With the number of SHS athletes being recruited for college sports, we took a look at the Transfer Portal, which was created in 2018. The Transfer Portal is a mechanism college athletes can use to transfer to better colleges with superior programs and facilities.
The Transfer Portal was created by the NCAA because a lot of players wanted a more efficient way for student athletes to transfer to a different program. Scott Paine, SHS athletic director, commented,“I do believe the transfer portal is here for the greater good of the athlete.”
Recruited athletes from the SHS Class of 2025, such as Willy Robinson, Lawson Foley, and Wyllys Ames, could use the Transfer Portal to their advantage to go to a different school if they want to within the next three years.
Although this system can be helpful to college athletes, some people believe the Transfer Portal creates a disadvantage because some colleges may look to recruit fewer high school athletes and more transfer students at the college level. College coaches might pick a transfer student over a high school athlete because the college student is more conditioned and has more experience at the next level. A college student also has a greater understanding of the game at the collegiate level.
Financial incentives may also motivate some student athletes. Consequently, I asked Wyllys Ames if he believes the focus on education will become less of a priority due to the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. He believes it will because of the amount of money available from these deals. For example, Travis Hunter, who was recently drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, transferred from Jackson State University in Florida to the University of Colorado Boulder, where he played as a wide receiver and defensive back and earned 5.2 million from NIL deals. Although there is a downside to the Transfer Portal, there is still a lot of upside.
The Transfer Portal helps athletes increase their chances of recognition, allowing them to avoid being overlooked by schools that need athletes with specific skills. It also helps some athletes gain admission to better programs that help them grow as people and players. To some athletes, the educational program at the school they want to transfer to may be more appealing than their current school. Unfortunately, their credits might not be transferable.
However, education may not be the most important aspect to some athletes, especially those who are guaranteed to reach the next level.
2020 SHS graduate Jack Poirier used the Transfer Portal to transfer from Le Moyne College in New York to Ave Maria University in Florida, where he plays basketball. He said, “The Transfer Portal was a great tool that helped in my transfer process.”