Last week the Washington Post ran a story about high school basketball clubs masquerading as Prep Schools and a push for a high school basketball national championship. And, no suprise, ESPN plays a prominent role. Josh Barr of the Post writes:
The old school and new school are colliding once again in the debate about the future of high school athletics, and this weekend's ESPN-sponsored National High School Invitational basketball tournament at Georgetown Prep serves as the latest flashpoint.
The eight-team boys' field offers plenty of insight into the discussion. Findlay, Oak Hill Academy of Mouth of Wilson, Va., and Montrose Christian, which finished No. 1 in The Post's final high school rankings, are among those vying for what some, like Montrose Christian Coach Stu Vetter, are calling a high school national championship. All three teams are independents, unaffiliated with any conference or league, free to recruit from nearly all over the globe and play as many games as they choose, wherever they choose ...
... Public schools are unable to participate in the event because of National Federation of State High School Associations guidelines, which are against national tournaments. Also, most state high school associations declare that the playing season ends with the state championship game and that schools may not participate in events that are not sponsored by an educational entity ...
... A handful of private schools have long hosted elite basketball teams, such as Maine Central Institute and Winchendon (Mass.) School. But what is different now, according to some observers, is the growing number of start-up programs and the media attention paid to them.
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