Can a normal athletic kid play high school sports at most privates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is part of the reason we chose private school. Both DH and I were D1 athletes. Our kids, not so much. We encouraged sports from a young age, and I have always believed the drive and competitiveness needs to come from the child. My kids tried DH's sport and mine, but ultimately they each chose a different ones. The kids are good at sports, not great. It was evident from a young-ish age that they were not D1. We're wealthy so, they don't need scholarships. Anyway, we still want them to play and enjoy the sports as they are part of a healthy lifestyle. Private school has fewer kids, so more can play and generally the level of play is a bit lower. Of course, there is always that awesome athlete, but there are also average ones too.

Now the claws will come out to convince you the level of play is higher or more competitive or whatever, but it's a numbers game - fewer kids to choose from - it comes from smaller class sizes.

The claws aren't coming out...but you have to be smart about the school you pick. Are you even from the DMV? I mean, you can't just show up for basketball practice at Sidwell and expect to make the team. However, you can probably play football at Sidwell if you are a decent athlete (no way SJC).

I hope you understand that private schools now dominate most sports across the country because they are actively recruiting athletes. It is rare for a public school to have a team in any sport that ranks high because they can't recruit for the sport.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of private schools where any kid can play in any sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is part of the reason we chose private school. Both DH and I were D1 athletes. Our kids, not so much. We encouraged sports from a young age, and I have always believed the drive and competitiveness needs to come from the child. My kids tried DH's sport and mine, but ultimately they each chose a different ones. The kids are good at sports, not great. It was evident from a young-ish age that they were not D1. We're wealthy so, they don't need scholarships. Anyway, we still want them to play and enjoy the sports as they are part of a healthy lifestyle. Private school has fewer kids, so more can play and generally the level of play is a bit lower. Of course, there is always that awesome athlete, but there are also average ones too.

Now the claws will come out to convince you the level of play is higher or more competitive or whatever, but it's a numbers game - fewer kids to choose from - it comes from smaller class sizes.

The claws aren't coming out...but you have to be smart about the school you pick. Are you even from the DMV? I mean, you can't just show up for basketball practice at Sidwell and expect to make the team. However, you can probably play football at Sidwell if you are a decent athlete (no way SJC).

I hope you understand that private schools now dominate most sports across the country because they are actively recruiting athletes. It is rare for a public school to have a team in any sport that ranks high because they can't recruit for the sport.

PP here. I understand perfectly well, I have private school athletes! That's why I chimed in.

OP, she does have a point about smaller team sports, like basketball. My kids don't play basketball. Most other sports baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, etc. Have more kids on the field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid plays soccer and for varsity, there are very few non-club players who will touch the field. Even some of the club players might average less than 5 mins a game. The only know club players who get playing time on my kid’s team are the ones who used to play club, but quit in the last year or two and the ones who are crazy good athletes.

At our private, the best soccer players don’t play HS- or only play it Freshmen/Sophomore year. Soccer is a sport where Club rules for college recruitment and the level of HS play is awful and kids get hurt partly due to that fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of private schools where any kid can play in any sport.

Also many require kids to play one or more sports seasons, so obviously every plays -- they have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is part of the reason we chose private school. Both DH and I were D1 athletes. Our kids, not so much. We encouraged sports from a young age, and I have always believed the drive and competitiveness needs to come from the child. My kids tried DH's sport and mine, but ultimately they each chose a different ones. The kids are good at sports, not great. It was evident from a young-ish age that they were not D1. We're wealthy so, they don't need scholarships. Anyway, we still want them to play and enjoy the sports as they are part of a healthy lifestyle. Private school has fewer kids, so more can play and generally the level of play is a bit lower. Of course, there is always that awesome athlete, but there are also average ones too.

Now the claws will come out to convince you the level of play is higher or more competitive or whatever, but it's a numbers game - fewer kids to choose from - it comes from smaller class sizes.

The claws aren't coming out...but you have to be smart about the school you pick. Are you even from the DMV? I mean, you can't just show up for basketball practice at Sidwell and expect to make the team. However, you can probably play football at Sidwell if you are a decent athlete (no way SJC).

I hope you understand that private schools now dominate most sports across the country because they are actively recruiting athletes. It is rare for a public school to have a team in any sport that ranks high because they can't recruit for the sport.

I hope you understand that the vast majority of D1 athletes come from public school. Maybe not in the DMV (Caleb Williamms, Heisman winner from Bullis, Johnathan Ogden (hall of fame from St. Albans) and Odell Beckham Jr (St. Albans -transfered to STA after Hurricane Katrina displaced his family). I am sure there are other examples of D1 athletes from private schools, but the vast majority come from public schools.

[Anonymous]

^ Caleb Williams is from Gonzaga, not Bullis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is part of the reason we chose private school. Both DH and I were D1 athletes. Our kids, not so much. We encouraged sports from a young age, and I have always believed the drive and competitiveness needs to come from the child. My kids tried DH's sport and mine, but ultimately they each chose a different ones. The kids are good at sports, not great. It was evident from a young-ish age that they were not D1. We're wealthy so, they don't need scholarships. Anyway, we still want them to play and enjoy the sports as they are part of a healthy lifestyle. Private school has fewer kids, so more can play and generally the level of play is a bit lower. Of course, there is always that awesome athlete, but there are also average ones too.

Now the claws will come out to convince you the level of play is higher or more competitive or whatever, but it's a numbers game - fewer kids to choose from - it comes from smaller class sizes.

The claws aren't coming out...but you have to be smart about the school you pick. Are you even from the DMV? I mean, you can't just show up for basketball practice at Sidwell and expect to make the team. However, you can probably play football at Sidwell if you are a decent athlete (no way SJC).

I hope you understand that private schools now dominate most sports across the country because they are actively recruiting athletes. It is rare for a public school to have a team in any sport that ranks high because they can't recruit for the sport.

I hope you understand that the vast majority of D1 athletes come from public school. Maybe not in the DMV (Caleb Williamms, Heisman winner from Bullis, Johnathan Ogden (hall of fame from St. Albans) and Odell Beckham Jr (St. Albans -transfered to STA after Hurricane Katrina displaced his family). I am sure there are other examples of D1 athletes from private schools, but the vast majority come from public schools.

We have so many alum in the Final four of March Madness every year. In DC area- private school is where the best basketball is.

[Anonymous]

Hockey —the private boarding schools have the best. Yep two of my nephews were plucked out of their public HS and offered scholarship to two very well known tony privates. They also redshirt them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ Caleb Williams is from Gonzaga, not Bullis.

Perhaps the earlier poster is referring to Dwayne Haskins as the QB from Bullis (he didn't win the Heisman but was invited to NYC for the ceremony the year that Kyler took home the hardware). There was also a corner from Bullis, an RB from either SSSAS or Episcopal, a PGA golfer from Albans, pro tennis players from Sidwell and Bullis and about 100 NBA players from DeMatha (and at least one from Flint Hill), Brian Cashman went to Prep and Landon had the lacrosse player who killed his girlfriend. Both the IAC and WCAC have had more than their fair share of famous athletes. The ISL has had a number of very accomplished women athletes (Former Team USA Lax Goalie from SSSAS, WNBA player from Bullis).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Caleb Williams is from Gonzaga, not Bullis.

Perhaps the earlier poster is referring to Dwayne Haskins as the QB from Bullis (he didn't win the Heisman but was invited to NYC for the ceremony the year that Kyler took home the hardware). There was also a corner from Bullis, an RB from either SSSAS or Episcopal, a PGA golfer from Albans, pro tennis players from Sidwell and Bullis and about 100 NBA players from DeMatha (and at least one from Flint Hill), Brian Cashman went to Prep and Landon had the lacrosse player who killed his girlfriend. Both the IAC and WCAC have had more than their fair share of famous athletes. The ISL has had a number of very accomplished women athletes (Former Team USA Lax Goalie from SSSAS, WNBA player from Bullis).

Yep. We had a kid drafter to the MLB right out of HS and he wasn’t the first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Caleb Williams is from Gonzaga, not Bullis.

Perhaps the earlier poster is referring to Dwayne Haskins as the QB from Bullis (he didn't win the Heisman but was invited to NYC for the ceremony the year that Kyler took home the hardware). There was also a corner from Bullis, an RB from either SSSAS or Episcopal, a PGA golfer from Albans, pro tennis players from Sidwell and Bullis and about 100 NBA players from DeMatha (and at least one from Flint Hill), Brian Cashman went to Prep and Landon had the lacrosse player who killed his girlfriend. Both the IAC and WCAC have had more than their fair share of famous athletes. The ISL has had a number of very accomplished women athletes (Former Team USA Lax Goalie from SSSAS, WNBA player from Bullis).

Yep. We had a kid drafter to the MLB right out of HS and he wasn’t the first.

FCPS had two baseball players drafted in the first round last year straight from high school. The best high school baseball time in the area is Madison

[Anonymous]

Currently the top two football teams are public schools and the majority of the top 20 are public in the DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently the top two football teams are public schools and the majority of the top 20 are public in the DMV

Yeah. Well we went for the academics and small class sizes.

[Anonymous]

This thread has gotten really complicated.
The answer is YES basically to your question.

Caveats include the basketball team is hard to get on at many schools. The Catholic schools have much more competitive athletics than the others.

But other than that sports are basically walk-on at most privates. They may cut the really unathletic kids but your children sound like they will be fine. A kid may not get a ton of playing time depending on the sport or coach but they will make a team. This is what you are paying for. Many of the larger privates (other than Catholics) have classes of 100-150 but run 10 or more sports teams per season. Do the math.