Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 10:38     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:I would never choose st James over a wcac school for any of my kids. Kids from all of them go d1 to power 5 (or 4…), they get a normal high school experience, and receive excellent mentorship from the coaches and administration. Sure there might be some soft spots in the lineups that means curated academy lineups will beat them, but you’re making a deal with the devil if you send your kid there imo.


I don't disagree with what you are saying, but these academies are how sports are run in literally the rest of the world.

No youth soccer, basketball or hockey player who expects to turn pro stays in a normal school in Europe or South America (for soccer). Victor Wembanyama started going to a basketball academy at 14...most soccer players are sent off to soccer academies as young as 5...etc.

These places are sports first, second, third, fourth and fifth...with a little bit of academics sprinkled in.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 10:24     Subject: St James Academy
Does anyone know where one can find the rosters of the St. James football teams? It is one of the few programs in the DMV that doesn't have them posted.

Sure seems odd.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 08:49     Subject: St James Academy
I would never choose st James over a wcac school for any of my kids. Kids from all of them go d1 to power 5 (or 4…), they get a normal high school experience, and receive excellent mentorship from the coaches and administration. Sure there might be some soft spots in the lineups that means curated academy lineups will beat them, but you’re making a deal with the devil if you send your kid there imo.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 08:42     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:The coach is a convicted felon?


If that's true, it makes the parents sound like the parent of every child actor who was treated horrifically. As long as the kid has a chance at getting famous, the parents don't care what horrible situation the kid is in.

Awful.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 08:27     Subject: St James Academy
The coach is a convicted felon?
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 23:50     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a new era for high school sports. The wcac schools are no longer the best in sports. The best players are going to be attending schools where they can focus getting in shape for college sports and academics will be secondary.


It’s pathetic.

Pathetic is harsh, but I’d want the educational side to be more rigorous to get my kid ready for college before sending them over there. Because the Virginia homeschool academy isn’t it. Maybe they will work on that once they get more established.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 20:09     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a new era for high school sports. The wcac schools are no longer the best in sports. The best players are going to be attending schools where they can focus getting in shape for college sports and academics will be secondary.


It’s pathetic.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 19:50     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Max Preps rosters are not accurate at all.

Where does TSJ publish their official rosters?


I don't think they do. It’s harder to cheat when you have a publicly listed roster.

They don’t need to cheat it’s a lot of talent over there. And more talented kids will now want to join. Kids all up and down the east coast.
The kid who already graduated won’t be playing any high school games nor will Webb’s boys.


If they don't need to cheat, why don't they publish their roster?
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 16:12     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:St James crushed Good Counsel.

I bet their girls basketball team will also be #1 in the DMV.

Top athletes and their parents don’t really care much about the model. It’s $35k vs like $90k for IMG and seems like they will both get you to where you want to go…a top D1 football program.

My son had games at Saint James this morning and from what I heard, their school will far exceed the level the WCAC schools are playing at.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 14:39     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Max Preps rosters are not accurate at all.

Where does TSJ publish their official rosters?


I don't think they do. It’s harder to cheat when you have a publicly listed roster.

They don’t need to cheat it’s a lot of talent over there. And more talented kids will now want to join. Kids all up and down the east coast.
The kid who already graduated won’t be playing any high school games nor will Webb’s boys.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:41     Subject: St James Academy
St James crushed Good Counsel.

I bet their girls basketball team will also be #1 in the DMV.

Top athletes and their parents don’t really care much about the model. It’s $35k vs like $90k for IMG and seems like they will both get you to where you want to go…a top D1 football program.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:39     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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).


I am a Duke athletic alum and an Iron Duke. I don’t think your statement is accurate. Some kids do choose Duke because of its academic reputation. They view it as an unexpected opportunity to open doors later in life. By way of example, Cooper Flagg and his parents clearly chose Duke not just for its basketball program. We know this because schools like UNC claim they were never in the running for a player like Flagg.

I think the main point however is NIL money. NIL money is harder to consistently raise in basketball relative to football. Duke is using its Wall Street connections to raise NIL and recruit for basketball. In this the school’s reputation and network really help. Duke has always been about money since Buck Duke started the place in 1924. Don’t see the SEC - including Kentucky - going away though. Duke has some unique factors.


Again…Duke would not have been in the running if they weren’t a top 5 team. Cooper Flagg wasn’t giving Stanford the time of day, even though he could have achieved the same NIL deals.

It’s not like the Duke football team is particularly successful pulling the smart 5 star recruits. I am sure they would take them all…as it is, do they even get one?

Look at the Duke baseball team…coach moved to UVA and nearly the entire starting group and all recruits transferred to UVA. Look at the UVA baseball team…Coach moved to Miss St and a large group of players transferred.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:02     Subject: St James Academy
Yep, the Hayfield scandal really picked up once hayfield put their football roster on their website last August...
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 07:53     Subject: St James Academy
Anonymous wrote:Max Preps rosters are not accurate at all.

Where does TSJ publish their official rosters?


I don't think they do. Its harder to cheat when you have a publicly listed roster.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 07:11     Subject: St James Academy
Max Preps rosters are not accurate at all.

Where does TSJ publish their official rosters?