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Monday, June 2, 2008
Metro schools dominate all-sports lists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In an era when private schools dominate the state’s all-sports trophies, football is holding out.
Football and wrestling were the only major sports that didn’t have a private school champion in 2007-08.
In fact, football has had only one private-school champion in the last 10 years, and that was Marist in 2003.
What makes football different?
It’s less expensive, for one.
Hard work and year-around training are becoming mandatory for winning in any sport, but in football, that training doesn’t require year-around competition or the travel and skills-specific coaching that cost loads of money.
Sports that are more dependent on skills training — tennis, golf, soccer, softball — are prone to private-school domination.
Notice also that the top two finishers in the Directors Cup in Class AAAAA, which has no private schools, are two of the more affluent school districts in Georgia — Walton and Brookwood.
That’s not discounting the accomplishments of those schools, because it takes remarkable talent and effort to be so good in so many sports, but it’s also a factor that the parents at some schools have the resources to ensure that their children have the training they need to reach the top.
Money also helps in football with facilities and hiring coaches. But the idea that you can’t win the Kentucky Derby with a mule applies to all sports to some extent, but it’s especially true in football.
So here are some questions for you:
• Why do you think football is resistant to private-school dominance?
• Are the ingredients to success a little different from sport to sport?
• And why are private schools so successful?
Private schools placed first and second in the Directors Cup in all four classifications that have private schools — Class AAAA to A.
And now, the 1.5 multiplier that put many private schools in higher classifications is going away, and about 10 private schools are dropping in class this fall, including Directors Cup all-sports champions Westminter (to AA) and Wesleyan (A).
Georgia Athletic Directors Association Dodge Directors Cup standings (unofficial):
Class AAAAA
1: Walton
2: Brookwood
3: Collins Hill
4: Parkview
5: Northview
Class AAAA
1: Marist
2: Woodward Academy
3: St. Pius
4: Starr’s Mill
5: McIntosh
Class AAA
1: Westminster
2: Blessed Trinity
3: Columbus
4: Oconee County
5: Sandy Creek
Class AA
1: Wesleyan
2: Lovett
3: GAC
4: Savannah Christian
5: North Oconee
Class A
1: Brookstone
2: Landmark Christian
3: Providence Christian
4: Savannah Country Day
5: Athens Academy
