Macomb Dakota HS & MHSAA collab to keep top hooper ineligible for senior year

Submitted by chuck bass on

I guess the coach and admins at Dakota HS in Macomb County felt entitled to this kid's athletic glory. Sad we entrust our children with vindictive dopes who think they "own" our kids.

-- Thomas Kithier, 6-8 225lb PF c/o 2018. Signed with Sparty. #7 player overall in Michigan.
 
-- Dakota lost to Clarkston 2 of last 3 years in class A playoffs. Clarkston 2017 state champs.
 
-- Dakota's coach made his 11th grade son starting PG and football QB.
 
-- With 3,000 students, Dakota is largest high school in Michigan, an athletic power benefiting from countless uncontested incoming athlete transfers.
 
-- Kithier, age 18, says school environment "toxic", wanted out for senior year, considered out of state prep school, Izzo encouraged him to stay in-state. Family advised at age 18 he can live on his own and qualify for athletics at different district. Gets a condo in August in Oakland County's Clarkston, which happens to be home of a hoops coaching legend & his AAU point guard and future MSU teammate, Foster Loyer, #2 overall in Michigan.
 
-- MHSAA Associate Director Tom Rashid allegedly told Clarkston's AD "if Dakota had any balls they won't sign Kithier's transfer release."
 
-- Tom Rashid and Dakota AD Mike Fusco are long-time friends.
 
-- "MHSAA investigation came as a result of complaints filed by Dakota Athletic Director Mike Fusco Dakota head coach Paul Tocco and the school refused to sign Kithier’s educational transfer form, which would have granted immediate eligibility."
 
-- MHSAA tells kid in October he has to sit out until January 15, 2018, 90 days.
 
-- Family and Clarkston challenge the ruling because they did everything as advised for him to gain immediate eligibility. MHSAA drops the hammer and says okay, now it's the entire year, 180 days!
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LSAClassOf2000

December 8th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^

Another level of school of choice is that you can choose which in-district school you can send your kids to if you want to keep them in the resident district. That's actually what we do with my son only because he requires a paraprofessional for part of the day (autism spectrum) and there is only one elementary school in the district sufficiently staffed and equipped. If that weren't an issue for us, we probably would have simply stuck with the elementary school that our side of town typically attends. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

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xtramelanin

December 8th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^

either.  they aren't a creature of legistlative or statutory power.  they are merely a private organization that most schools will follow their rules. 

feel bad for the kid, though at least he has his offer and that's not going to get pulled.  

Joined: 12/09/2014

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Fishbulb

December 8th, 2017 at 10:50 AM ^

...which side of the argument you are on. One can argue that the waiting (sitting) period is too long, but it seems clear the intent is athletically motivated, and there is a rule that addresses that. While this situation is getting some press, having to sit out after a transfer happens regularly. They just aren’t as high profile. Kids coming back from open enrollment or a parochial have to sit out. It’s common.

Joined: 07/24/2011

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Bo's Broken Da…

December 8th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^

He played against Clarkston over the last 2 seasons on a highly ranked Dakota team and already has a scholarship to a D1 university. He played with Foster Loyer over the summer in AAU ball but I would love to know how this move can be clearly viewed as "athletically motivated" considering all the factors. 

Dakota should be ashamed of themselves considering all the uncontested high profile recruits they have pulled in over the last few seasons alone. 

It's a bad look on Dakota's part and it's doing nothing but telling a teenage boy he can't play basketball during his final year of high school.

Considering how the MHSAA touts athletics as a vital part of education it hardly seems like the Chippewa Valley School District/Dakota and the MHSAA are thinking of the kid. 

And he lives in Clarkston - this is not a matter of "school of choice."

Joined: 01/28/2013

MGoPoints: 106

APBlue

December 8th, 2017 at 3:21 PM ^

His parents stayed in Macomb.  He moved to Clarkston on his own (he's 18).  He wanted to play with his AAU PG, who also plays at Clarkston ahd who's also committed to MSU.  

It totally appears to be athletically motivated to me. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

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We are back

December 8th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^

I went to Clarkston high school and played for Fife, if you are implying him and his son did some shady stuff to get this kid there then you are out of bounds, if anything this was done by the parents and the kids they played aau together last summer and prolly felt a good connection. The fife family as a whole is a great Michigan family, they have done so much for the community.

Joined: 12/17/2015

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MaizeGVBlue

December 8th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^

I get there are rules to try to avoid parents and coaches gaming the system, but it's been known for a long time that the private and big time public schools recruit like crazy.

I think Tocco is just being vindictive because he can't beat Fife and Co as it is.

 

Joined: 11/27/2017

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Sione For Prez

December 8th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^

Since the family physically moved to the new district there should be no question. I would understand it if they were trying to circumvent rules like renting a tiny apartment and pretending that they moved but still living in their current home. If the family is actually now living in Clarkston this ruling is bullshit.

Joined: 11/16/2015

MGoPoints: 10708

Magnus

December 8th, 2017 at 11:19 AM ^

There was a story line in "Friday Night Lights" about something like that, and that actually happened with our football program. A kid "moved" to our district but was a troublemaker, and we then found out he was using a fake address (it was an empty lot). We took it upon ourselves to let the district know, and then he was sent to the right school. The parents "moved" two more times before his high school career was over, all the while staying at their same home address. The kid attended 4 different high schools.

People are weird.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166237

Bosch

December 8th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^

Kithier played at Dakota for three years, plays AAU with Loyer (another MSU recruit) this past summer and then tries to transfer to Clarkston to play with Loyer. I'm not finding myself all that upset about the decision.

Joined: 04/03/2009

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Ziff72

December 8th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^

We need someone with ties to Dakota to give the rebuttal because I don't think we got an unbiased rundown of the facts from the Clarkston side.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 9823

creelymonk10

December 8th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^

Real dick move by Dakota, first by not signing off on the transfer and then to bitch and moan to the MHSAA about it just because you got your feelings hurt. I hope Clarkston kicks their ass again this year. 

Joined: 12/04/2009

MGoPoints: 10678

SailingNomad

December 8th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^

You're joking, right?  Fife has never actively recruited that I know of.  However, he has a great reputation in the state, and a few players have transferred in over the years of their own accord in order to be coached by him.  Even taking that into account, the number of players that have transferred into Clarkston over the years is well below that of many other powerhouse programs.

Joined: 08/19/2009

MGoPoints: 117

Qmatic

December 8th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^

What's funny about this whole situation is that a couple years back, when Jermaine Jackson took the head coaching job at Dakota, he brought over 3 players from his Mount Clemens team that made the state quarterfinals (including his son). Dakota has been doing this for some time, and everyone in the county knows it. The fact that Chippewa Valley was better at football this year was refreshing to see.

While we are on the topic of Macomb County dirty programs, don't let me get started on New Haven.

Joined: 01/09/2013

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samdrussBLUE

December 8th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^

who gives a shit if its academically, athletically, girlfriend or lunch food related! If you move, no one should be able to tell you shit otherwise. Period.

Joined: 01/21/2012

MGoPoints: 18004

4yearsofhoke

December 8th, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^

Yep if you move you move. Although hyperbole, this is akin to a child not being able to take academic courses because a family was solely motivated by academics to move to a school district with a better academic reputation.

I guarantee this MHSAA board has no to limited legal training in admin law, due process, or determining intent. From looking briefly on Google, it looks like the individuals on the board making these decisions is composed of people without JD's etc. This is akin to how a lot of Title IX claims are overturned (including Drew Sterett's at UMich).

Futhermore, it is down right appalling that the MHSAA will punish a CHILD on a subjective analysis (and with the above caveat that the board seemingly has no/little training about how to: (1) conduct an investigation into intent; (2) apply due process; and (3) have an academic background in admin law) of the CHILD's parents intent to move somewhere and punish the CHILD for the parent's move.

Edit: *Look like the "rule" (posted below) is pretty clear, but I still find the decision and the rule bonkers.

Joined: 12/19/2015

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Tuebor

December 8th, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^

It all depends on how he phrased the move.  If he said he was moving to play with his AAU and future MSU teammate then that is probably a violation of the rules if not in letter than at least in spirit.  If he said that he was excited to be playing with the AAU teammate then that is likely fine.  One describes intent the other doesn't.

 

That said, if the family actually changes their domicle to a new district I don't see why he shouldn't be allowed to play.  If they kept their house in Macomb as a homestead exemption for property taxes and are just renting an apartment in the clarkston school district then I'd say he shouldn't be allowed to play.

Joined: 03/14/2011

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ldevon1

December 8th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^

If the family still has the same home in Macomb and have an apartment in the the Clarkston school district, is this considered a legitimate move? 

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