What is most important to you or your son? Being on a championship team, player development, playing time or continuing the relationships he has in youth sports in high school? The answer is different depending upon your priorities.

 

I am in agreement with Hellbird that from a college recruitment perspective, choice of school is irrelevent as the most significant recruiting activity takes place at camps and combines.

 

As we are talking about young athletes, it's always about development. That's why I ask the question to get the numbers of those wearing state championship rings compared to those getting that free tuition and the difference from public and private.

My question was in reference to state title winning teams actually. Does an athlete have an advantage when playing for a school such as Trinity/Highlands/NCC or St. X over the Ryle, Cooper Conner type teams?

 

So what are we trying to answer? Do they have an advantage at a Private vs. Public or an advantage at Perrennial championship teams vs others?

The current group of 5 kids as Trinity is the exception. The vast majority of D1 athletes in this state have always come from Public schools. Trinity in fact has won most all their titles with 1 or 0 D1 recruits on the roster. None of the other private winners are any different. The talent roaming the halls at Tilghman, Bryan Station, Henry Clay, Central, Ballard etc.. have been just ridiculous over the years.

As we are talking about young athletes, it's always about development. That's why I ask the question to get the numbers of those wearing state championship rings compared to those getting that free tuition and the difference from public and private.

 

You would be surprised, for some parents, it is not always about development.

 

Since you mentioned Beechwood, I will say that they do have a very high coach to player ratio and have the added benefit of a long winning tradition. You can can expect good coaching and expect to reach at least the state semifinals every year. Academically, BW has the advantage of not having to serve as many heavy needs kids as the County School systems would, so their ACT scores are going to be higher on average.

 

Beechwood does compete in class A which, IMO, does not offer significant competition until you reach the state quarterfinals. My son, for example , is 6'2" 280 lb lineman. Even as a Sophmore, he would destroy any linemen BW could put on the field and generally would not be challenged by class A competition.

 

Cov Cath will also provide great coaching and coaching ratios, but at at a steep price. Tuition is in the neighborhood of 6-8 k per year. They play a stronger schedule but would not advance far in the playoffs because they are in the same class as Highlands.

 

My family has deep roots in NKy and my kids are going to the same schools as their mother. We have strong feelings about representing the community in which our kids were raised, so we are biased towards the county school system and its athletic programs. Our particular program (SK) does provide great coaching, excellent facilities (weight room/indoor practice facility/turf field) has a strong affiliated feeder system, and a supportive parent organization. This is not true for all of the county school systems.

 

If you reside in Boone County and your son is not yet an eighth grader, he can play for any of the freshmen teams within BC. So he could play at Cooper, Ryle, Boone or Connor. This way, you could gain experience in a program in which you are considering, without any commitment. I would caveat that statement though by saying that if he played for a year and decided not to stay, it should be for a significant reason like quality of coaching or relationship between coaches and parents or presence of a feeder system etc. Coaches are not fond of developing their competition.

Cov Cath will also provide great coaching and coaching ratios, but at at a steep price. Tuition is in the neighborhood of 6-8 k per year.

 

$6200 to $6800 depending on where you live.