Why Penalize The Players?

                Recruitment for future college athletes is a major event in their lives. For many, their junior and senior years of high school are spent visiting campuses and talking to coaches. For many, a sense of trust is built between them and the coach from the college they choose to attend. But, what if all of the hype, excitement, and trust is damaged when they find out a school is being sanctioned by the NCAA or they find out that the school, coach, or athletic department is not able or willing to provide them what they are promised? Does that mean a college athlete is set to spend 4 or 5 years attending a school and playing for a coach when they did not live up to their side of the bargain? I say it should not !College athletes should be able to transfer without penalty if the coach or school is punished, if a coach leaves the school before the player’s time there is up, or if they are not able to make the grade or have personal issues that would hinder them completing college.
                             

               College athletes can transfer from junior colleges without any penalty, according to the NCAA. Many recruiters and sports professionals state that this is allowed and beg the question, “why not for athletes who choose to transfer from a four year university to another?” According to the article from ESPN, “ Transferring juniors, seniors can play “,college athletes should be able to transfer from colleges if sanctions are placed on the school, a coach leaves or is fired, or if the lack of playing time, etc. will affect the player’s ability to play the sport professionally.
                             
               Take for example, players who attended or committed to the USC and Penn State football teams. These universities were hit hard with NCAA sanctions due to irresponsible and criminal acts committed by supporters, coaches, boosters, and other university officials. Why should the players be punished for acts they did not commit or for acts that occurred long before they arrived on campus? Yes, they should remain loyal to the school they chose, but they also have to look at their future and what the sanctions or lack of winning potential can have on a professional career where big money is at stake. Many believe and in numerous articles, like that in the article by Dan Wetzel, “NCAA should allow Penn State players to transfer without restrictions, an advocacy group says” that it is unfair to keep these athletes at schools that can not provide what was promised to them when they committed. Especially when the players have done nothing wrong. 
               
                 It is important to note that it is not only college football players who request transfers According to the article “A Difficult Move".  Each year it is estimated that 11 percent of all college basketball players (400 per month) request transfers. Yes, that is a high number, and it is a fact that some of those are just wanting to get to play and are not putting forth the effort to get to start. But, what about those who really are trying and are not given the opportunity for various reasons like coaching changes, personality differences, or other issues that are beyond their control? Why punish them?
               

              It is true that many college athletes are not happy and want to transfer because they do not get their way. Those athletes must learn to work harder and realize that nothing comes free in this world. That lack of effort is definitely within their control. However, the NCAA needs to find a system that will fairly weed out those athletes and help others who are truly cheated by sanctions, coaching changes, or other issues beyond their control. Without help from the NCAA, many athletes will be cheated out of opportunities they worked their whole life to achieve. The NCAA needs to step up and change policies to better serve college athletes

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