Photograph by Matthew O'Shea

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Pay to Play

By Christy Marshall

Prefer that your heir romp among state champions?

We suggest that you turn to your rosary—and pull out your checkbook. Of 27 state titles won by St. Louis high schools in seven sports over eight decades,* a whopping 11 went to institutions that answer to Archbishop Raymond Burke, and another four went to MICDS and John Burroughs School.

With that in mind, a move by the Missouri State High School Activities Association makes sense: Last month the organization zipped out ballots to its members to vote on a proposal to establish a separate state tournament for Missouri’s 76 nonpublic schools. The sports affected include just about everything but football and lacrosse. A similar motion surfaced five years ago but lost by a vote of 103–88. This time around, the deadline to cast votes was May 1.

The privates have been stomping the publics for years. In 2005–2006, St. Louis schools won 25 state titles—with 22 going to private schools. The proposal is facing opposition, though, with private schools threatening to leave the MSHSAA if it goes through.

Whether or not they stay, the local talent search for the next Peyton Manning or Mia Hamm is getting costlier. Some schools, including Christian Brothers College, John Burroughs School and St. Louis University High, have recently invested some serious green in their athletic facilities.

And the price of playing at those facilities? It keeps going up.


*MSHSAA started recording state championships in:

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• Boys’ basketball in 1927
• Girls’ basketball in 1973
• Football in 1968
• Boys’ soccer in 1968
• Girls’ soccer in 1985