Brent:

Athletes go to public schools too because of the athletic opportunities. Some of those good coaches from public schools have attracted good athletes too because of their coaching and the strength of their programs. I think we can all think of examples of this even recently in wrestling. Public schools parents try to recruit kids to their schools for athletics too. I know the public school parents would not have as much chance at being successful due to the geographic limitations which would require the athlete and his family to move into the area.

I am not saying that the private schools do not have any advantages. The geographical limitation on public schools would be an advantage for private schools but a private school has to draw students from a larger area to survive. Private schools do not get nearly the percentage of students in their immediate area attending their school in comparison to the public schools in the same area. Yes it is an advantage that a private school could draw a good athlete from a larger area than a public school. But it is also a disadvantage that a private school will lose good athletes within its immediate area because the families cannot afford the higher tuition at the private high school. We have kids that attend the same private grade schools but do not go to the private high school due to the higher tuition. Instead they attend the local public school. Private schools lose athletes that way.

One of the problems I have with this is that it tends to lessen the accomplishments of the good coaches and athletes from the successful private school athletic programs. I happen to believe that the reason that the Miege girls basketball program has been so successful over the last twenty five years or so has to do with a great coach by the name of Terry English and the hard working girl athletes who have been part of his program. The same can be said of the Miege girls volleyball coach and her athletes over the years. And it can also be said about the SM Northwest cross country coach and his fine athletes, the SM East mens swimming coach and his athletes, and all the other public school successful long term athletic programs that I have previously mentioned.