Did you know that Cardinal Gibbons is a private school that doesn’t have to follow the same rules as public schools? Yet they are allowed to compete in the same system as our public schools. It’s a bit crazy when you really think about it. While you and our team here at FVHS are following the strict public school rules, Gibbons is out here playing on an entirely different level. This gap creates a massive disadvantage for us public school students.
The divide starts right in the head. It’s a mindset thing. Look at a public school like us. Playing is free, it’s open to anyone with a pair of cleats. For some of the guys, it’s about the love of the game, but for others? It’s just a hobby to stay busy.
At Gibbons, though, the future shifts because the parents are literally cutting checks.
Senior Jackson Bordelon said, “When your family is paying tuition, they’re going to make sure you’re all in. You don’t really see players at a place like that just showing up to fill a jersey. They are there to win, period.” That intense commitment creates this difference for public school teams where everyone’s drive is all over the place.
The disadvantage for the Bengals isn’t just about who’s faster or stronger, it’s about the literal hours in a day while you’re stuck in a classroom trying to pass, while these private school athletes are treating sports like a pro.
“Private schools have the money to put football right into the school day. They have actual classes where they just sit and watch films. They practice between periods. They go hard on weekends. These extra mental reps mean they’re evolving way faster than an FVHS student who has to wait until the bell rings just to step onto the field,” said senior Jalen Ali. It’s hard to beat a team that’s practicing while you’re taking a quiz and thinking about your diet.
At the end of the day, FVHS tennis and swim coach, Marshall Wortham, puts it, “I don’t make the rules, but it should be a fair playing field and it’s not.”
It’s tilted when one side has special film classes and the power to recruit whoever they want. The whole public versus private rivalry goes away and it’s not a rivalry anymore. It’s just an unfair disadvantage.
