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Question: Does SCISA schools follow the same start/stop dates and other restrictions as SCHSL schools?

No, I think the SCISA schools start a week later and end a week later.

AM lost to Pinewood Prep 2-0. I'm not sure I'd put that in the "dominated" category.

Using the same logic one could say "Riverside easily dominated the much weaker Hilton Head Prep - a team the Riverside Coach graciously said could compete for the AAA title."

It's just a little strong I think. Oh well, makes for interesting conversation

Like I told him play Woodruff, my money goes on the Wolverines, day in and day out. AA,AAA or AAAA
They bring it every night.

I have never suggested that private schools' raw numbers (attendance) are comparable, but I do assert that since private schools have DIFFERENT (and much more liberal) attendance restrictions, they are NOT equal to public schools with similar raw populations but with attendance zone restrictions.

To put it in context, if a public schools draws 750 students from an attendance zone of 8000 inhabitants, the private school with 250 students drawing from 50,000 inhabitants within driving distance is actually at an advantage (just as a public school with 750 students is not able to compete with public schools of 2600 students because they are drawing athletes from larger pools for the talent).

Thus, it is unfair and inappropriate to make sweeping (and negative) generalizations about AA/A based on comparing those public schools with private schools that are UNLIKE them.

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Private school girl soccer teams don't have a pool of 50,000 students to pool from and I would question the more "liberal" attendance restrictions. One you have to "test" in most private schools to be accepted (so there is an academic restriction) and two you have to have the economic means and/or desire to attend (a financial restriction). Don't kid yourself - I highly doubt there are any girl's high school soccer scholarships in South Carolinia - a southern state where football rules. Now if 1A/2A SC schools were competing with a private athletic school such as IMG in FLA. then maybe you would have a case. There I believe the students are selected and going there for academics AND sports - perhaps they have high school athletic scholarships. As far as switching schools to play on a better team, private schools playing in the highschool conference are restricted the same as public. Other than the freshman year, a student has to sit out a year if they played a year at another school - even if it was switching to/from a school they were zoned for.

While private schools do face obstacles that public schools avoid, the option to play out of zone puts them on another level. No matter how many times we debate, that one factor changes everything.

Dale,

I was at both games.

Totally different scenarios. You have watched enough soccer to know that a 2-0 can be a complete domination while a 3-0 can be exactly the opposite.

Pinewood's game with AM was played in Pinewood's offensive third the whole night. AM had about 4 shots.

The game between Riverside and HHP was played in the middle 2/3's for the whole game with Riverside doing a much better job of finishing opportunities. I think Riverside was 3 for 9 on their shots, HHP was 0-12. Something along those lines.

BTW, I think Riverside is an amazing team and will beat either Airport or Hilton Head in the state finals.

yes and no.

It is a huge factor when you are talking about the Charleston, Columbia and Greenville based private schools. Transfers from the giant public schools make a huge difference. The two Angotti-Smith sisters that transferred from Wando to Pinewood made them instantly the 2nd best team in SCISA.

It is not a factor at all when you are talking about the more rural and island private schools. Where are they going to get the kids from? There isn't a kid on either of the soccer teams from the two island SCISA schools that come from out of the public school's territory.

I will NOT take blame for this one. You have read carelessly. I NEVER said private schools have 50,000 students to choose from. My hypothetical was about the ATTENDANCE area; big public schools have an advantage over small public schools because the size of the school correlates highly with the size of the population of the ATTENDANCE area. With private schools, the size of the school does NOT correlate with the population of the ATTENDANCE area. My point is that private schools—while they may have a small student population—have an attendance area population that correlates better with a much larger public school.

Anyone can attend the private school no matter where they live; that is not the case with public schools.

Simply put, not playing under the same rules. So NOT the same.

My point is about equity, and about making comparison of unlike things.

Private and public are NOT the same. Any conclusions drawn by comparing them is made apples to oranges.

And I have never made any sweeping comment about SCISA schools being weak. . .especially based on comparing them to a group of teams unlike them. Please note the source of my comments.

I am also NOT suggesting any type of school is better or worse—just stating a fact. Different. Different playing field. Not valid to compare.