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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 25
kick off
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kick off
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 25 |
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 51
throw in
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throw in
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 51 |
Quote:
What distresses me is when students leave outstanding public schools to attend private schools for soccer reasons only. The priority scheme that some private schools place in kids' heads is warped considering very few soccer players get scholarships to colleges or go on to play pro. But once again, this is not directed toward anyone (not even Pinewood).
I wish I could agree with at least something you post here because it sounds like something I'd like to put in a post. Unfortunately, I just don't find any of it accurate. In the lowcountry, I can only think of one truly "outstanding" public school - Academic Magnet High School. And as a magnet or charter school, AMHS has some of the same advantages that you complain Pinewood and other private schools have (i.e., no attendance zones within Charleston County). There are some fairly strong public schools in the area (Wando and my alma mater Summerville come to mind), but they don't hold a candle academically to a Pinewood or a Porter-Gaud.
Second, I don't think anyone transfers to Pinewood "for soccer reasons only." Rather, Pinewood always loses a few rising freshmen or sophomores to Summerville High or another public school "for soccer reasons only." The reason given for these transfers invariably is that: (1) SHS or other SCHSL AAAA school can offer more SOCCER competition, or (2) SHS or other SCHSL AAAA school is LESS academically demanding allowing for more emphasis on SOCCER. No one transfers from Pinewood to a public school for academic reasons (or at least not because they want or need a MORE CHALLENGING academic environment).
Third, no one at Pinewood is putting false notions of soccer scholarships in kids' heads. Fact is if you can win a starting position for Pinewood and you want to go somewhere (and are willing to go most anywhere) on a soccer scholarship, that is LIKELY to happen. Out of last year's 8 senior starters, JD Spearman signed with Clemson, Ben Reidmayer with PC, and Ben Allen with North Greenville. Of the remaining 5, the majority COULD have signed with someone (a Division II school or maybe a "minor" Division I school not of their liking, but with someone). In the end, all eight went to the college of their choosing, but only three went on a soccer scholarship. Other than AMHS, I wonder if there is a public school in the lowcountry that can quite match 100% college attendance for its soccer players.
Finally, there ARE some truly outstanding public schools in SC who do have very strong soccer programs (Riverside, Dreher and Daniel come to mind immediately). In the Lowcountry, its pretty much AMHS.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 488
Goal
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Goal
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 488 |
Wando has the highest average SAT scores than any other public school in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester County. Not including Academic Magnet or School of the Arts.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,256 Likes: 2
Coach
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Coach
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,256 Likes: 2 |
Last I checked, they had a halfway decent soccer program going, too...
I've got good news and bad news...
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 51
throw in
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throw in
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 51 |
Quote:
Wando has the highest average SAT scores than any other public school in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester County. Not including Academic Magnet or School of the Arts.
No doubt about it - Wando High has a VERY strong soccer program AND academically is probably the strongest public school in the tri-county area other than AMHS. I said as much in my post. My point was that compared to other parts of the state and other parts of the country, there aren't any "truly outstanding public schools" in the area other than AMHS. Of course, that is my subjective opinion.
Newsweek attempts to quantify the Best High Schools in the Country. Here the SC schools who made the list in in '07 and their national rank:
11 Academic Magnet North Charleston
77 Southside Greenville
281 Mauldin Greenville
427 Dutch Fork Irmo
517 Governor's School for Arts Greenville
584 Hilton Head Hilton Head
654 Wade Hampton Greenville
750 Spartanburg Spartanburg
855 Woodruff Woodruff
886 Mann Greenville
910 Daniel Central
959 Richland Northeast Columbia
1084 South Aiken Aiken
1212 Woodmont Piedmont
1255 Socastee Myrtle Beach
1275 Spring Valley Columbia
Here's the list from 2006:
10 Academic Magnet North Charleston
36 Southside (tie) Greenville
138 Mauldin Greenville
434 Dutch Fork Irmo
456 Governor's School for Arts Greenville
595 Wade Hampton Greenville
674 Woodruff Woodruff
684 Mann Greenville
704 Hillcrest Simpsonville
744 Daniel Central
749 Riverside Greer
896 Spartanburg Spartanburg
912 Richland Northeast Columbia
939 Hilton Head (tie) Hilton Head
1004 Woodmont (tie) Piedmont
1043 Spring Valley Columbia
1116 South Aiken Aiken
1120 Beaufort (tie) Beaufort
1138 Irmo (tie) Columbia
1147 Eastside Greenville
1155 Aiken (tie) Aiken
1195 Dorman Roebuck
1206 Socastee (tie) Myrtle Beach
According to Newsweek, anyway, its pretty bleak in the Lowcountry outside of Academic Magnet.
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