Private Public School Debate

[billmurray]

let's add to the debate....18 of 34 AAA All State players came from catholic schools....FIFTEEN of those came from either wood, cathedral prep or mcdevitt....HMMMMMM!

[IVWarriors]

I read a recent article with Brad Cashman (as in the last 2 years), it sounded like separating them would turn into a legal matter. Which doesn't make any sense since PA is one of only like 5 states left where the public and private schools both compete in the same playoff system.

[Blueandwhitefan]

I read a recent article with Brad Cashman (as in the last 2 years), it sounded like separating them would turn into a legal matter. Which doesn't make any sense since PA is one of only like 5 states left where the public and private schools both compete in the same playoff system.

I am still trying to find the article from a few years ago. An anonymous source at the PIAA said yes they know they recruit and won't change it because they receive too much money in the form of donations from private school alumni to keep it the way it is. As soon as I find the article I will post the link.

[Manfred]

Sounds like the present administration running this country. As long as the 'haves' have the majority, the 'have nots' won't get anywhere. Big money and private interests control everything. It's unfortunate, but both Dems and GOP's are two sides of a bogus coin.

[d6footballfan]

uhhh, like I have been posting all over this site about this debate; this is all about money. period. So make two classifications like in CFA, so those who make money can make more money and there will be some sanity and fairness to those schools who participate. geez its really not that hard to change people.

[Mountainside79]

It looks like this debate is also a hot button topic in Maryland, which does not permit private schools to participate in the state playoffs. Check out posts on their forum:

http://mdvarsity.rivals.com/showmsg.asp ... 02&style=2

[konjo78]

Great post mountainside! I think that forum brought up 2 great points! 1. Public and private separation and 2. PA teams play way too many games! It takes 16 games in 16 straight weeks to win a championship. What pro teams ever have to do that same thing? And they don't have 2way players!

[psycho]

Maryland public HS football is more of a joke than PA public HS football. It is terrible. more than 50% of the D1 players that come from the state of MD come from private schools although they are only about 11% of the schools in MD. It's not that bad in PA although the numbers of D1 kids from privates is climbing every year as publics get smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller..............................

The length of the PA high school football season is a crime. 16 games -- are you kidding me??? That is really ridiculous. We played 9 games then went into WPIAL playoffs. The WPIAL champ (which was considered the state champ in those days because it was so competitive) played 12 games. Now teams play 11 regular season mostly uncompetitive games before playoffs start. What's the point???

[TRig]

The public schools have more power than they think. If they truly want a separate playoff system, they could get it. Double and Single-A schools should just secede from the PIAA and form the PSPSA --- the Pennsylvania Small Public Schools Association. (Psycho, consolidation is another issue.) Even a serious threat to secede by a large number of public schools could force the PIAA's hand. It would hate to lose all that money. But it has to be a strong and united stand. If the PIAA doesn't reconsider, be prepared to bolt. Then the small schools could take the money is sends to the PIAA to the PSPSA instead. And I bet the new association would do a much better job of distributing the proceeds to its members. It all could start with Districts 5 and 6 joining forces. Those two then approach 9, then those three approach 10. With four Western districts in the fold, then try to convince 7. Move east from there.

[IVWarriors]

Maryland is a real mess to decipher. We recently played Maryland Christian in 2011, Mifflin County that is, and they were all just a bunch of homeschooled kids. Apparently if you are homeschooled you cannot participate in athletics for the district you live in. When i watched film on them, they had what looked to be a small field with hay bales to sit on and a scoreboard. But their team was incredibly well coached and they had legit talent.

On the topic, they should just make a 5A class and include all private schools. The public schools can still play them in the regular season if they choose, but come playoff they are all in one division. I know the big gripe was about the traveling since private schools are so spread out, but our current system doesnt lend much since for instance they put clearfield in AAA in the eastern side of the bracket while D3 is all in the west. I get why they did it, for balance, but that kind of shoots the traveling issue down then.