Parochial School Advantage

"Satietas uero prospere successus."
Translated: "Success breeds success."

In another thread, I picked 8 teams from each division that I thought had a good chance of getting to Ford Field and winning a state championship. I did that in AUGUST! All 8 made it to the final game and 4 won!

Now, did I have some sort of profound insight as to making these selections? Heck no. All one has to do is scour over the MHSAA record books to see which teams have historically been the top of the division and either won or came close to winning a title. The same schools appear year after year. Some of them are public, some of them private.

The operative word here is "historically". Regardless of what sport it is, boys or girls, public or private, children today have many more options than they did 30-40 years ago. If a program is good at one location at a particular sport, students that play sports, often want to go to that has been successful. It's that simple.

And, behind virtually every historically successful program, you will typically find a coach that is really, really good at what he/she does and, has been there for many, many years. Moreover, this fact is not limited solely to private schools either.

If there is "recruiting", it because the program, the school, the student and parents are drawn to a particular location because of its success in the past. There are schools that underachieve both academically and in athletics. Bad teacher. Bad coaches. Good students and good athletes typically steer well clear of those schools if given a choice. The bottom line...they go to where they have a chance to be successful. If that is "recruiting", then I call it a good thing, not a bad thing. "After all, we're not communists!"

 

I went to one of your mentioned schools and they do not recruit but they take kids who want to transfer no different than schools of choice. Kids transfer because of the success. Look at Ithaca football, kids go there for football cause they can if it is a school of choice.

Ganzer

 

I agree with this.. School I went to was mid tier student wise in the conference.. Historically better academics, athletics and school of choice now the largest school in the conference.. Football program regressed however..

 

For many of these Parochial schools the sports programs and the money they generate are vital to operating the school.

These schools usually offer a much better education for the students, which is also a big draw.

 

Really?? you did? you picked some games and got them right? never would have guessed...

 

Axiom...being somewhat close to these programs I respectfully disagree with some of your comments.

Specifically: no sports program at ANY private school is vital to operating the school. The revenue generated from gate receipts, advertising, concessions etc., is miniscule compared to the costs to pay for that program. If it were, players would still be wearing leather helmets. High school football, public or private, still operates under a $10 cost / $2 revenue business model. Revenue comes from tuition or, in the case of public schools, a tax millage.

To your latter point, private schools do not necessarily offer a "better"
education. More specifically, these schools offer an education that will produce a student with more "career options". By this, I mean that, at this juncture of their young lives, they are given the skills and choices to continue or, to not to continue toward higher education. Most private schools in Michigan have a 98% college matriculation. At the end of the day, THAT is what most parents want for their son/daughter, irrespective of their individual sports talent/interests.

I have stated this many times.." There is nothing wrong with a public school education. However, for some, there is something very right about a Catholic (private) school education!"

Over the last 20 years, I have probably shelled out $400,000 to have my 2 children attend Catholic schools; elementary, high school, college, graduate school. I did it for two reasons , expecting no financial payback for this outlay, specifically:

1. To give them the foundation in Faith that nourishes both their mind and soul--forever.

2. To give them the skills, knowledge and commitment to go forward to lead extraordinary lives, long after my big, fat ass is dead and buried.

r

 

Bomba...it was my thread. I can say whatever I want in MY thread.

That stated...I want to share three words with you. Ready? I mean really ready? Okeee Dokeee, here we go....

"I forgive you!"

 

You mean his 27 "Look at me ! Look at what I'm doing !" posts went unnoticed by you ?

L & O

 

I know that some of these schools do in fact do their own form of " recruiting". A family member of mine was asked by a coach to transfer to a local catholic school because he was a stand out receiver. Not sure if the subject of him not being Catholic ever came up lol.
In defence of these parochial schools, transfering from school to school is very common even in public schools. Like riva said, success does breed success, but its really difficult to get this success started if the best players all go to a certain few schools because they can offer more to them.

I think things have changed and its not like the old days when kids had pride and honor to represent their city or town. Many of The kids that were on my team in high school way back in the 90s all played together since we were 10 years old. I'm not sure it would of been the same experience if the best players all left for better schools once we reached high school, even if we would of won more games.

 

Don't forget number 3
3 Post on a sportsman forum how great I am at every chance as God would command me to do so and also lead by example and show the poor how to acquire more material possessions!

 

Generally speaking, I would agree to the first part of your comment. However to the latter part, I have never provided financial advice to any member(s) of this forum, irrespective of their financial status, rich or poor. Not my space.

Frankly, if you are breaking in to a cold sweat because I happened to pick 4 out of 8 winners in the high school football championship games in August, and pump up my projections in my own thread during the season, then I suggest that you stop eating peanut butter, because obviously, peanut butter upsets you.

 

Very insightful post.

 

Pretty easy to pick winners when the deck is stacked as others have stated. Please answer what percentage of Catholic schools take non paying students based solely academic performance versus those with special athletic abilities?
But I will point out your predicting of Notre Dames success ssure fell short!
Also how many receive assitance to be able to attend thier school whether thru financial help or rate reduction?