Should You Transfer?

Minutes after Luke Fickell’s announcement that he was leaving Cincinnati to take the head coaching job at Wisconsin, JQ Hardaway tweeted “I have entered the transfer portal.” Hardaway, a four-star high school recruit from Alabama, played cornerback as a true freshman for the Cincinnati Bearcats. But now that his coach is leaving, he is transferring. 

Oddly enough, Jim Leonhard, the interim head coach at Wisconsin, recently bemoaned the surge in transfers amongst today’s college athletes, referring to the entire system as “a joke.”

Leonhard points out that “Everybody wants it right now. They expect the playing time. They expect the production. But that’s not how it works.”

Some athletes transfer because the coach that recruited them left. Others transfer due to a lack of playing time. Some athletes are just unhappy and hope to find greener pastures elsewhere. 

When I was a sophomore at Wake Forest University, struggling to get faster on the track and even fit in on the team, I considered transferring.

As a staff member with Athletes in Action, I have sat across from many young men who, for one reason or another, wanted to transfer to a different university. My wife has had similar conversations with young collegiate women. 

All that to say, transferring is hardly a new phenomenon. We all have expectations upon entering the world of college athletics. And when those expectations aren’t met, transferring becomes an option. If you are considering it, you’re not alone—and you may have good reasons for it. 

But how can you wrestle with it and make the best possible decision? Or, if you have a teammate/friend who wants to transfer, what should you say or ask?

What follows are ten questions for an athlete to ask themselves—or ask of others, before entering the transfer portal. Answering these questions will best position you to make a wise decision instead of an impulsive one. 

1. Did you pray about it?

This should be the obvious one. I am a Christian writer, writing on a Christian website, to a largely Christian audience. But I also know how easy it is to neglect this foundational spiritual discipline. 

I don’t know how God is going to answer your prayer. It’s probably not going to be written in the clouds. You’re probably not going to hear a soft whisper from Him saying the name of this new university’s mascot. 

I do know this, though. He wants you to engage Him in the process. He wants you to ask for wisdom and guidance. If something is causing you anxiety, He wants to hear about it (Philippians 4:6). 

Here is a sample prayer to offer up to God if you are considering switching schools:

“God, it says in Philippians 4:6 that if I am anxious about anything, I should bring my request to you. So here is my request (and I know you already know this): I am thinking about transferring and I don’t know what to do. Can you help me? I want to make a wise decision. Will you give me peace about this? Will you give words of wisdom to trusted people in my life? Will you help me know who I should bring in on this? Will you illuminate the scriptures to speak to my heart during the next couple of weeks as I wrestle with this?”

It doesn’t have to be verbatim, but that prayer reflects a heart posture that says “I need help.” Do you know what comes after Philippians 4:6? Verse 7 says this: “​​And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

2. Are you spending time in the Bible and involving wise Christians in your life?

After praying about it, you need to start looking and listening. Again, God is probably not going to write through the fog of your locker room mirrors. He is probably going to speak to you the way He most often does to His people: through his Word, through His Spirit, and through others. 

What does this mean for you? It means taking time daily to meet with God through reading the Bible (His Word). The Bible will not tell you to leave Ohio State and transfer to Maryland. But spending time with God through reading His Word keeps you relationally connected to God and what He has already spoken about Himself to us.

It also means talking to Him and being silent before Him (engaging His Spirit). Go on a walk or run, without headphones, and just be silent for thirty minutes.

One of the most significant ways I hear from God is through other trusted people in my life. I would add that these trusted people have a growing relationship with God. I respect their advice because I believe they are daily walking with the Lord.

Do you have people like that in your life? If so, they are the ones you should let in on this decision. Allow God to use them to speak words of wisdom to you. 

3. Are you safe?

There are a few different layers to this when it comes to safety. Let’s start with your safety as an athlete. Are you being encouraged by coaches and your peers to play through an injury that you feel is unsafe? Are you being put in dangerous situations in practice and in competition? Are you rushing back, against your better judgement, from a concussion?

Have you been a victim of hazing and feel unsafe with your teammates? Are you stuck in an abusive relationship that feels impossible to separate without physical distance between you two? Is your mental health moving in a way that leads you to think about self-harm?

For most of these questions, I want to pose them without telling you whether you should transfer or not. But in the case of your physical or mental safety, let me say this: this is a legit reason to leave. 

That’s not running away from a problem. That’s just a wise and safe decision. Obviously, conversations should be had with the offending parties. If you don’t feel like change is possible from the person hurting you or threatening you, it’s time to leave.

4. Have you talked to your coach about the issue?

If you have a problem with playing time or how you are being (or not being) developed, have you sat down and talked with your coach about it? It’s easy to complain to teammates about your situation, especially if they share a similar sentiment. But before making a hard decision to transfer, you should have a hard conversation with your coach.

Of course, there are wise ways to go about doing this. I would recommend asking your coach for a meeting and being honest about what’s really going on.

Your coach, for better or for worse, has a lot of authority to keep your situation the same or potentially change it for your benefit. Your part in this is to start the conversation, let them know what’s going on, and see if there is a way forward.

As a side note, our understanding of the word “coach” comes from “stagecoach.” The purpose of a stagecoach is (or maybe “was” would be a better verb. Does anybody use a stagecoach anymore?) to take a person from their current location to their desired destination. That’s your coach’s role too. To take the team—and the individuals on the team—to the desired destination. Have the conversation and see if you can get going in the same direction. 

5. Have you considered everything good about your current school?

Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend often talk about the concept of the good-bad split. It’s the idea that we often separate people or situations as all good or all bad based on a small sample size. 

For instance, if your teammate curses you out during the game, there is a tendency to go “all bad” on them. They must hate you. Why would you want to be teammates with them? Why would you ever talk to them again? We often take a polarized posture like this instead of taking a deep breath and saying to ourselves “That was a bad moment for them. Maybe I even deserved it. But that one moment doesn’t mean everything about that person is negative. It doesn’t fully define who they are in relation to me.”

We do this all the time. Especially on social media where all we get is short soundbites, images, or sentences from others. If we don’t like what we see or hear, we often gravitate towards filling out the rest of this person’s character for them based on one online interaction. 

What’s the point of this good-bad rant? 

I’m curious if you are doing that with your current situation. What would it look like to make a list right now of the 10 things that are really good about the place you are at? Seriously, try it.

If all you have done the last few weeks is marinate in the negative, try sitting in the positive for a bit and see if that changes your perspective.

If it does, great.

If not, at least you have done the work of trying to see the good in a bad situation.

6. Do you have a ministry on your team? 

Are you involved in a Bible study on your team? Do you have relational trust that you have built with some of your teammates that could lead to future gospel conversations? Are you the only Christ follower on the team? 

One of my favorite verses is Acts 17:26. It says, "And he (God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place."

God marked out our appointed times in history. God determined the boundaries of where we live. This means you are where you are for a purpose. God doesn’t make mistakes. And one of the reasons He strategically places Christians at various locations around the world is to be a light reflecting His glory to those around them. 

If you are a Christian athlete, have you considered staying where you are for the spiritual benefits of your teammates, even if it comes at a personal cost of playing time and athletic success? If dying to self for the benefit of others sounds a lot like…that’s the point. 

I’m not saying you don’t have legitimate reasons for wanting to transfer. I’m just pointing out that if a reason to stay involves a ministry to your teammates, that’s a worthy reason to endure.

7. Have you experienced this problem or frustration before?

This can be a sensitive one so bear with me. If you want to transfer, what are the chances whatever issue you are facing will just follow you to the next school? Many times, if ignored or brushed aside, our problems just transfer with us wherever we go. 

For example, if your lack of playing time stems from a character flaw that your coach sees at practice every day, chances are that your next coach will see it too. 

Or maybe it has nothing to do with character or even your coach “not liking you.” Maybe it’s a mental health issue beyond your control. Depression travels across state lines. So does anxiety. If you are struggling with your mental health, there is no guarantee that a change of scenario will cure whatever is ailing your mind and soul. In some cases, it could even make it worse. 

What I am trying to say is this: if the problem is outside of you, then maybe a change is needed. But if you’re part of the problem (whether it’s within your control or not) what you are experiencing right now could very well follow you to your next location. 

How do you know if it’s you? Ask trusted friends to tell you. Give them permission to be brutally honest and tell you about your weaknesses. If anything they say surprises you, perhaps that’s evidence there is more to the problem (namely, you) than you thought. 

8. Have you considered what this will cost? 

Oftentimes, doing a cost/benefit analysis is a wise move. What will transferring cost you? Let’s work through some different categories.

• Money. This could be in the form of scholarships lost. It could involve moving expenses. Getting out of leases and into new ones.

• Friends. I’m not suggesting you will lose friendships if you transfer, but the reality is that when you move, relationships change. That’s a cost that needs to be factored in. It also costs something in you to go and make new friends at a new University.

• Time and mental capacity. Transferring can be complicated. Aside from leaving your current school, you need to figure out how to get credits transferred. Enroll in new classes. Figure out finances. It involves a lot of mental energy to think through all of the different things that need to be done. Time costs us something and that needs to be factored in.

• Potential playing time. Sometimes you need to sit out for a season after transferring. But beyond that, you probably need to learn a new system, earn trust, and in a sense, prove yourself. Which you are probably fine with, but it’s another cost to factor into the decision.

• Be prepared to answer the question “why are you transferring” about a million times over. Conversational fatigue is real. It’s another cost to consider.

There are more costs involved but those are some of the most consistent ones. If your issue is with a coach who you just don’t see eye to eye with, is it worth all the costs of transferring? Is there a better solution with a more minimal cost that you haven’t considered yet?    

9. Have you considered the spiritual climate and overall culture of the place you might be transferring?

As you probably know by now, the people we spend the most time with are usually the ones who influence us the most. What do you know about the school you are considering? Do they have a team Bible study? What’s the team culture like? Is it one that will help you thrive in your walk with God and best position to experience athletic success?

The truth is, sometimes the grass is greener on the other side. But you shouldn’t just hope that into existence. If you are going to move forward with the process, do some research (ask around) about the team and culture you are considering. 

Your college experience is shaped by the amount of playing time you get and how you perform in competition. It’s also greatly shaped by the teammates you’re surrounded by daily. Make sure what you’re potentially walking into—or transferring into—is a healthy environment. 

Sports can and should be fun. And having teammates you enjoy goes a long way to helping that be a reality.

10. Are you facing outward pressure to transfer?

Where is the pressure coming from to switch schools? Is it all internal or are you feeling pressure from parents, coaches, supporters, or even teammates?

This matters because this is your decision. Not theirs. If you trust their input, great. But be sure these individuals putting pressure on you are not trying to live vicariously through your experience as a college athlete. If you decide to stay, will they be disappointed—or will they be more disappointed for you? 

It’s your life to live and your college experience. Take ownership of it and listen to the people who don’t have an inappropriate stake in the game.

One More

I’ll throw one more out there. This is not a question, but an offer. I’ve worked with plenty of college athletes. I’m impartial and don't have skin in the game besides wanting you to make the wisest decision. 

With that being said, I am available to talk with you about what’s going on—if you want. Seriously. Shoot me an email at brian.smith@athletesinaction.org and let’s set up a time to chat.