This is an opinion piece.

As we close in on another high school football season, the buzz words this week were the same as they’ve been for the past three years.

High school transfers.

Just last week, as part of our four-part anonymous coaches survey series, AL.com published a story on the amount of student-athlete transfers this summer and the concerns coaches had about what could or would be done about the issue in the future.

That topic of conversation dominated Mobile County HS Football Media Days for the second straight year this week and continues to be a topic around the state.

David Faulkner is a veteran coach who has led programs at multiple high schools across the south part of the state (Fairhope, Enterprise and now McGill-Toolen).

“A parent and a child have the right to go to school where they feel like they belong,” he said. “I don’t think transferring is the overlying issue. The real issue is are schools following the rules of the transfer process. That is where we are running into trouble I think.

“Are people getting over-assisted or not making a bona fide move? That is not for me to judge. I’ll have to throw that to the Association. Are they (the AHSAA) doing what they need to do to make sure the playing field is level for everyone? At McGill, if you don’t want to be at our school and play with us, that’s fine. Go play for someone else. We need and want people to play their heart out for McGill-Toolen every Friday night.”

The perception among many coaches I talk to is at least several schools in the state are not following the rules. That’s not a shocking observation I know. Another concerning perception among coaches – as we detailed in last week’s story – is the question of whether the Alabama High School Athletic Association can or will do anything to curb the transfer issue.

“We were in Montgomery last week (for All-Star Sports Week and coaching seminars), and we went through the transfer rules in about two minutes,” St. Paul’s head coach Ham Barnett said. “That told me it wasn’t that important.”

Barnett and the Saints have lost several players to other schools on the Gulf Coast in recent years and his growing irritation was more than evident this week.

“It’s unfortunate what high school football has become,” he said. “It’s not an amateur sport anymore. Leaders lead. The way to lead is make hard decisions. We’ve got to have a backbone in Montgomery. Come up with a rule and enforce it.”

Obviously, the leadership in the AHSAA has changed recently. Former executive director Alvin Briggs announced his retirement in the spring. Former Oxford High principal Heath Harmon is the new man in charge. He is charged – not with making the rules – but enforcing the rules the member schools make.

As I’ve said before, I like what I’ve heard from Harmon to this point. His first priority is probably completing his staff in Montgomery, but certainly the transfer situation and high school NIL will be near the top of his agenda. Barnett, for one, is not optimistic there will be significant change.

“It is what it is,” he said. “Something needs to be done. Do I think it will be done? No. I don’t have any confidence it will be done.”

In my opinion, it’s way too quick to make a judgement about Harmon. We’ve yet to have the first athletic event under his regime.

I certainly do agree that it is getting tiresome to hear of transfer after transfer. There have been multiple football athletes announce moves to new schools THIS week even though some high schools started fall camp on Monday and the rest will start next week.

New Faith Academy head coach Erik Speakman, the former Opelika coach, said three players have transferred out of his school since team pictures were made.

“I understand both sides of it,” he said. “At Faith, we are a private Christian school, so we get transfers obviously. I can’t say we don’t take transfers. That is the business we are in. But, when you see kids leaving this week after coaches spent all spring and summer with them, that’s tough.”

Parents have the right to make the best choice for their children. No one would dispute that. The issue continues to be the legality of some moves, especially to certain schools.

I understand some people are tired of reading about the issue.

Frankly, I’m tired of writing about it.

Yet the topic — the problem– is still there, and it casts a shadow on what should be a great time of year as we celebrate another athletic season just around the corner. I believe the mindset has just trickled down from college where athletes continue to enter the NCAA transfer portal at a record pace.

I see more and more coaches – old and young alike – on the high school level who seem worn down and frustrated by today’s challenges and the profession in general. That worries me, and I’m definitely praying that changes.

I’ve been able to see firsthand in the last 35 years just how much of an impact coaches and teachers make on our young people. I saw it in my own life in the 1980s. I see it in my 12-year-old’s life today. I’ve certainly seen it in my chosen profession.

It’s invaluable, and we can’t lose it.

Thought for the Week

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.