Eric Sorenson
For decades, high school football in Arizona had been a tight-knit community affair. Players donned their high school colors with pride, not just because of the love for the game, but because they were playing for their neighborhoods.
In our great state, where prep football isn’t quite religion, but certainly has its own spirituality on Thursday and Friday nights in the fall, the “local” high school program around the corner symbolized the pulse of its community, even in a big market like Phoenix. It gave it an identity. There was a circle of pride, tradition – even bragging rights for players who frequently competed against the same rival in Pop Warner, freshmen, and the JV levels.
In 2018, it all changed.
How It Started
The Arizona Department of Education passed a policy allowing students to attend any public high school in the state, regardless of where they lived. The idea was to give families more flexibility in choosing the best education for their children, but it had unintended consequences for high school sports, especially football. Players could now transfer to any school that offered a better chance at success, both academically and athletically.
Now, before we unpack this all, let’s back up the truck a little bit.
Was a different form of “open enrollment” happening before it became official?
Absolutely.
Families found “work arounds” for kids to play at their desired location. Maybe their new “home” address was a grandparent or someone posing as a grandparent or relative. For years people joked (it was probably true) that one east Valley power essentially had their own apartment complex across the street from campus.
Another “rumor” was a southeast Valley school shuttling busses up from Maricopa to stockpile talent on their already loaded roster.
Call them loopholes. Call it creativity.
Whatever it was, it all went away eight years ago when schools didn’t have to live in the gray area of the boundary rules anymore.
Open Enrollment’s Impact
For the powerhouse programs in the state—schools like Chandler, Hamilton, and Saguaro —the influx of talent was a game-changer. The schools that had already been successful started drawing players from all corners of the Valley, and this new free-flowing system often caused “neighborhood schools,” who were once competitive, struggling to keep pace.
These “destination programs” have become an attractive option for athletes from across the state who wanted a chance at a championship. The school’s state-of-the-art facilities, top-tier coaching staff, and winning reputation made it the obvious choice for players looking for an edge, and an opportunity to sit under the national recruiting spotlight.
“Open enrollment allows for student-athletes to decide what they want their legacy to look like,” one head coach explained to the “Zone Read..
College coaches flock to Arizona by the dozens and zigzag through the Valley like F1 drivers during their often 48-hour player scavenger hunt, but don’t kid yourself, their road maps are filled with consistent pit stops at places like Chandler, Liberty, Desert Edge, Centennial, Basha, Hamilton and other select addresses.
What’s even more jaw-dropping in our football wild, wild west is players transferring from one power program to another, sometimes just down street.
In some ways, open enrollment has divided our football culture in State 48. On one hand, the power programs are benefiting from the influx of top-tier athletes, leading to more championships and national attention. On the other hand, smaller schools are being gutted by the open home address or (gasp!), recruiting, struggling to stay relevant and wondering if the spirit of high school sports—where community and pride were once paramount— is being lost in the pursuit of winning at all costs.
“Some kids would rather be a big fish in a small pond while others a small fish in a big pond,” the coach continued.” There are guys who love trying to be the face of their community and take so much pride in proving to everyone that it can be done at their school within their community. There are a few guys who tend to follow the hype of playing at the “bigger name” school.”
A New Trend
Now, this prep football earthquake is erupting elsewhere.
“Some of the other states around the country are just getting into open enrollment,” former AIA Executive Director David Hines said to the “Zone Read” earlier this summer. “They’re having the same [transfer] issues that we had early on. It’s definitely been a process.”
For some, open enrollment had opened doors, offering students opportunities they wouldn’t have had otherwise. But for others, it had diluted the sense of community that had once made Arizona high school football so special. No longer could you count on local rivalries or the pride of representing your hometown. Instead, it was about who had the most talented athletes, no matter where they came from.
“Open enrollment shows us coaches exactly what kids WANT to be in our program and want to dedicate and sacrifice so much to the school, community and their teammates,” a head coach said. “Having the loyalty from the kids in the community to trust in your program when they could choose any school in the state makes it that much sweeter when that success does happen.”
In the end, open enrollment has, unquestionably, forever changed the face of Arizona high school football.
The question is: was it a change for the better, or has the game lost something essential in the process?
As long as district enrollment is open, it’s hard to imagine the football food chain ever changing course.
