sac'em said:

Never said anything wrong with the trades. I don't think our society honors these individuals as much as we should. My dad was a tradesman. I asked our local high school to do a signing day for the trade unions (I live in a rural area that has lots of farmers and tradesmen) instead of just the athletes signing day. But, you are going to tell an 8th grader that they have to go to a vocational school because they did not get accepted by the high schools they wanted to go to?
Also, what happens when your local public school is at max capacity and you have not been accepted anywhere you applied? If they must hold spots for all possible local students, how would they plan for staffing, schedules, budgets, etc.? This would need to be known well in advance. Schools could face large swings in population #s that would be a staffing nightmare. There is already a teacher shortage, how much worse do we want it to get?

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jwarigaku said:

I did not say no high school! Full stop. Do you understand that they have these things called Vocational high schools perhaps the new term career and technology schools where you learn the trades like being an electrician, a draftsman, a plumber, auto mechnic, etc…. There is nothing wrong with working in the trades, in fact most of the trades provide a better salary standard of living and benefits than many college degree outcomes. And finally, stop living on hyperbole with coal mines and elementary school!

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Snetsrak61 said:

Haven't ever thought about it too much, but on the spot...

Top 6-10 as voted on by a committee (need to decide exact format) in a double knock out 5 week tourney.

Remaining schools (whatever number) to Prep Bowl to compete against public champ.

Thats assuming my czar abilities allow me to bring all non CCL private schools into the Prep Bowl exemption.

Edit I guess your few non CPS non-boundaried publics like University High also go to the public bracket of prep bowl in this scenario.

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Cross Bones said:

How would you do it if you were the Czar of the Private Playoffs?

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Snetsrak61 said:

If the separation proposal is being done for just football that's way easier said than done. Lots of other sports to consider.

What does two classes even look like for football? It basically has to be 16 team format. They throwing in a bye or is championship week the week before Thanksgiving now?

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crazylegs777 said:

If they separate those schools should leave IHSA

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doctor_d said:

I know it would never happen, but I’d love to see a coach like Racki take over a program like Momence or Dwight and see how he did after 6-7 years. Or better yet, a program like Plainfield Central.

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ScottieKnows said:

The data that's been shared throughout the state paints a pretty clear picture. 49 Private schools with 11 man football. 471 public. Privates make up 10% of the playoff field (again since 2001) but have one 39% of the championships and have won 71% of the playoff matchups (since 2001). I understand this forum is mostly private school guys, however to not see the problem is obtuse. And it isn't just in football the inequity runs through other sports (Wrestling, Girls Volleyball, Girls basketball, Girls Soccer) Say what you want, but the way to run athletics is just done completely different. Multipliers aren't working and private school coaches know this. All it does, is just rearranged the problem, but doesn't fix it. It looks like 17 states have separated post season between public and privates. Many of them for many years. Seems to work.

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Gestalt45 said:

For what it’s worth Massey has Montini over Althoff 38-20 although i think it’d be more like 28-21…and I don’t think either montini or althoff get whipped in 5A…montini beat Naz last year with half the talent they have this year.

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SouthofI80FootballFan said:

And for every Rochester, there is a Pontiac, Pittsfield, Stillman Valley, and any number of once-successful public school teams who could not sustain their success even not having to deal with all of the realities you mentioned.


You are CHOOSING to pay tuition, you are CHOOSING to comply with dress codes, which by the way all schools have, just not required uniforms. You are CHOOSING to comply with behavior standards and consequences, which all public schools have rules and consequences. You are also CHOOSING to take those religious studies classes by attending the school. These realities are in no way a substantial disadvantage for private schools.


Not turning a blind eye at all, I am not from the area but could assume they closed due to lack of donors and students. I hope you aern't turning a blind eye to the many public school programs that had to forfeit seasons. They have all the advantages (no tuition, no religious classes, no discipline) that privates don't have, and they still can't field competitive teams or teams at all.


I live in the area of St. T., and the gripe with them was their recruiting practices and talking to kids after their freshman year at public schools in the area. There are other public schools in the same area that have some questionable practices as well, and I don't agree with those either. Gone too are Quigley South,Luther South & Luther North,Weber,Holy Cross/Guerin & SFDS now what 10 years without football

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crusader_of_90 said:

The locals will know, I had drinks with Joe Wiley tonight - and ABSOLUTE LEGEND in the 618. Huge fan of the Althoff trio going D1. He says Mr. Hill is head and shoulders above Hickey.

(Heard Jack/Joe Buck, Musial, Ozzie, Willie, Lou stories tonight ... if I did not have to drive, I'd still be there soaking up the memories!!!!)

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eagles2k3 said:

Word I’m hearing is that a proposal to separate the Public and Non Boundary schools is currently being written by some pretty large public high schools in the Chicago area. 6 public classes and 2 non boundary classes is the proposal. To be implemented for the 25-26 school year. Not sharing names but it’s coming.

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brucealmighy said:

Kids at Morton are playing a different type of football. Ones with talent in American football are ending up at a private school.

OPRF is also in an area that feeds multiple private schools. That being said most of the WSSC has had success in waves. OPRF made the playoffs in 7 seasons from 2012-2019. York hadn’t been to the playoffs in 10 years before 2021, HC has missed a bunch of years in a row, GW was great in the 80’s before taking a dip for a decade in the mid-90’s. DGN and LT have had some off years. OPRF will be back. And all of these schools would make the playoffs every year if they were in the WSGC, Upstate 8 or some of the other conferences out there.

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guerinfbfan said:

Leo being open is incredible. The alumni base they have is incredible and is fully committed to keeping the tradition of Leo alive.

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Alexander32 said:

It is a good system. However, it seems as if it would mostly accomplish the same thing that a good multiplier system used in conjunction with a good success factor would accomplish.

You will find, though, that there are many contributors to this message board (private school supporters) who are unwilling to make even tiny concessions for the purpose of finding agreement. They are unmoved by the fact that 14 of the last 18 state championships (78%) at the 8A, 7A and 5A class levels have been won by CCL/ESCC members. Those are the three classes in which that conference mostly competes, although Montini and IC Catholic also frequently win championships at the 3A level. "Snetsrak61" is a thoughtful individual, but far more often you will encounter individuals like "ramblinman", of whom it can be said they are unwilling to give an inch because it never crosses their minds that possibly (even to a very small degree) that 78% winning percentage might be the result of advantageous enrollment rules. To them, any difference in rules (between privates and publics) that might reduce the number of championships their favored private-school teams win is blatant discrimination. And yet, to them, the difference in enrollment rules (between privates and publics) that might contribute to the distorted 78% figure cited above... is simply the natural order of things.

Your system is solid and you can count me in as a supporter. But, you probably won't gather much support from the private-school crowd. At some point the public schools may need to force the issue. If that results in the departure of the CCL/ESCC schools from the IHSA playoffs, so be it. "ramblinman" has assured us the private schools will enjoy their little 8-team playoffs each year, playing the same teams they played during the regular season, and being won by Loyola or Mt. Carmel 90% of the time.

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crusader_of_90 said:

Getting back to the Good Doctor's original question, who is the P4P champ?

I say Althoff, then EastSide then Montini.

Althoff because we'd win 2A for sure, very possible 3A, win 4A then get whipped in 5A. Montini would have their hands full with 1A Althoff, would win 4A and get whipped in 5A. EastSide would win 7/8A, but the heavyweight champ rarely gets P4P status.

Either way, the P4P champ is within six miles:
5401 W Main St. or 4901 State St., which are the same street, 103 blocks away from each other.

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