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Privates, Rich Publics Dominating Indiana High School Football


Guest DT

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What ever happened to good old blue collar high school football?

We are now in an era where private schools and affluent public schools are dominating the high school football scene in Indiana.

The link between football success and strong socio economic profile could not be any clearer than it is this season.

If I were to rate all of the finalist in terms of their athletic-financial profile, I would rate as follows :

1. Private

2. Affluent Public

3. Average Public

4. Below Average Public

Rankings as follows :

LCC - 1

Indy Lutheran -1

Western Boone - 2

Eastbrook - 3

Chatard - 1

Heritage Hills - 1

Memorial - 1

East Noble - 3

Valpo - 2

New Pal - 2

Carmel -2

CG - 2

 

Not much room for the Hobarts, Griffiths, Sheridans, Seegers and other Blue Collar football towns of the past.

Can the blue collars turn the tide and compete against the affluents in the future?

Or is that era of Indiana High School Football a relic of the past?

Its doubtful we will ever see a big school blue collar team in the finals in the future. 

Hammond?  Elkhart?  Ft Wayne?  Decatur Central last year would qualify.  

 

 

 

 

Edited by DT
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I would definitely not put Western Boone, New Pal and Valpo in the same affluent category as Carmel and Center Grove. I'm more familiar with Western Boone and New Pal and consider both very solid blue collar/middle class communities with a fair share of lower income people. And Heritage Hills is definitely not private.

I looked up the free and reduced lunch ratios for 2019 and this is what I found (lowest to highest).

Carmel 9%
Center Grove 19%
New Palestine 19%
Valparaiso 23%
Western Boone 30%
Heritage Hills 31%
Eastbrook 35%
East Noble 36%

Based on that I would probably only put Carmel in the Affluent Public category and the rest in the Average Public category. Some of the high schools that fell into the 60% or higher group but still successful:

Ben Davis 75%
Decatur Central 62%
Lafayette Jeff 62%
Lawrence Central 64%
Merrillville 60%
Michigan City 65%
New Haven 65%
Pike 66%
Southport 68%
Warren Central 71%

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1 hour ago, DT said:

What ever happened to good old blue collar high school football?

We are now in an era where private schools and affluent public schools are dominating the high school football scene in Indiana.

The link between football success and strong socio economic profile could not be any clearer than it is this season.

If I were to rate all of the finalist in terms of their athletic-financial profile, I would rate as follows :

1. Private

2. Affluent Public

3. Average Public

4. Below Average Public

Rankings as follows :

LCC - 1

Indy Lutheran -1

Western Boone - 2

Eastbrook - 3

Chatard - 1

Heritage Hills - 1

Memorial - 1

East Noble - 3

Valpo - 2

New Pal - 2

Carmel -2

CG - 2

 

Not much room for the Hobarts, Griffiths, Sheridans, Seegers and other Blue Collar football towns of the past.

Can the blue collars turn the tide and compete against the affluents in the future?

Or is that era of Indiana High School Football a relic of the past?

Its doubtful we will ever see a big school blue collar team in the finals in the future. 

Hammond?  Elkhart?  Ft Wayne?  Decatur Central last year would qualify.  

 

 

 

 

Sorry. I stopped reading when you listed Heritage Hills as a ‘private.’ Top quality research there. 
 

Keep tilting at windmills!

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7 minutes ago, oldtimeqb said:

Sorry. I stopped reading when you listed Heritage Hills as a ‘private.’ Top quality research there. 
 

Keep tilting at windmills!

The lack of edit button is my excuse.  

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1 hour ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Western Boone is "Affluent Public"?  LOL.  Small farming community with 30% of kids on free/reduced lunch = Affluent?  

I am not sure there is a more "average/blue collar" area than Thorntown, Jamestown, Advance, Dover areas.... 

State average for free and reduced is 48%...not that far fetched.

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5 minutes ago, 1st_and_10 said:

You really think Western Boone is similar to CG, Westfield, Zionsville, Carmel?  LOL.  

I do not but I did not set up the parameters.

I would have set up an “above average public” category for schools with free/reduced rates between 30-47%.

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4 minutes ago, Temptation said:

I do not but I did not set up the parameters.

DT being DT.  His parameters are skewed...  So teams that have had recent success are Affluent or Private... Teams that struggle need contraction... Apparently there is no in between.  

Edited by 1st_and_10
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2 minutes ago, 1st_and_10 said:

DT being DT.  His parameters are skewed...  So teams that have had recent success are Affluent or Private... Teams that struggle need contraction... Apparently there is no in between.  

God forbid WeBo win a third consecutive title ... man just wait until you see what that thread looks like.  The IHSAA will bump you up and then likely put you in the Sectional of Death, Sectional 28, along with all of the other "above average" schools. 😉

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18 minutes ago, foxbat said:

God forbid WeBo win a third consecutive title ... man just wait until you see what that thread looks like.  The IHSAA will bump you up and then likely put you in the Sectional of Death, Sectional 28, along with all of the other "above average" schools. 😉

Sectional 28 is loaded with “affluent schools.”  Try to keep up here LCC...🙄

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27 minutes ago, 1st_and_10 said:

DT being DT.  His parameters are skewed...  So teams that have had recent success are Affluent or Private... Teams that struggle need contraction... Apparently there is no in between.  

I guess you're a Carmel...or a South Newton.  Then again, I did make the move to Lowell a few years ago and from what I hear, the Devils field a decent squad.  Not really affluent, not at all private, they just enjoy the game without the political musings as it should be.

24 minutes ago, foxbat said:

God forbid WeBo win a third consecutive title ... man just wait until you see what that thread looks like.  The IHSAA will bump you up and then likely put you in the Sectional of Death, Sectional 28, along with all of the other "above average" schools. 😉

Not one for the success factor, never has been.

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I'll say this much...

You're not going to find many "blue collar" schools in 6A. Fact is many families are moving away from the blue collar towns in favor of those that offer better education/athletics. Not just to 6A schools, but rather schools that are closer to the major cities in Indiana. I don't know about you all, but I think most people in Indiana would agree that "blue collar" here is just a fancy way of saying "farmers". I know there are a few communities that factory work is still the primary source of employment, but those really seem to be cyclical (see North White).

I don't speak for my entire community, but I have little desire to return to my hometown as it would significantly hinder my pay. And if i did, I would be more than willing to drive my child the hour or so to the nearest school that provided them the best opportunity to succeed.

Really will boil down to, "How far are you willing to commute".

I also blame travel ball and social media 😂

Edited by Hoosier Hawk
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7 hours ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Western Boone is "Affluent Public"?  LOL.  Small farming community with 30% of kids on free/reduced lunch = Affluent?  

I am not sure there is a more "average/blue collar" area than Thorntown, Jamestown, Advance, Dover areas.... 

Better start practicing! Pinky out!

Image result for sipping tea with pinky out gif

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I believe an additional data point would be Marion county/Indianapolis and the surrounding urban sprawl/doughnut counties.  50% of this year's state finalists came from this demographic.

 

 

7 hours ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Western Boone is "Affluent Public"?  LOL.  Small farming community with 30% of kids on free/reduced lunch = Affluent?  

I am not sure there is a more "average/blue collar" area than Thorntown, Jamestown, Advance, Dover areas.... 

Lots of rich farmers around there.

 

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2 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

I believe an additional data point would be Marion county/Indianapolis and the surrounding urban sprawl/doughnut counties.  50% of this year's state finalists came from this demographic.

 

 

Lots of rich farmers around there.

 

Please.  Go back to complaining about how Frankfort should be classified 

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22 minutes ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Please.  Go back to complaining about how Frankfort should be classified 

Only a  30% free/reduced lunch rate in such a rural, depressed area? Please.

Here is a real depressed area: https://compass.doe.in.gov/dashboard/overview.aspx?type=school&id=0997

And frankly you are fool if you don't think a high free/reduced lunch rate has some correlation to the number of students participating in extracurricular activities.

 

 

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8 hours ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Western Boone is "Affluent Public"?  LOL.  Small farming community with 30% of kids on free/reduced lunch = Affluent?  

I am not sure there is a more "average/blue collar" area than Thorntown, Jamestown, Advance, Dover areas.... 

DT would have to get out of his recliner, brush off all of the Cheeto's/Dorito's from his shirt, get in the passenger seat of his car so the wife can drive him to Boone County to check out the socio-economics of Western Boone county to be able to make his assessment of the affluence of the area..., and that ain't happening! 🤔

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