Random stories of interest

I wanted to point your attention to a couple stories that are quite interesting. These have appeared in either The State or the Raleigh News & Observer, both sister papers of The Sun News, over the past week that directly affect high school sports along the Grand Strand.

The first was written by Steve Wiseman with The State on Wednesday. Tuesday, the S.C. House of Representatives voted to pass legislation that will allow athletes to transfer and gain immediate eligibility at their new school if they are the victims of harassment, something that would not be grounds for immediate eligibility right now. The legislation states those students would have to get a restraining order and then see somebody violate it before that athlete could seek to transfer. The legislation now goes to the state Senate.

Across the border in North Carolina, the penalty is increasing for student-athletes who submit falsified documents to gain eligibility. Athletes will now be ineligible for an entire calendar year, a response to the controversy that has embroiled many schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System over the last six month.

Eligibility is a big issue right now and it reaches even directly to the Strand. The SCHSL is still pushing forward with its desire to see a ruling overturned that allowed St. James basketball standout Devan Williams to play his senior season. A hearing on the issue is likely to be heard in mid-May.

Another story to take a look at was written by The State's Paul Strelow, coincidentally enough the man who gave me my start in this business. The story details the life-changing decision of Clemson tennis coach Chuck Kriese to leave his post and become the national tennis coach of Thailand. This greatly affects Waccamaw tennis standout Wesley Moran, who has signed to play for the Tigers.