Questions abound for new AHSAA director as high school sports year opens

Heath Harmon, new executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, speaks during the annual Media Day at the AHSAA offices on Wednesday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

The Alabama High School Athletic Association held its annual media day on Wednesday and new executive director Heath Harmon talked about name, image and likeness, student-athlete transfers and rule changes in his first meeting with the media as the new executive director.

The media day was held to promote the organization’s annual Kickoff Classic at Cramton Bowl, which features T.R. Miller and Reeltown next Thursday (Aug. 22) and Vestavia Hills and Carver the following night.

Harmon, who took over for the retiring Alvin Briggs last month, was understandably vague in tackling some of the nation’s toughest issues, including the effects of name, image and likeness at the high school level.  

He pointed out the AHSAA’s amateur rule prohibits students from benefiting financially from their athletic performance, but was careful in pointing out the organization is studying other states as they tackle the issue.

“Whenever you say NIL, it is one of those things that is definitely a hot topic that grabs people’s attention,” he said. “For me, it’s very important that we have a plan. The first step in that is kind of looking at, researching and studying what people are doing with that to decide the direction that we’re going in.

“Under my leadership, we’re never going to drag our feet. But we’re also going to make sure that we’re not reckless.”

Student transfers are perhaps the biggest challenge facing high schools today, but both Harmon and associate director Kim Vickers pointed out the data does not support the perception.

“If you pay attention to social media, you’ll see student-athletes make comments that they are proud they’re transferring or going to finish their career at a certain school,” Vickers said, “and they’re imitating what they see our collegiate athletes do when they enter the transfer portal.”

Vickers said she joined forces with former AHSAA staff members Wanda Gilliland and Tony Stallworth to conduct a study on transfers in 2016.

“At that time, we asked every school across the state that are members of the (Alabama High School Athletic) Association to submit to our office the number of transfers they had that are participating in athletics,” she said. “In 2016, Wanda Gilliland, Tony Stallworth and I manually counted up that number of transfers. In 2016, we had approximately 3,659 transfers in one year. Now, we are able to track those transfers. Do we see the trend changing? Actually, no, we don’t. Our families are more transient than they were in the 1980s. Many of our families are working from home so it’s an easy thing to pack up and move somewhere else if your child wants to go to another school.”

The data isn’t complete from the 2023-24 school year, she added, “but we do see an average, every year, of anywhere from the high 2,000s to the high 3,000s in number of transfers across the state. What we see as the main difference is people know about it now because of social media 

“Students want to play on teams that are winning, they want to transfer where facilities are nicer than what they have. We see it every day.”

Vickers added the AHSAA staff investigates any transfer “when we’re asked to” and Harmon later clarified her point by noting the organization can investigate any transfer regardless of whether they’re asked by a prospective school to look into the matter.

“It’s the school’s responsibility to manage those transfers, with the principal having the ultimate responsibility,” Vickers said. “It’s the school’s responsibility to check to make sure those students are compliant to all AHSAA rules. If our assistance is needed and we are called in to investigate, a thorough investigation (is conducted) to make sure the transfers are compliant.”

Vickers took a question from the media noting the high number of transfers that go from public schools to private schools.

“You would be surprised if you saw the transfer data,” Vickers said. “Our transfer data is higher in our public schools than they are in private schools. And we’re seeing more so now because of school choice, now that schools can accept kids in open enrollment.”

“With anything, you’ve got to look at the data,” Harmon added. “Sometimes, the perception and the data does not match. I think you’ve got to start with the data.”

In addition to the four coaches discussing their upcoming games at Cramton Bowl, the media day involved other coaches discussing the fall sports. Montgomery Academy volleyball coach Julie Gordon discussed the rise in talent statewide, Julian flag football coach Nancy Boyd discussed the increasing popularity of her sport and Tallassee swimming coach John Mask discussed his sport and the postseason changes that include moving the championship from Auburn to Huntsville.