Funny how so many of these posts on here are from parents of kids who sent/could afford to send/were on scholarship (you can pic the one you want) at a private school. Nothing wrong with that, but I would imagine your perspective would be a tad skewed and your tone defensive, and it is. I straddle both fences. My oldest boy went to Miege, my youngest is in public school in Olathe, I coached for 30 years in public schools and private small colleges. All that being said, I have watched way too many private schools buy state championships. That was just the reality of it. I know way to many parents who paid no money to send their kids to those schools on "scholarship" and know, first hand, the kids who were recruited to go to those schools. I was a part of a state hearing against Kapaun in the 70's so it has been going on for a long long time. I don't think it is fair. Don't get me wrong, these are great schools and I have known some good people at all of them, but I think their advantage is too great and I think they really rip apart teams from the pubic schools in and out of their areas. I have always thought they should be separate. No sense being in denial about the reality of what happens though.
Randy, I believe your comments regarding the privately funded schools "scholarshipping athletes" is hot air. We all know it happened with Kapaun in the MID 80's (not the 70's) and they were sanctioned. I challenge you to find any athletes at SJA or STA that have had their tuition paid for by the school because they are exceptional performers. Put up or shut up. The advantage is the willingness of the parents and kids to put forth the greater effort it takes to achieve the status of STATE CHAMPION. The bell shaped curve comes into play. When you get the students from the right side of the curve you are going to get right sided results. The advantage is CHOICE. When it gets right down to it those attending privately funded schools do so because they CHOOSE to and they will make the most of their investment both academically and athletically. All of this talk to penalize these schools, divide up the classes, make things more fair, etc. is so socialistic that I might have to puke in the trash can next to the announcer's table at next year's Bobcat Classic.
