Free Middle School Camps

[Hartleyrick]

I have been seeing schools advertising free camps for middle school athletes. Isn’t this considered recruiting by the TSSAA. I thought that free camps were ruled to be illegal recruiting years ago.  Wondering if anyone was checking into these camps

[Navy21412]

Pretty ludicrous if you ask me, but it is definitely happening.  Two Nashville area private schools have been pumping these "free camp" offers on social media since the day their seasons ended.  And worst of all, the local reporters who cover them amplify these posts by retweeting them to their feeds.  Not sure if you are talking public or private....but we (private school people) wonder why public school people don't like us and don't want to play us.

[Hartleyrick]

Both public and private offer these free “camps”. They are nothing more than in person evaluation camps for recruiting purposes. I’ve seen ads for schools like South Doyle, Bearden and Knoxville Catholic in Knoxville 

[fredjones]

Street agents recruiting more talent

[tnfuturestar1]

Imo, I don’t see middle school camps as concerning as hosting 8th grade visits/on-campus tours with kids from outside of your zone.

[Hartleyrick]

Having a student from outside your zone on a tour of the school is Recruiting , no two ways about it. Many a school has been hit with sanctions for this. 

[DBKPT93]

I think the biggest issue is if you are in a school district like Knox County. 28 (or so?) high schools that do not have a direct feeder system, so any of that stuff is definitely considered recruiting. But like in Kingsport both middle schools feed into the only high school in the district so shouldn’t be an issue, but I have heard that it doesn’t matter because as far as recruiting rules go TSSAA doesn’t recognize feeder schools 

[HTV]

4 hours ago, DBKPT93 said:

I think the biggest issue is if you are in a school district like Knox County. 28 (or so?) high schools that do not have a direct feeder system, so any of that stuff is definitely considered recruiting. But like in Kingsport both middle schools feed into the only high school in the district so shouldn’t be an issue, but I have heard that it doesn’t matter because as far as recruiting rules go TSSAA doesn’t recognize feeder schools 

Knox County has 14 public high school that offer sports (13 that play football) and off the top of my head 4 privates that play football (CAK, Catholic, Grace Christian Academy, CAK), another that is bringing high school football back in Concord Christian, and a few that offer sports other than football in First Baptist Academy Powell, Berean Christian, and maybe another I am missing or two.  I know there are a couple that are not TSSAA members that offer limited sports.  

But you are correct in that the fact that Knox County has no TMSAA football playing affiliation is a big part of the issue.  And with the liberal transfer rules in Knox County it has become pretty much the wild wild West when it comes to students transferring out of zone for sports reasons and other reasons.  

[tnfuturestar1]

6 hours ago, HTV said:

Knox County has 14 public high school that offer sports (13 that play football) and off the top of my head 4 privates that play football (CAK, Catholic, Grace Christian Academy, CAK), another that is bringing high school football back in Concord Christian, and a few that offer sports other than football in First Baptist Academy Powell, Berean Christian, and maybe another I am missing or two.  I know there are a couple that are not TSSAA members that offer limited sports.  

But you are correct in that the fact that Knox County has no TMSAA football playing affiliation is a big part of the issue.  And with the liberal transfer rules in Knox County it has become pretty much the wild wild West when it comes to students transferring out of zone for sports reasons and other reasons.  

Any thoughts on some KCS schools contacting parents and players from outside their zone in the middle school ranks to take them on visits of the schools athletic facilities and meet the new staff?

[HTV]

2 hours ago, tnfuturestar1 said:

Any thoughts on some KCS schools contacting parents and players from outside their zone in the middle school ranks to take them on visits of the schools athletic facilities and meet the new staff?

Don't know of any partulars you are referring to, but as I have said before, every program in Knoc County plays in the margins.  Anybody pointing fingers is hypocritical. 

 

[tnfuturestar1]

12 hours ago, HTV said:

Don't know of any partulars you are referring to, but as I have said before, every program in Knoc County plays in the margins.  Anybody pointing fingers is hypocritical. 

 

“Every program in Knox County” is certainly a generalization. It is evident which ones are doing it and some that are beginning to do it.

[HTV]

5 minutes ago, tnfuturestar1 said:

“Every program in Knox County” is certainly a generalization. It is evident which ones are doing it and some that are beginning to do it.

Generalization or not, it's happening in every one of them.  And not that all are being done intentionally, but by the book every school plays those margins.