Woody: Private schools, be careful what you wish for

Liberty Christian Academy wanted to join the Virginia High School League, an organization that until Wednesday had consisted entirely of public schools.

The VHSL wanted to avoid a court date.

Put all that together and you get a settlement that means LCA is the newest member of the VHSL and any other private school wishing to join can now do so.

Before Wednesday, Virginia was one of the few states that didn’t permit private schools to join the public-school league.

Now that’s changed with the VHSL’s approval of legislation that permits private, nonboarding schools to join and enjoy all the advantages, and disadvantages, of such membership.

This change began when Liberty Christian, in Lynchburg, sought membership in the VHSL and was denied several times. So Liberty Christian did what Americans do so well and so often — it sued the VHSL.

Liberty Christian claimed the VHSL’s rejection resulted in significant financial loss, especially in football and basketball revenue.

Liberty Christian imagines a world in which a football game between it and E.C. Glass would fill City Stadium in Lynchburg to overflowing.

Perhaps.

You won’t know until you try.

But don’t expect an exodus from private-school leagues to the VHSL. Membership is complicated. Establishing attendance zones won’t be simple for some private schools.

While Liberty Christian is willing to comply with VHSL guidelines, not every private school will be.

Joining the VHSL would mean:

No recruiting: Maybe it’s just a coincidence when the best basketball or football players in an area happen to enroll at a private school.

Of course, private school defenders might counter by saying it’s as much a coincidence as when the best athletes in a county somehow enroll at one public school instead of attending school in their home districts.

It’s probably not a coincidence, but it’s probably not a blatant act of recruiting, either.

The beauty of high school sports is supposed to be that young athletes grow up attending games at the secondary school they one day will attend, watching brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends compete and relishing the idea of following in those footsteps on the same fields and courts.

High school coaches take who walks through the front door and mold the best teams possible. Sometimes, the best coaching jobs don’t reflect the best results. Nevertheless, there’s something to be said for molding teams and building programs without recruiting.

That’s high school, and it shouldn’t be any other way.

No reclassifying: In college, this is called redshirting, although the athlete at least continues to make academic progress toward graduation.

In high school, “reclassifying” means a student who would be in his senior year at a public school enrolls at a private school and repeats his junior year.

The chance to strengthen academics usually is the official reason for such a move. The opportunity to add size and strength and enhance the chance for a college career often is the ulterior motive, although it’s not all that ulterior.

Playing with a fifth-year senior is viewed as a good thing for a college program. Doing so in high school is an unfair advantage.

Liberty Christian’s administrators believe this move is in the best interests of their school, students and athletics programs. They foresee no problems complying with VHSL rules.

Bulldogs athletes will get to test themselves against the best the public schools in and around Lynchburg have to offer.

There’s a lot to said for accepting that challenge.

For other private schools, circumspection and contemplation are in order. Joining the VHSL isn’t for everyone.

It’s always good to remember to be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.