/young professional. Looking back, those people were very wise and very right. There's no substitute for experience. The transfer portal may be an easy out for some who use it, but at some point they will just have to deal with the same problems they are trying to leave.