Private Schools vs. Public Schools

Thank you! I agree that it would be nice if all the private schools would play in their own class; however, I don't think the state would go for that. The travel would be too far. I figured that the multiplier system or simply moving them up a class would be our best bet for a change in the system. Thanks for your thoughts!

The amount of territory that these schools cover is unbelievable. I would encourage our state to look at what other states are doing. Many have separate tournaments for private schools.

Good Idea

This is an amazing letter and I support it 100%. I left a comment in the discussion post area.

My senior year in high school we lost to Western in the final game before state. That year Western went on to win state that year. For years I have struggled to find the words to put into a letter to send to the Iowa High School Girl Athletic Union. I think your letter is amazing and the stats you put into your letter were amazing. I agree that maybe they should move up a class but then that gives the schools in the classes above us a not so fair opportunity either. The schools in class 3A would then being have the same problem we are having. I think it would be fair to have them play in there own class. It then gives all the public schools around us a fair shot. I think this letter is amazing and I support it 100%. I'm glad that you could find the words to make a point that everybody is think! Great letter!

If this is correct information then there is definitely a issue here I think.

The time has come to seriously look at making this change.

I have thought this for years. Not only is recruiting allowed but now that we have open enrollment public schools think they can do it as well. Spirit Lake is a prime example of this.

this needs to happen

11 years ago Featured

I'm not even an athlete in these sports, but even I know that this needs to change. All of us should get a chance to go to state.

I urge the IGHSAU to make a change regarding private schools and our current class system.

I can see how one would think this, if someone knows nothing about Christian schools. Why would anyone want to pay 3k+, to attend school? There is no way they are giving our scholarships either. Look at the background of each player on Western, Unity and Pell Christian and I dare you to find a player without roots in Christian Education and what it stands for. No bought teams. It's discrimination to try to exclude them from playing with the rest of the state. So using your theory that great coaching must be how public school dynasties are made but not private? I think you need to do your stats over 20 years to be more of an effective argument.

First and foremost you are missing the entire point of private schools. To get a Christ centered education, not to participate in or win a state tournament. I would dare say 80-90% (at least where I attended) of the kids attending a private school in high school all attended a private school from kindergarten. How on earth are you gonna "recruit" a preschooler who's about to attend kindergarten? I would be very interested in knowing some statistics of the public schools participating in state tournaments as well. Has there ever been a public school who went to state multiple years in a row? I attended a private school and played 4 sports all 4 years. I never once participated in a state tournament. There's some perspective for you. I'm not writing some blog to the public schools to tell them to play up a level cuz they beat me. Win with class, lose with even more class. As a real competitor and true athlete, I want to play against the BEST! Do you want a cake walk to state? How can you feel good about that? Don't find an excuse like playing private schools when you lose.

I have listened to these arguments for years and for years I have given one simple offer. I will give you $100 for each kid on Western or Unity's teams (girls or boys) who did not come from a Christian grade school or had a parent graduate from that school. You give me $10 for each one that did. That's 10-1 odds. Any sports you wish to choose (basketball, volleyball, football, track, etc). I have NEVER had anyone take me up on the offer because they know their argument is ridiculous. Easy to check, we will go to the school libraries, pull out the yearbooks, and contact the families. Easy to do. EVERY child on my daughter's volleyball and basketball teams at Western meets those criteria (2012 and 2013 State Basketball champs and 2nd both years in volleyball, and track participant). Every player on my sons basketball team (2014 State Basketball champs and 2015 participants as well as baseball, football and golf teams) ALL meet that criteria. I am sure their parents would LOVE to show you their childs Christian grade school diplomas and copies of their tuition checks. When you make these ridiculous claims you take away how hard these kids work at these sports and how hard their coaches also work. Also, if we recruit it must only be in basketball and volleyball since I don't see Western or Unity at state in football, baseball, soccer, etc. Unity hasn't been to state in boys basketball in nearly 10 years, did they only recruit girls and no boys. This was Unity's 1st state title in Girl's bball. Took 2nd last year in a higher class. Did they just start recruiting? What about West Lyon football, Emmetsburg wrestling, Etc. Do those public schools that have winning traditions all recruit? Don't blame your failure on someone else's success. Don't blame it on cheating, bad refereeing, or anything else. You don't hear us claiming West Lyon is cheating when they drill us by 6 touchdowns in football. They have tradition, great coaching, lots of student parti

So if you were to implement your requirement to have private schools move up a class because they are good, what happens to public schools that win a lot. Iowa City West was going for their 4th straight state title at the boys tournament (although they didn't win they were there). Akron Westfield has one of the most dominant softball teams in any class, I don't hear everyone in Class 1A complaining that they should have to move up a class. MOC-FV made 4 straight boys state tournaments in basketball, I don't hear people saying they need to move up a class! Armstrong-Ringsted made 4 straight TITLE games in football, I didn't hear anybody saying they should move up. How many football titles has Harlan won? You don't hear people saying they should move up a class!! I agree with Lucas, win with class, lose with class! If you want to win, then you should want to go through the best to get there, otherwise put an asterisk next to your school in the record books.

My in-laws graduated from Western in the early 1950s, my husband and I graduated in 1970 and my last child graduated in the early 2000s. Three generations that attended Christian elementary schools and then went on to Western. I have heard the recruiting argument from the community schools in Iowa for at least 30 years. (You'd think that the complainers would come up with a new argument sometime.). There is one thing about our private schools that hasn't been mentioned and that is that our children have been taught since they were born that everything they do, they do for the glory of God. Not to make their school, coach or themselves look good but to show everyone that they play their best to praise God. That is what OUR "private" schools are about, not recruiting the best players so we can have the brief pleasure of winning a state tournament. praise their God

Dear Shaelyn Adams, You stated your post was not directed at Unity Christian but you specifically named them along with Western Christian on your post. Your statistics were that only 13% of all Iowa schools are private yet private schools were 20% of all state volleyball participants and 17.5% of all basketball participants. This is not statistically relevant. First of all, this is only 7% and 2.5% above the statistical norm. The statistical sample size is only encompassing 1 year. Talk to any statistics professor in any college and they will tell you the variance in this is not statistically relevant. The statistical variance is too small and the sample size is too small. Give some stats over the past 40 years. The Unity girls team that you discuss has not been in a state championship game prior to 2014 EVER. The Western girls team that you discussed had not won a single state tournament game in basketball EVER prior to 2012. None of these players were foreign exchange students. EVERY one of these kids paid tuition and graduated from a Christian grade school. Now I cannot speak intelligently about Iowa City Regina, Des Moines Christian, etc. I did not attend those schools nor did my children. But I did attend and play multiple sports at Unity. My children did attend and play multiple sports at Western. NONE of these players are recruited or receive free tuition. These are the programs that you specifically mentioned in your post. I again invite you to contact me and come down and meet these students and their parents. They are more than willing to show you their Christian school diplomas and their cancelled tuition checks. It will not be done with any malice. It will be done with the utmost Christian attitude and respect. You will find out that these people are middle class. They do not have all the advantages you claim they have. They are hard working, honest, Christian people who have kids who work their butts off and great coaches. It is

I have entirely neglected to read any of the past comments due to the amount of ridiculing going on in the first paragraph. You may agree or not agree with public schools competing against private schools. This is entirely up to you. We all live in a country that practices freedom of speech. The fact of the matter is though, private schools CAN recruit athletes to play on their sports teams. Public schools CANNOT recruit. They can be penalized for doing so. That being said, I'm not accusing Western or Unity as dominant recruiting schools. I am also saying that because private schools, like WESTERN and UNITY, can recruit, it is unfair and arguable unjust for private schools to compete against public schools. Perhaps Unity and/or Western aren't the most accurate examples of private schools recruiting, but I can assure you that private schools around Iowa,and even nationally, recruit every year to ensure a state bound team.

shaelyn, let's give a real world example of how this would work out. I coached unity football for three years. While I was there we competed in the class 2A district. Of the three years we played we had a winning record 1 year, a .500 record the other, and 3 wins the other. 2 years after I stopped coaching they moved down to 1A. Last year (their first year in 1A) they won 1 game. Just imagine if they would have moved up to 3A? I know the argument is to "penalize" teams who have made state or based on their record at state (or whatever the other 62% of states do) but look at what's happening. They moved down to 1A and struggled. How can moving them up a class be realistic? Private or public school success goes in waves. In 5 years I'm sure a public school team wins a bunch of basketball or volleyball titles followed by a private school. The argument is just unrealistic. You win for a while, then you lose for a while, then the cycle continues. It seems as though your argument is very very centered around basketball or volleyball, but I would love for you to give stats on other sports. How many titles have been won by public schools in baseball, soccer, football, softball, and whatever other sport vs private schools. My guess is the stats will be heavily favored towards public schools

I know we and I have given many unity examples but that's just speaking from experience. Maybe it's slightly different at the LARGE private schools but I can't imagine it's not that different. Another example is when Boyden Hull Rock Valley moved up from 2A to 3A in football a couple years ago. (They may have moved back down now). But many ppl associated with the program said the 2A district in football was much more competitive week in and week out. This argument HAS to be based on ALL sports and not just basketball or volleyball.