St James Academy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not considering the option but I see why it is appealing. A lot of the HS coaches around here are terrible (and they think they are good) and FCPS is also kind of a let down. STJ is cheaper than other privates and there is a good amount of money and opportunity available for college athletes. Your kids doesn’t have to be a pro to benefit from college sports

Ok. I guess I get that but the odds of most of these kids going D1 is slim and D3 school admissions are still going to focus on academics. I can’t see how they could consider a kid from STJ as a legit academic candidate. Wouldn’t a catholic school or cheaper private be a better route coupled with a better club sport option?

You are missing the bigger picture. Significant NIL money is happening with HS athletes and schools like this will have staff out arranging deals for their athletes. There is a local HS basketball player at Highland that just signed a Reebok endorsement for 6 figures.

Also, they poached the women’s basketball coach from Sidwell who is very connected at top colleges…and the football coach is connected at D1 programs.

They will absolutely attract D1 athletes and they can do it in a way that no DMV private school will allow.

Most of these athletes find the school part annoying…so this removes most of that.

I’ll believe that when I see it. I’m sure Sidwell players will be just fine staying where they are - at a top notch school and working their chances while getting an amazing education.

The D1 Sidwell players are following her. Sidwell’s team will be much worse next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not considering the option but I see why it is appealing. A lot of the HS coaches around here are terrible (and they think they are good) and FCPS is also kind of a let down. STJ is cheaper than other privates and there is a good amount of money and opportunity available for college athletes. Your kids doesn’t have to be a pro to benefit from college sports

Ok. I guess I get that but the odds of most of these kids going D1 is slim and D3 school admissions are still going to focus on academics. I can’t see how they could consider a kid from STJ as a legit academic candidate. Wouldn’t a catholic school or cheaper private be a better route coupled with a better club sport option?

You are missing the bigger picture. Significant NIL money is happening with HS athletes and schools like this will have staff out arranging deals for their athletes. There is a local HS basketball player at Highland that just signed a Reebok endorsement for 6 figures.

Also, they poached the women’s basketball coach from Sidwell who is very connected at top colleges…and the football coach is connected at D1 programs.

They will absolutely attract D1 athletes and they can do it in a way that no DMV private school will allow.

Most of these athletes find the school part annoying…so this removes most of that.

I’ll believe that when I see it. I’m sure Sidwell players will be just fine staying where they are - at a top notch school and working their chances while getting an amazing education.

The D1 Sidwell players are following her. Sidwell’s team will be much worse next year.

Then clearly they don’t care about getting an education. That’s very sad. Sidwell is probably the best school in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

For major college prospects StJ could be a great option. The rest of the kids will simply be paying the tuition of the super talented kids so they can attend for free. That is the balancing act. These coaches at the St. James will need to perform. Attract a few high-level kids and use their success to attract both talented and average kids in the future. That will keep the money coming in. NIL for high school kids is literally a 0.0001% thing. Sure there will be a couple kids in each grade that attract some money, but that will be very, very few.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not considering the option but I see why it is appealing. A lot of the HS coaches around here are terrible (and they think they are good) and FCPS is also kind of a let down. STJ is cheaper than other privates and there is a good amount of money and opportunity available for college athletes. Your kids doesn’t have to be a pro to benefit from college sports

Ok. I guess I get that but the odds of most of these kids going D1 is slim and D3 school admissions are still going to focus on academics. I can’t see how they could consider a kid from STJ as a legit academic candidate. Wouldn’t a catholic school or cheaper private be a better route coupled with a better club sport option?

You are missing the bigger picture. Significant NIL money is happening with HS athletes and schools like this will have staff out arranging deals for their athletes. There is a local HS basketball player at Highland that just signed a Reebok endorsement for 6 figures.

Also, they poached the women’s basketball coach from Sidwell who is very connected at top colleges…and the football coach is connected at D1 programs.

They will absolutely attract D1 athletes and they can do it in a way that no DMV private school will allow.

Most of these athletes find the school part annoying…so this removes most of that.

I’ll believe that when I see it. I’m sure Sidwell players will be just fine staying where they are - at a top notch school and working their chances while getting an amazing education.

The D1 Sidwell players are following her. Sidwell’s team will be much worse next year.

Then clearly they don’t care about getting an education. That’s very sad. Sidwell is probably the best school in the DMV.

It’s no different than the Ivy players of the year all transferring to better D1 basketball teams.

If you can earn $500k+ in college and go for free…why not.

Also, the only reason they were at Sidwell was for the basketball coach/team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not considering the option but I see why it is appealing. A lot of the HS coaches around here are terrible (and they think they are good) and FCPS is also kind of a let down. STJ is cheaper than other privates and there is a good amount of money and opportunity available for college athletes. Your kids doesn’t have to be a pro to benefit from college sports

Ok. I guess I get that but the odds of most of these kids going D1 is slim and D3 school admissions are still going to focus on academics. I can’t see how they could consider a kid from STJ as a legit academic candidate. Wouldn’t a catholic school or cheaper private be a better route coupled with a better club sport option?

You are missing the bigger picture. Significant NIL money is happening with HS athletes and schools like this will have staff out arranging deals for their athletes. There is a local HS basketball player at Highland that just signed a Reebok endorsement for 6 figures.

Also, they poached the women’s basketball coach from Sidwell who is very connected at top colleges…and the football coach is connected at D1 programs.

They will absolutely attract D1 athletes and they can do it in a way that no DMV private school will allow.

Most of these athletes find the school part annoying…so this removes most of that.

I’ll believe that when I see it. I’m sure Sidwell players will be just fine staying where they are - at a top notch school and working their chances while getting an amazing education.

The D1 Sidwell players are following her. Sidwell’s team will be much worse next year.

Then clearly they don’t care about getting an education. That’s very sad. Sidwell is probably the best
school in the DMV.

The Duke basketball players could care less that Duke is a top school…that’s not why they are there.

They weren’t choosing between Duke, Stanford and Harvard. They were choosing between Duke, Kentucky and Auburn (or insert other top D1 basketball programs).

[Anonymous]

I know a FIFTH grader who is enrolling. I don't even know where to begin other than to say WOW. It would be one thing (maybe) if this were just a high school or middle school thing - but FIFTH grade?!? Did we not learn anything from the COVID years? Online school does NOT work for that age group. I pray for them that it works out and that their son is the one of the few that gets the $$$. Otherwise, just another uneducated athlete who may earn a few dollars for a few years and then inevitably end up broke and lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a FIFTH grader who is enrolling. I don't even know where to begin other than to say WOW. It would be one thing (maybe) if this were just a high school or middle school thing - but FIFTH grade?!? Did we not learn anything from the COVID years? Online school does NOT work for that age group. I pray for them that it works out and that their son is the one of the few that gets the $$$. Otherwise, just another uneducated athlete who may earn a few dollars for a few years and then inevitably end up broke and lost.

Last year, they offered my rising 5th grader DD an option to enroll. I was just looking for information and attended an info session. Having a 10 year old girl in school with 13, 15 & 17 year old boys just didn’t sit well with us for starters.
But yes, the education component of 100% online schooling seemed like a red flag for us.

[Anonymous]

Arent they jusr taking anyone wiling to pay?

[Anonymous]

I just saw a 4th grade girl committed for basketball. Is it really online school? Nothing else? Another player from Holy Child also for girls basketball. Are they really doing online school just for the basketball???? There has to be more to the education piece than online school right?

[Anonymous]

No, it is 100% online laptop school in 1 or 2 rooms. 1-2 teacher/ proctors to help keep the kids online, ect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Arent they jusr taking anyone wiling to pay?

Yes. A pulse and 29k gets you in, just like almost all the other private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, it is 100% online laptop school in 1 or 2 rooms. 1-2 teacher/ proctors to help keep the kids online, ect.

Well…at least for only 4 hours per day…with the rest spent training.

[Anonymous]

How do you do that in 4th grade? I wish these kids the best but how can you determine the path of your kid that young and remove a well rounded education from them? Seems crazy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you do that in 4th grade? I wish these kids the best but how can you determine the path of your kid that young and remove a well rounded education from them? Seems crazy

Honestly, this is the norm in every European country...and it starts earlier.

Kids as young as 5 are picked for these sports academies in soccer, hockey and basketball. Some are kicked out at 10 and replaced with better players...others like Messi (who moved from Argentina to Barcelona at 5), become Messi.

If you aren't in one of these academies, you know you will never become a pro and you are just playing Rec. There are no college sports so you aren't chasing admissions or scholarships in Europe (you may decide to come to the US to play).

I agree that the kids that go through these academies but don't ever really make it in the Pros often just turn around and become coaches themselves. They aren't educated much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you do that in 4th grade? I wish these kids the best but how can you determine the path of your kid that young and remove a well rounded education from them? Seems crazy

Honestly, this is the norm in every European country...and it starts earlier.

Kids as young as 5 are picked for these sports academies in soccer, hockey and basketball. Some are kicked out at 10 and replaced with better players...others like Messi (who moved from Argentina to Barcelona at 5), become Messi.

If you aren't in one of these academies, you know you will never become a pro and you are just playing Rec. There are no college sports so you aren't chasing admissions or scholarships in Europe (you may decide to come to the US to play).

I agree that the kids that go through these academies but don't ever really make it in the Pros often just turn around and become coaches themselves. They aren't educated much.

Community high schools in Europe don’t offer the robust sports programs and athletic facilities that US public schools have. That’s why specialized sports schools are common there.

The U.S. is simply transitioning to that model of specialized schools. This growing trend may actually help our public schools stay away from recruiting scandals and provide opportunities for less talented athletes to represent their communities.