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I'm going on 81. When I went to school for the most part everybody was well educated equally. The schools were disciplined and the parents backed the schools 100%. The teachers were qualified and dedicated. They usually stayed at one school their entire career. If any student failed a subject they were mocked by the other students until they came up to par. It was an embarrassment to get a failing mark in any subject. These days, not only are the schools not teaching effectively there is absolutely no discipline and the parents, if you can find them, could care less. I know first hand that most minority students are not being educated in the public school systems. I'm sorry to say this but they are not being taught any of the basic subjects so that they can effectively matriculate in society. The reasoning behind doing poorly in high school and college, if they are lucky enough to get in, is that they are not being forced to learn in elementary schools. Without strong elementary learning there is little chance of success in high school and further on. I feel so damn bad and am angry as can be that the school system is failing many students to include a great deal of minority students. This is probably why I am so adamant that students concentrate on academics instead of primarily football. Academics is the only real key to success. The more academics the better the success. And, I am including skilled trades as academics.

Get involved, make a difference. Don't let them win.

Plus the argument is that this 15-18 year old has the RIGHT to make the choice that is best for him. How many in that age group really make good decisions for themselves. So what if your 12 year old wants to become an actor and drop out of traditional schooling to pursue that career. This kind of thinking is the definition of insanity and if their are any adults left in the room please stand up. We need rail guards to keep them on the road to success and overwhelmingly these transfers don't really accomplish that. It teaches them all the wrong behaviors and that is why I am for returning to some semblance of the old rules to stop them from making bad decisions that inevitably they will regret in the future. Our town is littered with these examples and I bet yours are too.

I wish politicians would stop throwing the race card into every issue and let's concentrate on what is best for the kids' future. We need to educate and encourage all kids, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, etc, to be the best they can. And that's not just the best athlete. We need well rounded kids coming out of our high schools and colleges so they will be well prepared for what they will face in life over the next 40 years.

Bringing facts to a conversation is not politics, my friend. Most high school football players will never even attend a college, either one that they play football at or a college they achieve academically at. The few that do attend colleges, primarily to play football, will never make it to the NFL. The very few that do make it to the NFL may play very little or not at all. There is extreme competition for positions and also injuries to consider. Only a small fraction of the college players that make it to the NFL ever have successful careers. The average length of an NFL career is 3.3 years. Add up all of the high school football players in the state of Florida. How many play football at the college level and especially at the D1 level. Then how many of those college players ever see an NFL stadium except from the bleacher seats. As for minorites that rely exclusively on football in high school as their path forward in life are deluding themselves. Without strong academics there will be no solid path forward. I think life itself has taught this.

Just once I would like to see a couple of these kids say that they are transferring to another school due to the other school having a better academic rating with the fans praising them for declaring it. Something that was the main intention behind the legislature passing the transfer ruling.

That's a sad commentary for your area. It's not a healthy environment and if you feel that way, there has to be a powerful reason for you to stay there. Small towns can be wonderful places to raise a family, but not if the environment is toxic. During my working years, I moved my family many times to improve my career. We've lived in small towns and middle to large cities, all across the eastern half of this country. We never sacrificed our home environment for a job; for one position, I commuted over 50 miles each way for over 12 years to make sure my family lived in a nice town with good schools. Family first! I hope things improve for you or at the very least, you find a more accepting area nearby your present location. Life is too short to let others make you feel miserable.

Heck, there isn't even consensus on what's best these days. We live in interesting times.

HF, you make it sounds so simple.

You know who else values a good education? Black mothers. Being completely apolitical, I am not shilling for our Governor one way or the other, but most political analyst believe he won because of his stance on school choice (For Academics) thru a voucher program (privates, charter, etc.) Those very mothers voted for him in record numbers as they believe it is their choice to decide what is best for their kids and I support them 100%!

Plus the argument is that this 15-18 year old has the RIGHT to make the choice that is best for him. How many in that age group really make good decisions for themselves. My 18 year old grandson just graduated from his local high school here in Central Florida. He was a starting DE and his team's leader in sacks with 15 this past season. He had the opportunity to play football at several D2 schools and he loves playing football, but he wanted to continue his education at the University of Florida. He said he'll train over the Fall and Winter and try to walk-on next Spring. His attitude is that he would love to play football at UF, but if he doesn't , he'll attend the games and get his undergraduate and law degrees at UF. I couldn't be more proud of his decision.

I'm a fossil too; I'll be 77 in November. My experiences regarding education were similar to yours, and if you went to public school, there was no such thing as transferring for athletics. You went to the public HS for which you were zoned or you attended a private high school. Sports were a part of high school, but they weren't the end all that we now see at so many schools. I want every kid to succeed in life and education is a major component in that success. Even NFL superstars need a quality education.

Thank you, Ray, for the heads up. I need to adjust some figures that you provided in order to reach a totally realist figure. Let's focus on football. There are 1,093,234 high school football players in the United States, and 6.5% of those high school players (or 71,060) will play in college. The drop off from college to the pros is even more dramatic: only 1.2% college-level players will get drafted to the NFL. So, the actual percentage of high school players that make it to the NFL is 1.2% of 71,060 players or 853. That percentage is .007% of all high school football players that make it to the NFL. When you figure there are only on average 279 players drafted into the NFL each season the chances of a high school player making the NFL is a lot lower than chances of being hit by lighting once in your lifetime. In other words your chances are somewhere between zero and not at all. A high school student, if applying themselves and doing well in high school academically, can go on to attain a college degree in any one of a million different areas of specialization. Upon graduation one is basically set for life simply by applying your knowledge and being dedicated. Football as a profession is basically an unattainable goal for all those but the very very few.

Even at the pro level, Vince Lombardi was preparing his players for life out of football and history confirms that. So you are missing the point Proseteye is making that striving to pursue your dreams thru any sport and not education is a recipe for failure. Only 1.6% of high school players make it to the NFL and when your entire focus is on that dream, then what? We want these kids to do better, especially those that are disadvantaged. They deserve better, not being a hero for some coach on Friday night to end up under prepared for what life will send his way.

the "equity" monsters would fight it vigorously. They would definitely fight it, if only for political purposes. What too many people are unwilling to acknowledge is that football will only get "a very talented, and lucky few" security for the rest of their lives. The "life span" in the NFL is somewhere less than 3 years. The kids that don't get lifetime security from an NFL career need an education to fall back on after football.

And what exactly are you implying there with that statement?

"Just once I would like to see a couple of these kids say that they are transferring to another school due to the other school having a better academic rating" I hope that you're not holding your breath waiting for that to happen. I would love to see the FHSAA put an academic requirement on all transfers wanting to participate in athletics at the new school; say a 3.0 or a 3.5 cumulative GPA verified by the former school, or in lieu of that, a waiver by the previous school allowing the transferring student to play immediately. The only exceptions would be either (1) the student transferring as a result of his/her family physically moving to the new school's zone and the family establishing permanent residency there, (2) transferring from a private high school to his/her new school's zone where the family has established permanent residency, or (3) transferring to a private high school with eligibility based upon meeting the GPA requirement listed above.

For me: Venice @ NW bulls or Chaminade @ Dillard! Only chance to see Venice.....

Amen!!

"My 3 grandsons were all honor roll students and all recently enlisted in the military, while they figure out their best path forward" Your grandsons appear to have their heads on straight. I'll thank you for their service; you should be proud. Back in the dark ages (late '60s) during the Vietnam War, I was drafted into the US Army and spent two years in the Infantry; it helped make a man out of an immature boy. I took advantage of the GI Bill to be the first in my family to graduate college. It created an expectation in our family that if you want to succeed, you must have an education or a trade. That expectation has carried over to my grandsons. That is the same expectation that I would like to see instilled in all kids in high school. Play football if you're able, but more important, get an education. Girls always seem to be easier to raise than boys.

That my friend, is the true meaning of success in life. Are the ones closest to you a plus to society or a minus. I don't believe many of our leaders care about our public schools and this is the real civil rights issue of our times. They are letting kids from all backgrounds fail and I think they are perfectly okay with that. Our countries future depends on an educated electorate and I've come to the conclusion that neither party is trying to truly strive for that; I think they are content with the way things are. So, it is up to each individual family to see it for what it is and then do something about it. I like you have grandchildren (5); my oldest played softball and as a 10th grader received a full ride to Rollins but for financial reasons later switched to Florida Tech as their starting catcher. I can't recall if she ever made a B. She has graduated and furthering her education in the medical profession. My 3 grandsons were all honor roll students and all recently enlisted in the military, while they figure out their best path forward. The youngest, she is a sophomore at Harmony HS and also a straight A student with college aspirations. One thing for sure, it took much less effort to get the girls to focus on school than my 3 grandsons. Go figure.

Was he blessed with good parenting advising him for those 18 years?

Sometimes, politics becomes entangled with high school football. The rule allowing school choice- and thus transfers- being an obvious example. Discussion of mass transfers is a part of discussing high school football today, like it or not. And discussing mass transfers also necessitates political discussion, like it or not.

Just adding to your post. The kid that succeeds academically has the power to change the future for his/her family for generations.

We want these kids to do better, especially those that are disadvantaged. Your comment is spot on. The time to get these kids, and especially those that have disadvantages, is in high school. I'm all for kids pursuing their athletic dreams, but it can't be at the expense of their academic education.

I'm not surprised after the Spring Jamboree. He should do well at West Oaks where expectations are not as high as at Dr Phillips.

Or verifies what some of us assumed.

Only reason it caught my eye when I saw it on 321recruits twitter

Well, I guess that answers the questions a few of us had a couple weeks back . . .

So when I bring up politics people ask "why is this allowed on a football board" but I guess it's only when it's something "certain people don't agree with" I hope the mods on here eventually remove these posts like the board full of people who were complaining when I did and wanted it removed And that was just me commenting on the standing of the trainwreck that is my pathetic town which was meant to show if the people in charge in Lake City had higher than a 10 IQ this city wouldn't have rising crime and have to rely on tourism to break even every year

I can get behind some version of this idea. Want to transfer to a school you're not zoned for? Show a minimum G.P.A., or state an interest in a program available at the desired school that's not available at the current school. If both schools offer football, then football can't be the reason for transfer. Of course, the "equity" monsters would fight it vigorously.

If I came across the information I would because unlike some media up here I have no reason to hide it It ain't salty, it's pointing out the incompetence of the people who want to claim transfers are only happening in SFL but this thread has shown a ton of north Florida transfers but notice the difference The north Florida transfers for the most part have been posted either as a list or by showing a direct link to a Twitter page of the athlete while in SFL there is actually media transparent enough to report on it

Don't be salty cause I'm sure if Columbia High was getting transfers you'd be telling everyone on these forums

BuT TrAnSfErS OnLy HaPpEn iN SoUtH FlOrIdA LMAO

Going Back awhile. ROCKLEDGE Player: Coach Wood was the HC. #3...Carlile. Still a legend at The Rock. That dude was such an athlete... No one could or would block him. Was the key players in the Raiders championship runs.

I've been around plenty of kids, athletes and non athletes up here who fit that category You want to know how my town handles it? This town BELITTLES them This town pushes people out and put down anyone who doesn't agree with them They don't support the kids and the people in charge of this school would rather back these POS snakes in this POS town then actually build for the future Over the past 12-24 months I've seen the true colors of this town and I'll hate these worthless pieces of shits that turned their back on me and turned their back on the people I care for the rest of my life I enjoy looking at people in the face and them not even knowing how much I hate them and they are too stupid to see it

Didn’t anyone tell you? Venice is the only high school in the country that gets transfers!

Well in Miami this would never happen. You could be a consecutive F school but if your football team is winning you'll want to transfer over