Competition brings out best in public, private schools
Will the real state champions please stand up?
The question of whether there should be a separate playoff system for the public and private schools is opinionated. I choose to support a system that includes all schools in a state playoff tournament in all sports.
Certainly people become envious and jealous of some schools and their success in different arenas of competition. Examples can be given of public and private schools in all sports that have had state championship runs. The name of the game is competition. We all strive to be the best and the only way we can lay claim to being the "best in the state" is to have a playoff system that crowns one champion.
Add classes if you must, have a multiplier to level the playing field, but do not divide into a system that separates the competition.
I remember attending Palatine High School and playing on the 1968 varsity football team. That year we lost to Arlington High School 34-0. We had a very good team (7-2) and we were totally dominated in that game. Arlington went on to a 9-0 season and was one of the best teams in the state that year (ask Bob Frisk).
There were many debates as to Arlington's chances against the other top, undefeated teams, especially some of the Chicago Catholic League schools. I didn't think anyone could beat them. I wish we had a state tournament back then!
Now as a head coach who preaches "to be the best, play the best," I would not want to be a state champion without having to play the top competition. We lost to Geneseo in 1982, Tinley Park in 1987 and Pontiac in 1993. We played Hillsboro, DuQuoin, Yorkville and St. Joe-Ogden in 1999; Rock Island Alleman in 2005; and other top teams including Driscoll and Marian Central (from our own conference).
In our travels around the state, I have met and become friends with many other coaches (public and private) from our playoff experiences. Great guys who love this game as much as I do. I would not change or trade those experiences for our players, fans, or coaching staff just for the sake of winning a state title.
We have great respect for all of our opponents and want the state playoff tournament to reflect all the teams for the real intention it was created - competition!
• Chris Andriano is the Montini Catholic High School football coach.
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=248624">Fairness is the main issue here <span class="date">[11/7/08]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=248526">Going own way isn't the answer <span class="date">[11/7/08]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>