Maybe the kids have it right?

Maybe, just maybe, the kids and the IESA have it right?

Unlike it's sister association, the Illinois High School Association, the IESA so far hasn't been influenced with anything remotely close to issues such as "leveling the playing field".

At least not yet anyways.

Being the only private school to play in the Class 2a field this weekend in East Peoria, I can't help but think to wonder if and when the issues that have caused so much divide, lawsuits, counter lawsuits and plain old fashioned controversy among high school sports and if the never ending saga of public versus private won't eventually seep into play at the IESA level?

Hopefully, never.

The IESA uses the enrollment numbers of each schools 7th and 8th grades combined. Our Joliet St. Paul team has a combined enrollment of 96 kids, the second smallest enrollment school in the Class 2a quarterfinal field, with no private school multiplier in sight. Our kids fortunately won't need to be taught about the multiplier or the significance of 1.65 until at least another year.

Yet I can't help but wonder if the Giants continue to win starting on Friday night, that the main argument against all private schools and state-wide sports won't rear it's ugly head this weekend. You know the argument. They (private schools that is) recruit.

First of all, when my son still thought that Barney the purple Dinosaur was the bomb (sorry son) back in the early days, my wife (EDGYwife?) and I decided that we would like to send our son to the same school where our local parish was located. The school offered a good education, was close to home and as parents we wanted to make the best choice for our son and eventually our younger daughter EDGYShannon as we could despite the added sacrifices and financial considerations. Nothing against out local public school whatsoever, we just both felt very comfortable with our kids in the hands of the good folks at St. Paul's.

Now back then, I'm pretty sure that his baseball coaches at St. Paul's weren't scouting the 1st grade for potential talent. Athletics were my last concern when I sent my child to a private school. I'm guessing the same goes for the rest of the St. Paul's baseball team parents? I didn't receive any recruiting pitches to send my 7 year old son to St. Paul's because he would have a chance to win a state title. Up until two years ago, St. Paul school had no organized baseball program.

Our school doesn't arrive to road games in brand new school buses. We leave the transportation issues up to Mom and Dad Transport.

We play and practice at a first class facility, but the Troy Pony fields are located miles from our school.

Our coaches are unpaid volunteers, yet we wouldn't trade them for any other paid coaches in the state of Illinois to be honest.

While our uniforms are pretty nice, they aren't brand new.

Oh, and I've also been paying ever rising tuition costs along with a ton of required fundraisers for the past 7 plus years.

So tell me, where is the so-called "recruiting" advantage?"

If parents at St. Paul's want to send their kids over the IHSA regulated 30 mile rule, they might want to have their heads examined. If those same parents want to deal with the never-ending gridlock in and around the greater Joliet area these days, good luck to them.

So my hope for this weekend is many-fold for all of the kids playing in East Peoria, both public and private.

I hope that each teams plays hard and gives it there best efforts.

I hope that win or lose, each team can appreciate the effort it takes to just get to any state final.

I hope that sportsmanship is at an all time high both on the field and in the stands.

I also hope that if our St. Paul Giants are fortunate enough win it's second consecutive state baseball title this weekend, that IESA Executive Director Steve Endsley doesn't release a press statement after the state final games stating that, "the IESA board will begin immediately to explore the possibility of leveling the playing field."

I'm hoping that the IESA and the kids will continue to get it right.

Leave the politics to the politicians.

Let's play ball.