Berkeley freshman already 'elite'

Berkeley Prep volleyball coach Randy Dagostino couldn't help but get excited when Jordan Burgess moved to Tampa from Southwest Florida during the offseason and enrolled at his school. Because Burgess already was a member of the Tampa Bay Juniors 15-black squad, a club team in which Dagostino is heavily involved, the coach knew the Buccaneers were getting a good one.

A very good one.

"For her age, she's an elite-level player," Dagostino said. "She has the total game. All of her skills are well above average."

Only a freshman, the 6-foot Burgess had 14 kills and eight digs in her high school debut Tuesday night, a straight-set win over Clearwater Central Catholic.

"She fits in great with the girls," Dagostino said. "A lot of the girls knew her before she got to Berkeley because she played club ball with them. She's just a real nice girl, a good student and a very, very focused volleyball player."

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Comments

[Plant Plant Plant]

How is this legal? The FHSAA needs to investigate this transfer.

she was in the 8th grade last year. that's how

I believe that the Florida High School rules prohibit a transfer to a school where the coach is an off season coach of the player.
It is illegal

FHSAA rule 11.4.12 says you can't transfer to a school where your aau team coaches without sitting out 1 yr.

NIEBUHR
why don't you shoot your story to FHSAA's home office in Gainesville. This is RECRUITING!!!!!!!!!!

How do you prove that a student was recruited to attend a private school? The parents don't have to contend with public school zoning all they have to do is enroll the child in the private school of their choice. Would she have chosen Berkley had she not played for Coach Dag in the club season - maybe/maybe not...If anyone thinks there is no recruiting going on you have to be blind and not a very bright person. The challenge is to prove it...there is definitely ways to beat the system. People are working the system and getting around it. It is definitely easier to recruit when you are at a private school. This would be nearly impossible to prove....she moves into the Tampa area and her parents decide to send her to Berkley....parents do have the choice. The question would be - is she receiving a scholarship to attend Berkley? I am sure if she is playing club ball for Tampa Jrs. her parents can afford private school. How can you stop people from choosing a private school and prove that they are being recruited for athletics????? Very difficult to prove...you can have your suspicions but very hard to prove.

[Berkeley sucks]

Cheaters,
you do not have to prove recruiting in this case. It is the rule sit out 1 year if you were coached in the summer prior. even if it is an assistant coach or "heavily involved" as the times say.
sorry see you next year

5.55
the rule sets out a prima facie case of recruiting. this means that the school/player must disprove the "given" that she was recruited. Read the rule if you think not.

I am not an expert in the ruling but would this apply to a freshman just entering high school?

yes

[Misty]

Where there's a will to cheat, Randy will find a way.

Randy may be a good coach - but he's not a good mentor of character. Definitely cheats - and where is the loyalty?? Where is the girl that played this girl's position last year?
Huge character flaw for a coach that only cares about winning and not human beings.

Not to worry... I heard the "recruit" bought a house in South Tampa and will be going to Plant next year.... another one bites the dust.

But that's o.k., right? As already proven with another elite player earlier this year, if the transfer is from Berkeley to Plant, it's not recruiting. Why? Because it's Plant of course; and they can always say that the academics at Berkeley were too challenging, or that it's too hard to get into AP classes at Berkeley.

[Are you serious????]

The person who posted the comment - they bought a house in South Tampa - is she transfer to Plant she should definitely have to sit out a year. To the comment by Berkley sucks - she wasn't just heavily coached by Dag during the club season - he was the head coach for her team. Fhsaa really needs to get a handle on the illegal recruiting...it isn't just happening at Plant and Berkley.

To the poster who questioned Dagostino's loyalty to his players, club or high school..... he has none, evidenced by the fact that his team this season is again down to a skeleton crew and his club is fading fast.

[steve morrison]

why is everybody so worried , it use to be that the players quit and left the school , now they are quitting and staying
this guy is bad news , it will be only a matter of time before the recruit leaves , what is so funny , after they quit he cries i don't understand why, wake up!!

If this girl transfers to Plant from Berkley, but lives in the Plant district, how could it be recruitting??? She didn't play club for the coach at Plant.
Fact is, this girl played AAU for Randy this summer, apparently moved here after that (got recruitted)and is now playing at Berkley for Randy. How much more blatant can a violation of FHSSA rules be?? This has got to be under investigation..

One of Randy's club teams just finished tied for 5th in the open division at junior olympics. How is that fading fast?