High School Season

[gunshy]

Bucketboy, all very valid points and no disagreements here. I would point out though that it would not be unusual to have 8-10 travel players on a Brownsburg, Centergrove or other 4A school, but it IS unusual to have that many travel players on the normal 1A or 2A school every year. The average 1A school will have talent that cycles: 2-3 very good years, 1 mediocre year, 1 decent year then very good, etc. Private schools just don't seem to cycle, as athletically/academically gifted kids always seem to arrive their Freshmen year from somewhere else. I am sure that my view is hardened by watching the Sectional that our 1A school is assigned be dominated by one private school, year after year, regardless of the sport.
I, too, cannot wait for June to arrive.

[coolstuff]

talent that cycles: 2-3 very good years, 1 mediocre year, 1 decent year then very good, etc. Private schools just don't seem to cycle, as athletically/academically gifted kids always seem to arrive their Freshmen year from somewhere else. I am sure that my view is hardened by watching the Sectional that our 1A school is assigned be dominated by one private school, year after year, regardless of the sport.

I hate to bring up the 500 lb. gorilla in the room, but it sounds like your referring to allegations of recruiting by private schools. We have a private HS here in Lafayette (Central Catholic) that has always been accused of recruiting athletes. But it seems to only rear its ugly head in boys sports. I guess no one cares if schools are "recruiting" in girls sports.

[da60]

Let me be the first to welcome any disgruntled westside travel softball player to the home of the Indy 500, Brickyard 400 and the Sparkplugs. Good academics, good sports programs with that small town feel, Speedway. We have lost our share of girl's sectional titles in the past to the private schools, Scecina in softball(really good pitcher and hitters) and Heritage Christian in basketball(Faris was a freshman then when they started this total domination). We have since changed sectionals and on the girls side have still not won(Covenant Christian basketball sectional finals and South Putnam softball sectional finals), although this may be the year in basketball(softball, maybe). I agree with Bucketboy, it still boils down to pitching. I don't know how good Avon's hitting will be this year, but I would guess Esparza could still carry them on her back through sectionals and into regionals. I just had a similar discussion with a parent of one of our travel ball players from Roncalli and he echoed the same thing, it is the right educational enviornment for his daughter. Recruiting by some, maybe/probably, but to improve you have to play against talent(but it would be nice to win a sectional). Bring on June.

[bucketboy]

As far as the so called "recruiting" goes it happens in the big public schools as well.

Wasn't there some rumblings a few years back about a basketball player by the name of Oden that all of sudden moved from the Terre Haute area and moved into the Lawrence North district shortly before his high school career began?

What is going to happen when the IHSAA scales all sports except football back to 3 classes instead of 4?

I feel for those that have kids at the small schools that aren't blessed with a bunch of talent that have the small private school juggernauts in their sectionals, but in my humble opinion you can thank the powers that be at the IHSAA for creating class sports in the first place and opening this big can of worms.

Maybe they could also change the format for the state tournament to playing sectionals a week earlier, having the regional on two evenings the following week and then play the semi state and state finals the Friday night and Saturday of the following weekend so the travel kids can get back to their travel teams a week or two earlier and not have to miss quality events if their high school team makes it to the finals.

Please tell me it is June??????????

[gunshy]

The IHSAA does administer a flawed system for athletics, so lets help them fix it. Lets start by having a 3 class system PLUS one class where all of the private schools play. I would agree with Bucketboy, that most parents are not going to pay $7600 per year JUST so their daughters can play high school softball. Since those attending private schools are doing so for the better educational environment or religious base, they surely wouldn't object to playing a state tournament with only schools JUST LIKE THEIR OWN. This accomplishes the objective of less public school travel AND makes more of a competitive balance. All of the schools could play schedules just like they currently play during the season, but come tournament time there is a seperation. Add in the suggestion of condensing the softball tournament calendar to make it end a week or two earlier and we would have something!!!

[fastpitch fool]

They need to have a multiplier with the private schools. Attendance level +1, and leave the class system as is. I am not sure what the issue is with the four class system. Leave the privates playing the publics, but acknowledge the 800 lb gorilla, and add a class to the privates and see what happens.

[Stubs]

The IHSAA does administer a flawed system for athletics, so lets help them fix it. Lets start by having a 3 class system PLUS one class where all of the private schools play. I would agree with Bucketboy, that most parents are not going to pay $7600 per year JUST so their daughters can play high school softball. Since those attending private schools are doing so for the better educational environment or religious base, they surely wouldn't object to playing a state tournament with only schools JUST LIKE THEIR OWN. This accomplishes the objective of less public school travel AND makes more of a competitive balance. All of the schools could play schedules just like they currently play during the season, but come tournament time there is a seperation. Add in the suggestion of condensing the softball tournament calendar to make it end a week or two earlier and we would have something!!!

O.K. Rather than create a seperate class for private schools to play in why don't we take some of the "Stimulus Package" and create a National Voucher Program so ANY boy or girl could attend any school that they wanted to? That would even the playing field so every school could "recruit" athletes of any sport.

[bucketboy]

Couldn't agree more with the voucher system as not only would it create better competition on the playing fields it would also create competition in our education system pitting schools against each other to attract students and improve the quality of education our kids are receiving in the classroom.

[Stubs]

My kids go to private school and the last thing on earth I want is a voucher from the government. All that would lead to would be the department of edumacation and the teacher's unions butting in and telling the private schools how to run things. Like their track record is so good

That, unfortunately is a very good point. Any financial "help" received from the Federal Government always has strings attached. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave"!

[jag1]

I have been made aware that the housing market is great in a few our conference's powerehouses' area...!lol!