High School Recruiting

[El-Moldo]

username6: That just helps us build our case against your school. More proof that you guys cheat. How does it feel to have that kind of reputation amongst the area sports fans? Everybody perceives that catholic schools cheat, and that helps prove it. If I were you, I wouldn't bring that kind of stuff to everyone's attention.... The Forest Hills jointure took place in 1966. It was around that time that Penn Cambria formed, that Cambria Heights formed, that Blacklick Valley formed, that Conemaugh Valley formed, that North Star formed, all by the combining of smaller neighboring school districts. So what's the problem? At least they all HAVE BORDERS that have been in existance for the last 40 years. McCort has been pulling the same "transferring" crap for many years before that.

[CRLionDawg]

My contention is this. There is a reason these kids "want" to transfer. Try focusing on that and meet their needs at the public school and things will take care of themselves.

[tbs3189]

I guess that this just goes to show, without recruiting, McCort has no talent of their own. So they have no choice but to recruit to find it. The truth is sad in this situation.

[neut78]

My view on this is that if you are a recruiting school then you should be in a recruiting league. It's not fair that they come in are leagues with the best players on thier team and win championships year after year. We played BC twiced and lost both times. We were a solid big team but they were huge compared to us. Plus when they tried to recruit are own player one year that kinda of put a bad taste in my mouth. I agree let them go coach a public school and see there best players leave to a private school. I was just glad are guy laughed in their face.

[El-Moldo]

Do six or seven kids make a difference to a team? You just said the 2003 McCort season went kaput when Hawkins got hurt. That's only ONE kid!!

[once a runner]

[quote="CRLionDawg";p="90977"]My contention is this. There is a reason these kids "want" to transfer. Try focusing on that and meet their needs at the public school and things will take care of themselves.[/quote]

Most schools do meet a students needs. Their "needs" are to be given the best education possible. Sports are called "extra-curricular" for a reason.

It's kind of funny how students can transfer for academics anytime they want, but very, very few ever do. However, even though it's illegal in PA to do so for athletics, it seems to happen quite often. There is something wrong this.

As the saying goes, play the hand your dealt. If your good enough, others will figure it out.

[El-Moldo]

That's, then, $20,000 for 9th thru 12th grades. The from K-8th, at about $1,200 per year, that's another $10,800. WOW!!! Hawkins family paid $30,800 for his k-12 education. And had multiple children going there, some at the same time? And NO discount in tuition??? WOW again!!!

[highschoolsportsfan]

El-Moldo is 1000% correct. This problem is magnified by the fact that these schools can control their enrollment when public shools cannot. A few years ago BC had 111 boys eligible to play football for classification reasons and had over 50 boys on the team. Over half of their students played football, imagine if that happened at all public shools. If they have somebody who is a problem student they are gone, while public scchools have to keep them(unless they do something like theft or vandalism). Also, I would love to know how many "hardship" tuition breaks they give to a student in the band, chorus, or drama club. Getting the atheletes there keeps the school in the news and keeps people wanting to send their kids to it. If they really want an even playing field, the private schoolsshould have to play at LEAST 1 division higher than their classification or have their own playoffs.

[CRLionDawg]

The theme of this thread seems to continually focus on the "unfarness" that the private schools wield over the public schools.

By the very definition of "private" these schools exercise the result of choice. These schools are in competition for their enrollment. Not only from public schools but from the other privares as well. They need to consistently offer a good product or they will be in trouble.

There is very little from the environment that can motivate the public school to improve the quality of education and/or athletic programs they offer to the students that live in their boundaried "markets." Oh sure you can go complain to the Superintendent and the School Board. But do you really think they are seriously concerned about their jobs enough to make a substantial change? They are guaranteed a set number of students based on geography. It is an excellent environment to foster the status quo.

If you want to eliminate the "illegal" recruiting that goes on, change the rules. Force the public schools to improve the product they deliver and then see what happens.

Stop whining around about how the world is unfair and start competing.

[El-Moldo]

These schools are in direct competition for their enrollment? Really? I think they have a captive audience. Schools like Shadyside Academy, which are private and do not profess a certain religion or philosophy, THEY are the ones which must compete with the public sector. Catholic schools have an entire POOL of "select" people to draw from, and an entire AREA with NO boundaries to draw from. Amazing that they TOO can admit kids who do not ADHERE to that philosophy, the NON-CATHOLICS. So tell me again how public schools should stop whining and compete!!! By the way, the rules against illegal recruiting are in place, someone just have enough guts to enforce them. In the name of fairness, that is.