Some thoughts so far

[EBTHER]

Yep! Your right. We used the publics resources, courts, fields and equipment until the second grade when we as a family decided that the government had no idea what it was doing with education system in this country. Before our child showed any athleticism we decided we wanted better for our child. Check the rosters of most of these sports teams and you will see that almost all the kids on these teams has attended the school since elementary school. Im sure you will say they were recruited in daycare. There are a few at some pay to play privates that have transferred in during middle and high school. But not anymore than any of the public's have. So that argument doesn't hold water either. So basically you are saying privates play public's so they have a better chance to win? Have a little more pride in your program than that.

[Indian]

How many 400 student schools field girls teams with a 6'6" post and another player going to the Big 12?

[MartianMan]

Whats wrong with Grace playing D2 with the rest of the privates in and around Knoxville? Yea we all know the answer to that one.  

[EBTHER]

How many 400 student schools field girls teams with a 6'6" post and another player going to the Big 12?

[EBTHER]

6'6" girl started in the seventh grade and could hardly dribble the ball and the other girl has been going to the school since preschool as did 2 of her other sisters. Not sure how those two girls strengthen your argument. Might i also add that they are both on a basketball team at a private school that has yet to win a state championship. Have you ever thought that some privates choose to play with publics because the competition is stronger? If you think about it, the majority of privates in the state of TN have never come close to competing for any kind of championship. why do you think Webb wins so many championships. Its because there are not that many talented teams in their division.

Most of today's elite high school athletes did not get better because of the training they received at their school. It came from training they received during summer club or aau programs and training on their own. Their are just as many elite players at public level as there are at the private. Great programs aren't worried about publics vs privates. They believe they can beat anybody. They say if you want to get better compete against the best competition you can. The privates around here got better over the years because they wouldnt settle for playing pushovers all the time. In a way the great public programs helped the privates get better. Now that they are great programs and now you want to kick them back down in the basement because they scare you now. Make your kids better play us. Don't run away from us.

[Indian]

All should be in Division II it doesn't matter if they go 0-25 each year.

[MartianMan]

Scared REALLY? How about going to the public school your suppose to. Are you scared?

[EBTHER]

Scared? Heck yeah. You should be to. Most of the public schools in our are have really good sports programs and traditions. Sports is not what is driving families away from publics. The government of this country is ruining the public school system. Overcrowding, underpiad teachers that don't care, violence, lack of funding for arts programs and the poor education standards is what is driving the parents to putting their kids in privates not the sports programs. 90 percent of all high school athletes will never play a collegiate sport. It is a fact that kids that graduate from a private school are better prepared for college than a kid that graduates from the public schools of this country. Do some privates have better athletes? Maybe. When a college coach recrutes a kid the first thing they look at is grades. If a kid is going to play sport in college they better be prepared because the work load that will be place on them when they arrive is a very difficult hill to climb. Practice, classes, games and more practice. Privates just do a better job of getting the kids ready to handle that pressure. Can a kid from a public school excel in college? Of course! But the average student will be better prepared coming out of a private. Also realize that the majority of privates are religious based and most of these parents are wanting their children to get an education based on biblical perspectives. When you ask if we are scared of the public schools we are supposed to send our kids to i say you are darn right I am scared. Not of the sports programs but what they are learning or not learning at that school. When we made the decision to put our child in a private it had nothing to do with sports and everything to do with not wanting this sad government administration telling us what we could or could not teach our child. That is why we choose private over publics, not because the sports programs are so much better.

[MartianMan]

Thats a noble cause, so play in private division if sports dont matter. Thats all were saying, if you dont want your private kid to go to school with them THEN WHY would you want to play against a public kid. Nothing wrong with going private but play private thats what were saying. And dont be bragging about how good your sports program is if its not about athletics. There is a division for privates. Play in it and brag all you want. Apparently you are fortunate enough to afford to send your child to a private. Thats awesome but everyone isnt.

[Indian]

All the differences listed above yet some of the privates still want to compete for the same postseason championships.

[scatback]

Privates have an unfair advantage just like schools that have open enrollment. Think what you want but you take players that live 50 miles away and go to school x just to win a championship , or get a better education, (wink-wink). I am not blaming parents for doing what they think is best but give me a break when a private school wants to be in with the public. Its bad enough when you have to play against teams with open enrollment and some of the best recruiters this side of Knoxville. Some of all these "great" coaches wouldn't be near as good if they had to play with just their in county players. I am now off my soap box. Just my opinion.

[MartianMan]

AGREED, its funny that the only ones that dispute that fact Scatback is people with children at PRIVATES.