Battle brews in Lake County over H.S. football player transfer request

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A battle is brewing in Lake County over high school football players who want to transfer to a different school.

Channel 9 learned that four students who requested academic waivers to transfer from Umatilla High School have been denied.

Parent Wes Rose is in the middle of the fight. He spoke with Channel 9’s Jeff Deal.

Rose said the school his son wants to transfer to, Mount Dora High School, does not have a problem with it. But his current school, Umatilla High School, is fighting back.

Logan Rose said football has been a part of his life since he was 4 years old.

"He's a decent football player, and has the opportunity to play football at the next level, but not with a 2.4 GPA," said Wes Rose.

Wes Rose believes what best for Logan Rose is a transfer from Umatilla to Mount Dora High School.

“We went down and filled out the academic waiver," said Wes Rose.

The zone waiver application in Lake County, if approved, would allow Logan Rose to transfer without moving.

Wes Rose said he believes Mount Dora offers a program that will help push his son and guide him to raise his grade point average, and that isn't available at Umatilla.

But his request was denied, and Wes Rose said the same thing happened to three other student athletes.

A source familiar with the situation in the district told Deal that normally all that is required is the principals from each school’s signatures, and if there is space, the transfer is accepted.

Mount Dora has room for the students,   but Channel 9 learned Rose’s situation has more district scrutiny because students from Umatilla had contact with a football coach at Mount Dora High School.

Wes Rose made it clear his son was not recruited, and said academics and athletics have go hand-in-hand.

Wes Rose said he believes concerns that Umatilla may not have enough players to field a varsity team this year is what's holding his son back.

"They're putting a football program ahead of the future of a child," said Wes Rose.

If the school district won't change its mind, Wes Rose said he will likely have to move to Mount Dora so his son can attend school there.

Cox Media Group