Changes could be coming to CIF transfer rules

There's a good chance for some major changes taking place in CIF transfer rules that would go into effect this fall.

A proposal is expected to be considered by the State Federated Council in May.

A major change, if approved, would be the establishment of a sit-out period with specific dates for students who transfer without moving.

Students would not be eligible for varsity competition in any sport the student participated in until the following dates: Oct. 1, 2012, for fall sports; Dec. 31, 2012, for winter sports and April 1, 2013, for spring sports.

Most students would no longer be able to seek a hardship waiver to be eligible immediately and the first-time freshman transfer rule would be eliminated.

There would be three specific hardship waiver categories: court-ordered transfers; children of divorced parents and individual safety incidents.

-- Eric Sondheimer