Perhaps the biggest buzz to come out of last week's WIAA spring assembly -- considering its impact on large, open school districts in Seattle and Spokane -- was bringing in-district transfers under the jurisdiction of WIAA rules.

Given the no-boundary nature of Davis and Eisenhower in the Yakima School District, it's an issue that has local repercussions as well. But recent efforts by the YSD to tighten things up has created what amounts to an easy transition year leading into this new amendment, which passed convincingly Friday 38-15 and becomes effective in the fall.

The WIAA's current transfer rules apply only to students moving from one district to another. The state has previously left it up to individual districts to set their own transfer policy.

But starting next school year, a transferring student between Eisenhower and Davis would not be eligible for varsity competition for one full year and any appeal would be the business of the Yakima Valley Interscholastic Activities Association and not an
in-district committee.

The intent is to discourage students from transferring for athletic reasons, which has been a cyclic issue here and a hot topic recently in Spokane and Seattle. The amendment was a necessary step, and one the YSD
already started last year.

"A year ago we tweaked our policy to mirror the WIAA's because we started to see more and more transfers between schools," said YSD Athletic Director Gene Rostvold. "The more it happened the more the issue of recruitment came up and that's not something we want."

In the past -- and for the remainder of this school year -- an eligibility committee comprised of principals, athletic directors and the YSD's deputy superintendent reviewed appeals of transferring students. Rostvold said a large majority of the them were approved, allowing the student to become immediately eligible for varsity athletics.

"Once you say yes a number of times, who do you start saying no to?" he said. "We decided last year to align our transfer criteria more with the WIAA to be more consistent. Basically it involves a harder look at a student's motives and a stricter interpretation of hardship."

Under WIAA rules, students must show hardship or special circumstances to be granted immediate varsity eligibility. If not, they are limited to junior varsity for one year.

"I think there has to be some balance," Rostvold said. "Sometimes a student does have some hardship and varsity sports shouldn't be taken away. But there are times when kids want to switch schools just for a sport. What we did last year, at the request of the schools, was take a closer look and make sure kids weren't switching only for athletic reasons."

Around the assembly horn

* So much for the slam dunk on passing an amendment that would extend the enrollment cycle from two years to four. That got whipped 25-10. WIAA Executive Director Mike Colbrese said many schools, especially smaller ones where enrollment can spike, are uncomfortable with getting locked in for twice as long.

* To help keep the new percentage system balanced for future classification cycles, schools will have two periods to declare their intent to opt-up. The first will come before the new count and the second will be two weeks after the percentages are set. A school opting up during the second period will need approval from the WIAA Executive Board.

* Friday's other dealings: Students ineligible at one school can't start fresh at another until they complete the conditions of eligibility. Schools can now appeal an "inadvertent error" that leads to an ineligible player participating in a sport and making girls lacrosse a varsity sport was put down 46-7.

Spokane in for a hurtin'

Math dictated a tilt like this was coming, but obviously the folks in Spokane aren't happy about it nonetheless.

With the Columbia Basin Big Nine expanding its 4A ranks to 11 schools in the fall -- with another on the way in 2009 -- and Spokane's 4A numbers shrinking to six, the ratio of regional berths was bound to head this way. Now we have an idea how much.

In years when the GSL and CBBN combine for three state berths, eight-team regionals (basketball, volleyball, fastpitch) will include six teams from the CBBN. In years with four berths, the CBBN's advantage will be 5-3.

Those numbers will be tough to take for a league that always dominates the state in cross country, just swept the boys and girls state titles in basketball and claimed three of the top five trophies in state volleyball.

In Class 3A, six-team regionals (basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball) will be in favor of Spokane, 4-2. The GSL will have five schools and the CBBN three.

Berndt inks with T-Birds

West Valley's Evan Berndt, the CBL 3A player of the year, will take his basketball skills to Highline Community College next fall.

The Thunderbirds, who finished second in the NWAACC's West Region last season, plan to use the all-state guard at the point right away.

"He is mature, works hard, is well coached and has played in big games," said Highline coach Che Dawson. "He is also a winner with high expectations. Those are things we can't teach."

From the sidelines

Eisenhower's season-opener in the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at Qwest Field on Sept. 6 will be the second game in a five-game lineup. The full schedule is Cascade Christian vs. Fife, 9:30 p.m.; Eisenhower vs. Eastside Catholic, noon; Bellarmine vs. Puyallup, 3 p.m.; Kennedy vs. Kentwood,
5:30 p.m. and Central Kitsap vs. Punahou, Hawaii, 8 p.m. ... The Emerald City Volleyball Invitational at Eastlake on Sept. 5 will have a new format and include only four schools -- Bellarmine, Central Kitsap, Eastlake and Punahou.

* Sports reporter Scott Spruill can be reached by phone at 577-7686 or by e-mail at sspruill@yakimaherald.com