CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Cabell County senator who has spent a lot of time coaching youth basketball has real problems with a measure which suddenly appeared in the state Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, believes SB 813 will create major problems for student athletes and for West Virginia high school sports.
“What we have in high school sports is the last bastion of pure sports. Last year we took a crack at high school sports with the transfer rule and this would be the second of a one-two punch in my view,” said Woelfel in an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
The legislation, which cleared the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, would allow a high school student athlete to play a sport for their school and at the same time play the same sport for an AAU or travel squad. Many high school athletes play travel sports, but currently the rules disallow playing them at the same time.
Woelfel , who has for many years coached AAU Basketball, worried the allowance would create a myriad of negative issues for not only high school sports, but also for high school students.
“Two games a week, two high school games a week, your multiple practices a week and I want to talk about sports medicine issues, that’s going to wear a kid out. What about academics? When is that kid going to study and do homework? Kids are going to get burned out,” he explained.
Senate Education Committee Chair Amy Grady supported the bill and said often travel ball is an attractive option for student athletes and their parents to garner the attention of college coaches. Woelfel worried about divided loyalties and a lack of commitment or discipline.
“There are no academic standards for travel ball. So if a (high school) coach says, ‘Your grades are slipping, I’m going to put you on the bench,’ ‘Well I’m playing AAU, I’ll see you later coach,’ and he quits. What discipline do you have?’” he explained.
Woelfel said another part of the bill would allow for a high school coach to also coach travel teams. Woelfel feared that created the potential for illegal recruiting of students from rival schools.
Although the measure won approval in the Senate Education Committee it has not yet been reported to the Senate floor and remains in limbo.