Average family size in the U.S. 2025| Statista
The average American family in 2025 consisted of 3.15 persons.
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Alabama splits Publics and Privates Football State Championships
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I’d like to see that graph for Chicago.Average family size in the U.S. 2025| Statista
The average American family in 2025 consisted of 3.15 persons.
I think public-private would be really weird because there are only like 50-60 football playing private schools, so it's hard to make a competitive playoff with only a few classes with so few teams and the enrollments dropping off so drastically after the first 10 or so.
I think there could be more flexibility in a split where it's publics on one side and privates PLUS open boundary public schools PLUS all of CPS on the other side.
This would allow perhaps for a classification with the biggest private schools plus the 2-3 best CPS schools. Then the mid size privates plus the U High type schools throughout the state and CPS schools 4-8 or so. Then the smallest privates can be in with the rest of CPS.
I'm sure a pipe dream and far too creative to get any traction, but 5 "regular" public classes plus 3 "open boundary" classes seems far more flexible and able to create legitimate playoff experiences compared to just 2 private classifications of 50ish teams.
Definitely not the case in most neighborhoods in Chicago in the 70's, 80's and even the early 90's. Blue collar city worker salary used to be able to support larger families and pay Catholic School tuition. Not the case anymoreAverage family size in the U.S. 2025| Statista
The average American family in 2025 consisted of 3.15 persons.
Yes lower level play gives you glimpses into future play but you really can't translate that into Varsity success or failure. This years senior class at MC went 6-3 as Freshman. Losing to BR, LA and even Marist. Dowling was benched, there was concern over if MC will have a QB that contend to State when they were seniors....obviously it all worked out for that senior class and for Dowling. Freshman year players haven't hit the weight room yet. Some of them haven't hit puberty yet. And the coaching is definitely different. Loyola will be strong on Varsity for years to come.
And look at the contributions of MC’s underclassmen too. Lower level results can be misleading. However, LA had a big drop off in lower level performance the last few years. It was obvious they didn’t have the same level of talent coming up. That’s all I’m saying.
By the same token, is 2026 the year Rice overtakes MC? Both teams will be loaded with talent. That’s the biggest question in the Blue, imo. I expect LA to be a distant third.
I believe LA had a good number of sophomores and juniors on this years roster. Don’t forget, week 9 to the championship game, MC’s closest games were 11 and 4 point wins over LA.
I have no explanation for the blowout loss in week 8 to COM.
Had to use AI to find that one, but this is the info it said it pulled:
| Decade | Average Household Size | Average Family Size |
| 1900 | ~4.50 | ~5.00+ |
| 1920 | ~4.10 | ~4.60 |
| 1940 | 3.42 | 3.85 |
| 1950 | 3.12 | 3.58 |
| 1960 | 3.01 | 3.52 |
| 1970 | 2.92 | 3.48 |
| 1980 | 2.76 | 3.39 |
| 1990 | 2.67 | 3.44 |
| 2000 | 2.67 | 3.50 |
| 2010 | 2.52 | 3.42 |
| 2020 | 2.36 | 3.31 |
Loyola's top WR, RB and QB on Varsity last season were all Sophomores. They also had a junior QB who was solid. Assuming they all come back I expect LA to be in contention for the Blue.
As far as MC/BR, we'll talk about that more in August. Both teams have amazing talent back, but both have big holes to fill as well
Well I guess all those extremely large families in my neighborhood growing up were just AI generated families and figments of my imagination
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It seems pretty clear that the board isn’t in favor of a 6-class to 2-class split for the football state playoffs.
So here’s another idea for discussion. Does anyone remember the quad system that used to be part of the playoffs?
What if private and non-boundaried schools were limited to a quad of eight teams per class bracket? That would still allow up to 64 private and non-boundaried schools to qualify for the playoffs, but it would cap them at one semifinalist and one finalist per class.
The goal would be to prevent the heavily private-school-dominated brackets we’re seeing now, while still keeping those schools involved in the postseason.
Thoughts?
This model could also be easily applied to other sports such as basketball, baseball, and more.
So here’s another idea for discussion. Does anyone remember the quad system that used to be part of the playoffs?
What if private and non-boundaried schools were limited to a quad of eight teams per class bracket? That would still allow up to 64 private and non-boundaried schools to qualify for the playoffs, but it would cap them at one semifinalist and one finalist per class.
The goal would be to prevent the heavily private-school-dominated brackets we’re seeing now, while still keeping those schools involved in the postseason.
Thoughts?
This model could also be easily applied to other sports such as basketball, baseball, and more.
As a graduate of a defunct private school that you would have classified as a have not. I dont think the public/private split would work. There just arent enough private schools left to make it work.
And lets be real, as tuition continues to grow, while families continue to struggle financially, enrollments in the smaller private schools isnt going increase.
Schools like Mt.Carmel, Loyola, and Fenwick will always be fine.
But can you say the same about, for example, St.Edward, Walther Christian, or Routt Catholic?
And lets be real, as tuition continues to grow, while families continue to struggle financially, enrollments in the smaller private schools isnt going increase.
Schools like Mt.Carmel, Loyola, and Fenwick will always be fine.
But can you say the same about, for example, St.Edward, Walther Christian, or Routt Catholic?
good point with application of model, because on this topic- knowing how our IHSA likes to operate- I don't think they would consider anything unless they are going to separate for all the major sports. I just can't see IHSA separating for football only. Probably needs to be something that can be applied to all.
Not
on the demographics aspect, I just think its overstated and a red herring. It just comes with the territory of public schools since populations move. Private schools can be more insulated against this since they attract a certain type of student. What are Oswego's demographic make up? How does that compare to WWS?
I would think pretty similar.Not
What are Oswego's demographic make up? How does that compare to WWS?
Noooo. Don't say that!! If you're feeling good stick with it. I haven't reached that point yet and hope to. My dad made it to 91 and was in good health, very sharp mentally and took care of himself pretty much all the way. He was hoping to make it to 100. Then within the final year he lost almost all of his eyesight. Ended up having a traffic accident and couldn't drive anymore. He became very depressed. Then he had two falls in his house and in the second he broke his hip. In less than 1 month after the second fall he was gone. Near the end he told me he felt blessed to have made it that far. I think he knew he was near the end.
I learned a lot from that experience with him. Just don't give up, brother!
There are not as many HS aged kids in district as there were 10+ years ago.
Total public school enrollment is down 150k since 2018 and will likely continue to trend downwards. In general, the country is in a "baby bust" mode and specifically Illinois is also a net migration out state.
But was up probably the same amount from 1996. Its just not point that matters in this discussion. WWS doesnt have to be good for public schools to be good.
Fact of the matter is we're talking about two completely different types of enrollments. It does no good to pretend they measure the same thing. Measures were taken to attempt to make them similar but theyre just not.
I think non-con games are fine because each school can gauge whether the opponent is similar in football stature.
Um, no.
When you don't use a quantifier like "some" or "many" in front of the word "kids," it sounds very much like a blanket generalization and that potentially ALL kids go there to play football.
For the sake of discussion, let's say that LA has 250 kids in the football program. That's 250 out of 2,000. How many of the remaining 1,750 go to LA to play football? None.
Of those 250 in the football program, how many ride the bench for four years and have negligible impact on LA's overall competitiveness? I suspect a significant majority because, with three teams, the most starters you can have (assuming no platooning) is 66. Do many of those kids seeing very little PT go to LA to play football? Perhaps, but what is their impact?
Of those 250, how many would have gone to LA even if it had no football program? That's the question you should be asking.
Oh, so you DO know how to use quantifiers!
What a coincidence that you choose to use one when it contributes to your public school spin.
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And private schools like Driscoll, Seton, Weber, St. Joseph, Luther North and South, etc. were just being private schools when they closed because they couldn't fill their classrooms with enough tuition paying students
Not she
Its funny, yall have whole threads on here discussing who's going where for football and you think everyone doesnt see it.
As the saying goes..."You live by the sword you die by the sword!" Recruiting within a THIRTY mile radius is, and should be, the downfall of private schools in public playoffs... I am a fan of a separation between the pubs and privates. Playing a private school is great in the regular season... Kind of a test to see where your team is at but playoffs... and the 30 mile recruiting radius... Pubs can't compete with that.
I get that people are leaving the state but don't think this applies to a city like Wheaton or Warrenville. It's prime real estate and those houses are
I don't get that
So the answer is that’s just the way things go in public schools and the demographics of the students changed to more Indian kids and less white?
Oswego is less white and more Hispanic than Wheaton South. The demographic argument just isnt a good one. You're going to be able to find programs of varying quality with all sorts of different demographic make ups from ethnicity to income.
I’ve done a heel pivot and I’m completely in favor of a split.
Many good suggestions in this thread.
Many good suggestions in this thread.
I have said this before, but if the split were to occur, privates would only get 1 class. 10% of the schools are not going to get 25-33% of the playoffs. The smaller privates will just have to work harder to compete in the single private class.
Adding a second private class would just be watering down the playoffs to keep private schools from closing. If the private school can't stay open without winning football championships, so be it.
Adding a second private class would just be watering down the playoffs to keep private schools from closing. If the private school can't stay open without winning football championships, so be it.
Go to the Illinois school report card and look at demographics of public schools in the last 20 years. Nearly EVERY public schoool has seen a significant change with more kids who don’t play football. Due to that many kids are choosing to go the private school route.
S far as total enrollment, they go in waves. Barrington was almost 3400 kids at one point and they’re down to 2800. People aren’t moving either. Boomers are keeping their homes in neighborhoods so families don’t move in.
S far as total enrollment, they go in waves. Barrington was almost 3400 kids at one point and they’re down to 2800. People aren’t moving either. Boomers are keeping their homes in neighborhoods so families don’t move in.
I would have it 5 and 3. There are enough privates to go three classes. Someone send me a proposal a few years ago. I’ll see if I can find it.
Wheaton Warrenville South:
2006: 2430 enrollment, 85% white, 6% Hispanic, 3% black, 3% Asian.
2026: 1819 enrollment, 60% white, 20% Hispanic, 6% black, 6% Asian.
If you look at a lot of schools this isn’t uncommon. In fact this is probably one of the schools that have changed the least.
600 less students
25% less white kids.
i don’t think I’m stereotyping when I say Hispanic kids don’t play football as much as other races. It’s a fact.
It’s simple really.
Less football playing kids=less success.
2006: 2430 enrollment, 85% white, 6% Hispanic, 3% black, 3% Asian.
2026: 1819 enrollment, 60% white, 20% Hispanic, 6% black, 6% Asian.
If you look at a lot of schools this isn’t uncommon. In fact this is probably one of the schools that have changed the least.
600 less students
25% less white kids.
i don’t think I’m stereotyping when I say Hispanic kids don’t play football as much as other races. It’s a fact.
It’s simple really.
Less football playing kids=less success.
One more example that’s even more drastic:
Glenbard North:
2006: 2830 enrollment, 65% white, 5% black, 17% Hispanic, 12% asian
2026: 2080 enrollment, 32% white, 6% black, 38% hispanic, 20% Asian.
Again, less football playing kids, less enrollment=less success.
Glenbard North:
2006: 2830 enrollment, 65% white, 5% black, 17% Hispanic, 12% asian
2026: 2080 enrollment, 32% white, 6% black, 38% hispanic, 20% Asian.
Again, less football playing kids, less enrollment=less success.
I can only think of one school that has seen an even bigger demographic shift but has had more success than in the 2000s. Anyone guess? 8a school.
It is a stereotype, but probably fair. But how did Addison Trail win conference then?
And Oswego's demographics are less white and more Hispanic than Wheaton South and yet are successful.
Why would the privates stay in the IHSA if they separated?
IMO, privates give the middle finger to the IHSA/publics and go full throttle.
MC with no recruiting rules, transfer rules, 30 mile radius, etc…
Be careful what you wish for…
There’s just no much talent, wealth, facilities, etc in Naperville & Wheaton. The DVC used to be the CCL.
I’m just not buying the rational so far.
Regarding WWS specifically, sure their enrollment is down and demographics are different. But, THEY AREN’T IN 8A ANYMORE, they are in 6A.
I’m just not buying the rational so far.
Regarding WWS specifically, sure their enrollment is down and demographics are different. But, THEY AREN’T IN 8A ANYMORE, they are in 6A.
The demographics being different is a big reason, the others are people are having less kids, and fewer kids are playing football versus 20 years ago. 8 man football wasn't even a thing 20 years ago and now there's 33 teams in 4 conferences across the state.
20 years ago there was barely 2 LW schools since then there have been 4 and down to 3. Things change.
40 years ago Buffalo Grove was playing 12 games per season. Things change.
In 2000 there was 1 Plainfield school.
20 something years ago Downers South used to compete with West Suburban Silver teams and I dont even remember Willowbrook.
20 years ago Bolingbrook wasnt even really playing basketball.
40 years ago Buffalo Grove was playing 12 games per season. Things change.
In 2000 there was 1 Plainfield school.
20 something years ago Downers South used to compete with West Suburban Silver teams and I dont even remember Willowbrook.
20 years ago Bolingbrook wasnt even really playing basketball.