Maryland Youth Football League Grapples With Controversial Transfer Rule

Youth football organizations in Maryland are setting the record straight about a rule that's meant to create competitive balance but is causing concern for parents and may keep some players from taking the field. 

The Southern Maryland Youth Athletic Conference (SMYAC) currently has a rule that limits organizations from accepting no more than three players per age group a year from another SMYAC youth club.

SMYAC president Greg Disney said the rule isn't new, and applies to every club in the league. 

“This rule is in effect in every major league in the state of Maryland. It’s for competitive balance. You can’t have a coach – who doesn’t get his way – get an attitude with the organization and leave and go somewhere else and take all the kids with him,” says Disney.

According to the BayNet.com, Disney is referring to the specific case of Michael Hebb, current coach of the Mechanicsville Braves. Last year, Hebb coached for the Leonardtown Wildcats. Because of conduct issues, Hebb was suspended by SMYAC and kicked off the Wildcats board. This year, Hebb is coach of the Braves and took 10 of his Wildcats players with him. 

Hebb says he communicated with the Wildcats organization early on to inform them that he would be taking certain players with him. 

“I communicated and was very transparent about my intentions for the 2023 tackle football season," Hebb said. "I understand the rule of three players not being able to transfer. However, this rule has caused conflicts due to the increased number of children leaving one organization."

Huntingtown Hurricanes President and SMYAC Board Member Sean Queen said that Hebb did not mention his intentions to take the players with him at a rules meeting held in May, and noted that the Braves didn't ask for modification of the rule or an exception to his team. 

“He knew from the get-go that this was not going to fly. I think they tried to get the Leonardtown Wildcats’ current 10u to fold in order for all the kids to be free to sign up anywhere,” Queen said. 

Queen said there have been very few exceptions to the rule over the years, primarily for families who are relocating. 

Terrance Stoutamire’s stepson is one of seven kids who will not be allowed to play with the Braves because of the rule.

“This rule is personal. It should be taken out of the rule book. It’s hurting the kids. I say let the kids play,” Stoutamire said.

Hebb said that he hopes the rule will eventually get overturned. 

“As a parent first and a football coach second, I ultimately want to see the kids play football and have fun. I pride myself and my coaching staff on teaching our players the skills of the game, accountability, and leadership,” Hebb said. 

Braves president Stephen Yerkes apologized to the club, players, and community about the ongoing concerns affecting youth participants within their organization.

“We would like to set the record straight about some false news and comments on social media recently," Yerkes said in a Facebook post. "We failed to monitor registrations and subsequently became aware that ten kids signed up from the Leonardtown Wildcats in mid-July after being contacted by the Wildcats President. This was ignorance on our part, as we knew that a coach had joined our staff from Leonardtown. Mechanicsville violated the rule, and SMYAC enforced it. We would like to apologize to the kids and parents this has affected. We would like to apologize to the Leonardtown Wildcats and SMYAC for the negative publicity and false narratives that this mistake has caused. This will not happen again at Mechanicsville.”