MY PERSONAL COMMENTARY:
This is an interesting topic.
Let me go on record as saying that I truly respect the secondary institutions at Bishop England, Christ Church, and Southside Christian. However, these are the poignant examples I have to illustrate this conversation.
I, for one, have always embraced the idea (and fact) that the programs of Bishop England, Christ Church, and Southside Christian have competed in the S.C. High School League -- in all sports, especially soccer. I have always felt that it is better to "challenge yourself or program" to the best of its ability. I've held this judgement for years and considered it a moot point as long as those institutions participated in all SCHSL athletics. After all, I don't hear much complaining from BE, CCES, or SC when it comes to the fact that those schools don't perform too well in football, basketball, or track/field.
However, with the "multiplier rule" tabled this year and it being voted down narrowly by high school administrators, I have had cause to reconsider my stance on this issue.
After a pretty thorough "spring analysis", then I am pretty comfortable by saying on May 14, 2006, that if a private school selects to compete as a member of the SCHSL, then that institution should be placed in the largest classification of competition of all institutions in academics and athletics.
I sympathize with the rural 2A and 1A schools that have faced the likes of BE and CCES in the soccer championships, but it's not those schools (or their players) fault. I have an inkling that when these proposals were made that BE, CCES, and SC all had notions that in terms of football/basketball that those sports "at best" would be competitive with high schools in their classification, but probably not win championships -- at least not at the state level.
However, the truth is that athletics such as baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, etc., have become "year-round" activities and they are given an advantage with those that can afford to play-and-pay for this privilege. I'm not saying that is wrong -- in fact, I encourage that type of training. But, after a period of time when statistics are compiled, then I think it's safe to draw a conclusion and for the Boys Class 2A ranks that means that Bishop England has particpated in all six of that classification's championship and won three titles and finished as Runners-Up the other three times. Chapin, which has won two titles, and Emerald, which captured one championship, are both "priviliged" soccer communities and when BE didn't win the 2A title, then those programs were there to cash in.
If you analyze the Class 1A title match, then you'll find that Christ Church has been victorious each time with the likes of Academic Magnet, Blackville-Hilda, Buford (2), Lincoln, and Williston-Elko finishing as Runners-Up -- folks, those are hardly bastions of prep soccer, but they should be congratulated for overcoming those obstacles. Take out Academic Magnet and you find largely rural schools competing for a championship against teams from urban-area institution that can attract student-athletes from a wide geographic area.
Putting it succinctly, if private schools (in the day-and-age of 2006) are going to be eligible to play in the public school system, then those institutions should be placed with the largest schools to "challenge themselves" to the utmost!
