Macomb Dakota HS & MHSAA collab to keep top hooper ineligible for senior year
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.
December 8th, 2017 at 9:42 PM ^
At MSU they give you a full scholarship if you even consider joining the basketball team as a top recruit. Come maybe play for us if your grades are good enough.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^
Someone has to complain and someone has to investiate. Evidence has to be compiled and an argument has to be made in front of the entity in charge, in this case, MHSAA. The evidence would include answers to questions like "where do you get your mail?" "On which property do you claim a homestead exemption?" "What were the reasons for the move?" "At which property do you spend the majority of your nights?"
What you have to understand is that the MHSAA is an association that schools can choose to belong to or not. It's not "the state" or an entity that is governed by the state. School of choice law is "the state" and has nothing to do with athletics eligibilty per the MHSAA.
MHSAA is its own entity and has its own guidance, by laws, rules, etc. Again, a school can even choose, if it wants, to not be an MHSAA member. You'll recall a movement a few years back where volleyball folks actually wanted to create a whole new association because they couldn't convince MHSAA to move the volleyball season to a time of year more to their liking.
Where the MHSAA has you is that they "own" the tournaments. Clarkston could play this kid all they want in conference play (assuming that the conference has no rule against it). The problem is that it would render them ineligible for the state tournament... which has become the whole point for teams: "winning states." But, in truth, the MHSAA only governs their sanctioned events, their tournaments. As far as the MHSAA is concerned, their stance is "play any kid you want, but don't enter any of the events we control if you're using a player that doesn't meet our criteria for eligibility. This is our tournament and we have the right to control it in any manner we choose." They have history and precedent behind them, making them pretty much the only game in town, which is why their tournament is, for all intents and purposes "the state tournament" even though, technically any athletic association could come in and set up something similar. It would merely take other schools "jumping ship" to make it viable.
December 8th, 2017 at 4:16 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^
"A few are on their basketball team right now!"
Man, I remember the good 'ole days when an exclamation point really meant something. Kids today throw it around so willy nilly...
December 8th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
Is to transfer to an out-state academy. MHSAA ruling has no bearing then.
December 8th, 2017 at 11:55 AM ^
Wow, in TN you are eligible immediately if you move from one school zone/district to another. If his family moved into Clarkston's diistrict then I don't understand why they wont let him play immediately. Sounds messed up.
December 8th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
A few states have this policy. The idea is to put the student before the athlete.
December 8th, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 12:55 PM ^
I'm a Dakota alum, c/o 2002. Not close to the program at all FWIW. It's amazing to see how dirty things have gotten, it's a real shame.
In the linked article, they cite the clause of the rule that was broken:
The MHSAA handbook has seven clauses that define an "athletically motivated" transfer, and Johnson said No. 7 specifically applied to Kithier's case. That clause reads: "The student seeks to participate with teammates or coaches with whom he/she participated in non-school competition during the preceding 12 months."
I think by the letter of the law, this is a pretty easy call and MHSAA got it right. However, it is also clear that schools regularly let these go uncontested, and it's a shitty move on Tocco's part to contest. MHSAA sounds about as plugged in as the NCAA.
Like I said, I'm not close to the program, but I'm not sure I buy that the move on Dakota's part is just to get back at Clarkston. They're not even in the same conference. I think it's just a butthurt transfer power play, I don't know why there has to be any more to it than that. Hopefully future incoming transfers to Dakota are blocked, if they want to start playing that game.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
Thanks for sharing. Seems clear based on that decision, but I wonder if you can challenge it based on the student not seeking the transfer, but the PARENTS seeking the transfer for academic reasons.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:02 PM ^
Questions asked
December 8th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^
I had no clue that MHSAA had a transfer rule if the family actually moves. I didn't know this was a thing. No doubt, they moved to Clarkson so the kid could play with his teammate, but I am sure with AAU ball dominating basketball this happens all the time. Also no doubt, the family must have pissed off Macomb and MHSAA - there is definitely bad blood and both organizations flexed their muscles. Unfortunatley, a kid and his future is impacted.
December 8th, 2017 at 10:43 PM ^
Well... It's not totally clear that "they" moved anywhere. Apparently he lived in a rented appartment (or condo) during the week and potentially back with his parents in Macomb on the weekends. They have reportedly never definitively declared that they all moved to Clarkston. Not judging them or the MHSAA, just letting you know it might not be exactly cut and dried.
EDIT: My bad, read your post further down.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
The more I read about it, the more I understand the decision. Apparently, the family rented an apartment in Clarkston and the kid is 18 so he is able to live there during the week.
However, it sounds like Macomb has engaged in the same activity with transfers, but then does not grant a release when one of their own goes to transfer. Pot. Kettle. Black.
I am sure this will catch up with Macomb. It is a very interesting case.
December 8th, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^
December 8th, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
MHSAA has no interest in doing what is best for athletes in this state. This is the same organization that last spring threatened track athletes across the state by telling them that they risked being declared ineligible for the following season if they registered for the high school national meet using times or marks that were set during any MHSAA competition. Not only are they telling kids they can't participate in an event that occurred after the school year is over, but they act like they own the times and marks achieved by the athletes.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
can be as interesting as the college side. I've known a fair few people who went to Dakota way back. I never knew their athletics were especially good, but even back then the people there I knew weren't happy with their policy of basically convincing kids to transfer just to play sports.
I have a hunch that this happens at all HS's that takes sports seriously (as in aim for state titles etc. in a high profile sport).
December 8th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
I wish I would have been good enough to have a transfer blocked. I didn't even make the team.
December 8th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
I do not agree with the MHSAA, but it sounds like their reason was of sec 7 of the transfer rule
about transfering to play with another palyer with whom you will be playing with in the next 12 months. Because he would be joining another MSU recruit at Clarkston, they said he was ineligble for the first semetser. I then think when the appealed the MHSAA got mad and dropped the hammer for the whole year.
December 13th, 2017 at 5:47 PM ^
but discovered that in fact there were more violations than just the one. (Like, perhaps, the fact that the parents hadn't actually moved.)
High school athletic associations don't have the resources to enforce their own regs--they're pretty much dependent on whistleblowers to get things started. But the appeal of their initial decision would have forced them to devote more of their own resources to the case and they might have learned some things they missed the first time around.
December 8th, 2017 at 5:53 PM ^
MHSAA - the amateur assholes who seek to emulate the professional assholes that run the NCAA.
December 14th, 2017 at 8:25 PM ^
Channel 7 picked it up
https://www.wxyz.com/sports/msu-commit-thomas-kithier-ruled-ineligible-…
December 8th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
December 9th, 2017 at 1:15 AM ^
Like this is just so fucking sad. Having grown up in that area, good fucking lord I hate it.
December 9th, 2017 at 10:38 AM ^
HOWEVER, This entire thing reeked of collusion from the second Kithier announced he was transferring to Clarkston of all places. I get it, he wanted to play with Loyer, but Kithier walking from Dakota, to the reigning Class A state champions stinks to high hell no matter the reason. I feel terrible for him that he is losing his senior year, but he didn't game the system properly. If this apartment thing is true, try being just a *little* less obvious about living separate from your folks, which is the exact kind of thing the MHSAA wars against. Stinks for him, but the governing body is within its rights here, no matter how antiquated they seem.
December 9th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
Theoretically they should win every champlionship in every sport every year.
December 14th, 2017 at 8:27 PM ^
Wojo front pager
Thomas Kithier case is one of excessive punishment