What is the best high school for an incoming freshman that wants to play Varsity basketball? (Apple Valley: how much, home)

[daboywonder2002]

Academics included as well. What school can challenge him academically as well as athletically. Stepson is over 6 feet tall. Plays at the Ymca but wants to play for his school. My thing is if he goes to an already established team like Apple Valley or Hopkins, it's gonna be hard for him to get playing time compared to going to maybe a bad or middle of the road team, it may be easier to get PT. Richfield high school is out of the question

[cheddar]

Holy Angels or Minnehaha Academy. It would be harder to get playing time with Delasalle.

[Citykid3785]

I would say Rosemount. It's got the academic cache of the other D196 schools, with less competitive sports. To your point, Apple Valley operates as a prep college team nowadays, I would not want that level of pressure (unless you think he's bball D1 college bound)

[ckhthankgod]

What about Cretin-Derham Hall, Totino-Grace, Benilde-St. Margaret's, Breck, Blake, St. Agnes, Hill-Murray and St. Thomas?

I know that Troy Bell and Larry Fitzgerald both went to Academy of Holy Angels. Devean George and Jordan Taylor went to Benilde-St. Margaret's. Darius Lane went to Totino-Grace. So, you've had some good athletes/ballets go to some of these schools mentioned.

[daboywonder2002]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

What about Cretin-Derham Hall, Totino-Grace, Benilde-St. Margaret's, Breck, Blake, St. Agnes, Hill-Murray and St. Thomas?

I know that Troy Bell and Larry Fitzgerald both went to Academy of Holy Angels. Devean George went to Benilde-St. Margaret's. Darius Lane went to Totino-Grace. So, you've had some good athletes/ballets go to some of these schools mentioned.

Any charter schools or public? Unless he gets financial aid, I can't see him doing private

[ellysbelly]

Originally Posted by daboywonder2002

Any charter schools or public? Unless he gets financial aid, I can't see him doing private

Check into the private ones-- especially if he has athletic talent, you might be surprised at how much financial aid and/or scholarship money they'll throw your way. It's definitely worth looking into.

[Glenfield]

Talk to Minnehaha Academy.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by daboywonder2002

Any charter schools or public? Unless he gets financial aid, I can't see him doing private

Have you looked into Holy Angels yet? They have amazing financial aid packages for the right kids. It's right in the neighborhood, highly respected academically & athletically.

My buddy is one of the coaches for the Freshman squad at Holy Angels. He says they have 30, 9th graders this year. He says they have some talented kids, but none that will make varsity. He says there's a couple that will make JV, but the rest will be split into A-B-Club teams this year.

As for playing varsity as a Freshman....it's a nice goal, but a kid can have just as much fun & often develop his game/social skills better, by doing things the old fashioned way of playing with his own age group.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by daboywonder2002

Academics included as well. What school can challenge him academically as well as athletically. Stepson is over 6 feet tall. Plays at the Ymca but wants to play for his school. My thing is if he goes to an already established team like Apple Valley or Hopkins, it's gonna be hard for him to get playing time compared to going to maybe a bad or middle of the road team, it may be easier to get PT. Richfield high school is out of the question

Only you know your kid, but I caution you that rushing the kid into a competition level they're not ready for isn't a good thing. Many coaches will tell you it's the #1 problem in youth sports today. My kids play competitive sports & have "played up" with the older kids quite a bit, so I've done a lot of thinking on this. The first question I ask a coach when they ask if I'm willing to let my kids "play up" is "will they play?". I'm not putting my kids onto an older team just to fill out their roster & have them sit on the bench. A kid's game will get a lot more out of playing a lot at their own age group, than their ego will riding the pine at older age groups. They also get a lot out of "playing down" because when they play against inferior competition it gives them the confidence to try things they wouldn't against superior competition & to master base skills. Then there's the social/maturity aspect. Do you want your 14 y/o step-son cruising around with 18 y/o's, in their cars, going to their parties, coming home at the same hour they do on Friday nights, doing/saying/acting the way they do? The kid will be an adult soon enough, no need to rush him into unless he's ready in terms of maturity, not just athletically. That said, if he's mature enough & skilled enough, then look at Holy Angels. I didn't mean to sound preachy, just that this issue is close to home for me.

[MnMomma]

If he's really good, he'll get playing time anywhere, but a smaller school gives him a better chance. Minnehaha is definitely worth looking into

Minnehaha Academy ninth-grader Suggs offered Gophers scholarship - StarTribune.com