The Financial Costs of High School Football

[OldSchoolLion]

Six years ago, The Dallas Morning News compiled financial information from 31 Dallas area school districts.  The most common expenses for football are equipment, transportation, maintenance, the cost to host a home game and miscellaneous items such as trophies or food. Nothing costs a district more than coaching stipends and salaries.  Of the data compiled from 102 area coaches, the average head coach’s salary was $90,911.80. Taking into account football expenses as defined by respective districts and head coaching salaries and assistant coaches’ stipends the last five seasons, the average expenses on football per school per year were $229,376.76. Plano ISD spent the most, $442,377.68 per school, and Dallas ISD the least, $120,930.  High school football is rarely profitable. Of the 20-plus school districts that turned in financial records for football, only Highland Park, HEB and Coppell reported a net profit over a five-year period.

11 DISTRICTS LOST OVER $2 MILLION.  THE DALLAS SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS NEARLY $11 MILLION IN THE RED.  TOTAL NET LOSS OVER 5 YEARS FOR ALL SCHOOLS WAS APPROXIMATELY $51 MILLION.  SO, IT COSTS THE DALLAS AREA OVER $10 MILLION/YEAR TO FINANCE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.   TEXAS HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST PROPERTY TAXES IN THE U.S., AND 60% OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING COMES FROM LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES.  THIS % HAS STEADILY GROWN OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS. 

On another note, Katy, a suburb of Houston, introduced the $72 million Legacy Stadium this year - the most expensive high school football stadium in the country.  Yet it's not as big as the stadium that set the standard in 2012 - Allen ISD's $60 million Eagle Stadium seats 18,000 - but it does cost more considering infrastructure. Legacy Stadium shares space with a renovated 35-year-old Rhodes Stadium across the street. Academy Sports bought naming rights to the complex that houses the two stadiums for $2.5 million over 10 years.

Football expenses and revenue for area school districts
School districts budget for football every year. Few earn money back. Here’s how area districts stack up.
District	Revenue total	Expense total	Net	Per school per year revenue	Per school per year expenses	Per school per year net	Revenue rank	Expense rank	Net rank
Highland Park	$2,808,918.00	$1,995,626.00	$813,292.00	$561,783.60	$399,125.20	$162,658.40	1	2	1
Coppell	$1,336,028.97	$920,488.03	$415,540.94	$267,205.79	$184,097.61	$83,108.19	3	23	2
HEB	$2,162,687.15	$1,818,896.15	$343,791.00	$216,268.72	$181,889.62	$34,379.1	5	24	3
Carroll	$1,370,459.99	$1,503,172.60	$-132,712.61	$274,091.99	$300,634.52	$-26,542.52	2	5	4
GCISD	$1,415,029.24	$1,777,861.32	$-362,832.08	$141,502.92	$177,786.13	$-36,283.21	7	25	5
Keller	$1,653,110.00	$2,591,277.24	$-938,167.24	$94,463.43	$148,072.99	$-53,609.56	15	29	6
Denton	$1,352,931.21	$2,213,294.02	$-860,362.81	$90,195.41	$147,552.93	$-57,357.52067	19	30	7
Garland	$2,091,269.02	$5,263,956.00	$-3,172,686.98	$59,750.54343	$150,398.74	$-90,648.20	25	28	8
Northwest	$1,025,703.20	$1,598,936.02	$-573,232.82	$170,950.53	$266,489.34	$-95,538.80	6	9	9
Ennis	$613,870.00	$1,099,652.00	$-485,782.00	$122,774	$219,930.40	$-97,156.40	10	12	10
Dallas	$2,380,502.00	$13,302,387.00	$-10,921,885.00	$21,640.93	$120,930.79	$-99,289.86	31	31	11
Lake Dallas	$222,788.00	$669,521.00	$-446,733.00	$55,697	$167,380.25	$-111,683.25	27	26	12
Celina	$657,745.91	$1,237,300.52	$-579,554.61	$131,549.18	$247,460.10	$-115,910.92	8	10	13
Grand Prairie	$715,772.91	$1,887,271.00	$-1,171,498.09	$71,577.29	$188,727.10	$-117,149.81	23	22	14
Mesquite	$2,081,144.46	$5,071,945.00	$-2,990,800.54	$83,245.78	$202,877.80	$-119,632.02	20	19	15
Richardson	$1,857,302.17	$4,302,747.67	$-2,445,445.50	$92,865.11	$215,137.38	$-122,272.28	16	15	16
Wylie	$990,897.60	$2,226,793.46	$-1,235,895.86	$99,089.76	$222,679.35	$-123,589.59	12	11	17
Red Oak	$333,497.56	$965,455.32	$-631,957.76	$66,699.51	$193,091.06	$-126,391.55	24	21	18
Irving	$1,121,208.70	$3,047,625.68	$-1,926,416.98	$74,747.25	$203,175.05	$-128,427.80	22	18	19
Arlington	$2,731,643.79	$6,591,345.35	$-3,859,701.56	$91,054.79	$219,711.51	$-128,656.72	17	13	20
Lewisville	$1,594,564.94	$4,186,704.04	$-2,592,139.10	$79,728.25	$209,335.20	$-129,606.96	21	17	21
Lancaster	$46,588.00	$321,516.00	$-274,928.00	$23,294	$160,758	$-137,464	30	27	22
Frisco	$1,367,330.21	$4,944,704.01	$-3,577,373.80	$59,449.14	$214,987.13	$-155,537.99	26	16	23
Forney	$145,940.00	$779,691.00	$-633,751.00	$36,576.44	$195,411.28	$-158,834.84	29	20	24
CFB	$1,034,945.00	$4,307,970.00	$-3,273,025.00	$51,747.25	$215,398.5	$-163,651.25	28	14	25
Lovejoy	$291,942.09	$809,166.22	$-517,224.13	$97,314.03	$269,722.07	$-172,408.04	14	8	26
Midlothian	$565,024.81	$1,439,923.29	$-874,898.48	$113,004.96	$287,984.66	$-174,979.70	11	7	27
Plano	$3,643,635.59	$6,635,665.16	$-2,992,029.57	$242,909.04	$442,377.68	$-199,468.64	4	1	28
McKinney	$1,365,054.59	$4,498,394.81	$-3,133,340.22	$91,003.63933	$299,892.99	$-208,889.35	18	6	29
Rockwall	$984,586.97	$3,134,068.90	$-2,149,481.93	$98,458.70	$313,406.89	$-214,948.19	13	4	30
DeSoto	$640,684.40	$1,721,287.12	$-1,080,602.72	$128,136.88	$344,257.42	$-216,120.54	9	3	31

 

 

[mbhs69]

Another lurking cost about to explode in school football .... Insurance.

[OldSchoolLion]

The Highland Park school district in Texas has one high school - Highland Park High School, a perennial state contender in football with an enrollment of about 2000. In 2011, they spent an average of $8785/student on education and $3325/football player.  Take the $400,000 they spent on football that year and redistribute it amongst their 2000 students, and that allows for an extra $200 for each student toward education.  

In 2015, 14 players from the Dallas area were drafted into the NFL.  If that number is typical, we could say Dallas area schools are investing $10.2 million dollars/year (probably more now because the numbers above are old) so that 14 individuals can "make it."   Think about it, they could give 1020 Dallas area seniors a $10,000 scholarship each year with that money.

If we look at football as an investment, and high school football's main contribution is "building character and teaching teamwork," are there cheaper investments to accomplish the same?   

I am NOT arguing against high school football.  I share this simply to show how football "outsiders" might look at the game from a dollars-and-cents standpoint and ask, "Is high school football really a good investment in today's world of limited school resources?"  I found one article in which a man felt participating in a school music program could build character and teach teamwork, for less money and without the risk of injuring its participants. 

I guess we could argue that football is hands-down the best activity to build character.  Are we in a good position to do so when there are frequent cases of NFL and NCAA players getting in trouble with the law broadcast on the news?  When was the last time you heard of a Florida orchestra musician getting arrested for domestic violence?      

[DarterBlue2]

1 hour ago, OldSchoolLion said:

The Highland Park school district in Texas has one high school - Highland Park High School, a perennial state contender in football with an enrollment of about 2000. In 2011, they spent an average of $8785/student on education and $3325/football player.  Take the $400,000 they spent on football that year and redistribute it amongst their 2000 students, and that allows for an extra $200 for each student toward education.  

In 2015, 14 players from the Dallas area were drafted into the NFL.  If that number is typical, we could say Dallas area schools are investing $10.2 million dollars/year (probably more now because the numbers above are old) so that 14 individuals can "make it."   Think about it, they could give 1020 Dallas area seniors a $10,000 scholarship each year with that money.

If we look at football as an investment, and high school football's main contribution is "building character and teaching teamwork," are there cheaper investments to accomplish the same?   

I am NOT arguing against high school football.  I share this simply to show how football "outsiders" might look at the game from a dollars-and-cents standpoint and ask, "Is high school football really a good investment in today's world of limited school resources?"  I found one article in which a man felt participating in a school music program could build character and teach teamwork, for less money and without the risk of injuring its participants. 

I guess we could argue that football is hands-down the best activity to build character.  Are we in a good position to do so when there are frequent cases of NFL and NCAA players getting in trouble with the law broadcast on the news?  When was the last time you heard of a Florida orchestra musician getting arrested for domestic violence?      

1. Maybe it would be fairer to asses the cost in relation to the number of kids from the area that got full rides in college. This is particularly relevant since you refer to providing $10,000 college scholarships as a benchmark by which to evaluate the cost.

2. I totally agree that this is is huge cost to expect the community as a whole to bear. This is especially true when you figure that a number of these kids never return or invest/spend much in their home communities. In most other parts of the world, beyond high school, athletes are developed in pro/semi-pro leagues which pay a salary; not in college.

[OldSchoolLion]

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

1. Maybe it would be fairer to asses the cost in relation to the number of kids from the area that got full rides in college. This is particularly relevant since you refer to providing $10,000 college scholarships as a benchmark by which to evaluate the cost.

2. I totally agree that this is is huge cost to expect the community as a whole to bear. This is especially true when you figure that a number of these kids never return or invest/spend much in their home communities. In most other parts of the world, beyond high school, athletes are developed in pro/semi-pro leagues which pay a salary; not in college.

I thought about that.  Just posted something about scholarships.  After reading it, maybe you'll see why I hesitated to go there, since many kids will never get a degree and some studies show that a high percentage of those that do get "useless" degrees.  In other words, the return on investment of those football scholarships is sketchy.

 

[DarterBlue2]

2 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

I thought about that.  Just posted something about scholarships.  After reading it, maybe you'll see why I hesitated to go there, since many kids will never get a degree and some studies show that a high percentage of those that do get "useless" degrees.  In other words, the return on investment of those football scholarships is sketchy.

 

I read that post. And, yes, there is a lot of  truth to that. But, in the case of Basketball, the numbers related to college graduation may be distorted since you can bail for the NBA after a year or two. I would guess that because of this, a lower percentage of NBA athletes have degrees than NFL athletes. Also, few degrees are totally useless, though some are much better than others. A kid that did not make the NFL cut but graduated, even with a degree in General Studies, is probably still better off than one without a degree. For one, he can probably end up as a coach/teacher back in his hometown, especially if he was well though of from his playing days. 

The above is probably not the most efficient or effective way for society or the individual to get into the job market post athletics. But it does beat some of the alternatives.

[OldSchoolLion]

 

34 minutes ago, DarterBlue2 said:

I read that post. And, yes, there is a lot of  truth to that. But, in the case of Basketball, the numbers related to college graduation may be distorted since you can bail for the NBA after a year or two. I would guess that because of this, a lower percentage of NBA athletes have degrees than NFL athletes. Also, few degrees are totally useless, though some are much better than others. A kid that did not make the NFL cut but graduated, even with a degree in General Studies, is probably still better off than one without a degree. For one, he can probably end up as a coach/teacher back in his hometown, especially if he was well though of from his playing days. 

The above is probably not the most efficient or effective way for society or the individual to get into the job market post athletics. But it does beat some of the alternatives.

I just looked at the Top 100 players for 2018 in the Dallas area.  About 80% are Black.  Let''s take a Black kid from the projects.  We'll call him Kid#1.  Nearly two-thirds of families who live in Dallas public housing make less than $10,000 per year and about 90% are Black.  He doesn't get drafted. He is 22 years with a general studies degree.  He doesn't have a dime in his pocket and his family can give him no financial support.  Under the circumstances, he probably is not in a position to start his own business.   And there is a good chance that college really did not do much to help him leverage that diploma he earned.    

Now take Kid#2 with the same background.  Fresh out of high school he gets a plumbing apprenticeship making $12/hour with free schooling paid for by his employer.  At the end of four years, he has grossed about $100k in salary, and he is now capable of making $50k/year as a plumber. If he is good, he can become a master plumber at 23 years of age and be set for life with a good career.  By the way, this is exactly what the daughter of a friend of mine did.  

How long is it going to take Kid#1 with the general studies degree to catch up financially to Kid#2 with the high school diploma?  Kid #2, at 22 years of age, is in a position to help support his family. Kid #1 is not until he can find a job, and finding a $50k/year job fresh out of school in today's economy would be very tough, especially without a technical degree. 

My point is, of these 100 Dallas kids mentioned above, how many of them will truly be better off going to college rather than taking a path like Kid#2?  In betting terms, many of these kids are likely a  longshot from an academic perspective. Their main intent for going to college is to get a shot at the pros.  

...versus taking the $10.2 million dollars per year Dallas spends on high school football and giving that money to high-performing kids that cannot afford college and have much higher odds of turning a college degree into gold, and thus a better return on investment for that $10.2 million dollars.

I think some make a BIG assumption that even if kids don't make the pros, that college scholarship and degree is money in the bank.  I would challenge that for many of these kids, the scholarship is not really what they need, especially if they come from circumstances like Kid#1 above.  If they don't make the pros, they need a way of making good money the minute they finish their college career. A general studies degree in today's business climate is not a good guarantee.  I know guys with technical degrees and 25 years of Corporate experience interviewing for $15/hour jobs.  It's that bad in some places.  

  

[DarterBlue2]

Yes, I don't disagree. Degrees are not what they used to be. But how many kids from the projects are going to end up pursuing a career in plumbing or some other "old blue collar job?" I would suggest not many, and if I am wrong I stand corrected. 

The fact of the matter is that these days kids born on the wrong side of the tracks, black white or other don't stand a very good chance of succeeding in today's economy, period. Things have changed technologically, politically and socially. Spending 4 years in college to get a General Studies degree may be just enough to keep that kid from pursuing a "career" in something on the wrong side of the law that screws his life up forever or ends it early. 

Sometimes a little maturity from the passage of time and a somewhat different environment outside the projects can get one over a rough hump. With that said, I think we are both in general agreement that the way the sports/college/professional complex currently works is probably not the best for society in general.

[OldSchoolLion]

7 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Yes, I don't disagree. Degrees are not what they used to be. But how many kids from the projects are going to end up pursuing a career in plumbing or some other "old blue collar job?" I would suggest not many, and if I am wrong I stand corrected. 

The fact of the matter is that these days kids born on the wrong side of the tracks, black white or other don't stand a very good chance of succeeding in today's economy, period. Things have changed technologically, politically and socially. Spending 4 years in college to get a General Studies degree may be just enough to keep that kid from pursuing a "career" in something on the wrong side of the law that screws his life up forever or ends it early. 

Sometimes a little maturity from the passage of time and a somewhat different environment outside the projects can get one over a rough hump. With that said, I think we are both in general agreement that the way the sports/college/professional complex currently works is probably not the best for society in general.

You are right.  I simply used plumbing as an example of many things a kid could do nowadays without a college degree that could earn him just as much,if not more than a kid with a college degree.  And, in that sense, many college degrees today do not have a good return on investment. The example I used is part of a problem that is much broader than football, ie kids getting degrees who 40 years ago would have been going to trade school. One of the richest guys in my area owns an HVAC business. 

What it all comes down to is, "What is the best path for a certain kid, recognizing his short-term and long-term needs?"   For many of these kids, a big driver for going to college is to "make it big" and go to the pros.  But we all know that is like playing the lottery, with very poor odds. Universities probably rationalize that, "Well, the kid did not make the pros, but we gave him a free college degree." That is great if the kid knows what to do with it. The college degree path is a long-term investment for most kids, but many of these kids and their families have short-term needs.

Over the years, I have mentored a number of young people with college degrees, and am amazed at how poorly the schools prepare these kids to make a living.  An upper middle class kid with a college degree may have some time to allow the earning power of that degree to "kick in" while he is living at home with mom and dad and finding his way.  But a kid from the hood does not have that luxury. In a manner of speaking, at the end of college, he is right back to where he started, without a dime in his pocket and a fancy piece of paper.   

I recently mentored a kid and encouraged him NOT to take the scholarship. Crazy?  He does not have the brains for college and there is NO WAY he will ever make the pros. He does have good mechanical aptitude.  If he goes to college, he is going to spend four years taking up space in a college classroom while he could be earning money(which he and his family really need-now) and setting himself up for a career that is best suited to utilize his strengths.   

As mentors to these young folks, it is up to us to stop the exploitation by these universities who prey upon the dreams(many unrealistic) of kids so they can make huge bucks off of them and then throw them back on the street with a piece of paper that is proving to be of lesser and lesser value as the years go by.  I agree that for some kids, sacrificing four years to get a degree may be the best path.  But for some, it is clearly not.  I went to college at an affluent, predominantly White school.  The football team was predominantly Black.  The latter lived together in dorms and did not relate well to the rich, White kids.  They stuck to themselves and had an us "us against the world" mindset that was nurtured by the coach.  I question whether the college experience really helped them.  Again,  I do believe it can be a very positive influence for some, but for some it is not.         

 

 

[DarterBlue2]

29 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

What it all comes down to is, "What is the best path for a certain kid, recognizing his short-term and long-term needs?"   For many of these kids, a big driver for going to college is to "make it big" and go to the pros.  But we all know that is like playing the lottery, with very poor odds. Universities probably rationalize that, "Well, the kid did not make the pros, but we gave him a free college degree." That is great if the kid knows what to do with it. The college degree path is a long-term investment for most kids, but many of these kids and their families have short-term needs.

It varies from kid to kid. There are two I am familiar with that I will comment on. One went to Michigan the other U. Mass. Both came very close to NFL careers but in the end were done in by size in the case of the former, and just a little lack of speed in the case of the latter. Both did graduate from college, though, one with a General Studies degree and the other with a degree in Architectural Drawing. 

One of these kids was a 7th round draft pick. The other was an un-drafted free agent who got picked up on a couple practice squads along the way. The former, as a draftee, got the NFL minimum wage for one year.. The latter earned about $100,000 k over two years on NFL practice squads. One today lives in Arizona which is a long way from home. Neither of these kids came from advantageous economic circumstances. Both kept their noses clean over four years of college. Of the two one had struggled mightily in high school; the other did not have issues graduating. Both found a way to graduate from college. 

In the case of both these guys, although neither made it big in the NFL, I can't in all honesty say that their time in college was wasted. In another time or place, it may not have been the best option. However, in the times in which they came of age, I think college was a net benefit to both despite never fully realizing their professional career dreams. I do feel that each was enriched to a degree by the path they took. 

At the end of the day, it is up to each individual to maximize the opportunities presented them. While they are challenges, even if you don't make your ultimate goal, it does not mean that the college experience was totally not worth it. Many kids do build some relationships outside of the football squad that can serve them well post graduation. A lot depends on the individual and the efforts he makes to get outside of his comfort zone. 

But again, having said all the above, I do agree with you that our current system, if not broken beyond repair, needs a lot of fixing to be best for society as a whole in addition to the individual athletes. 

[OldSchoolLion]

9 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Yes, I don't disagree. Degrees are not what they used to be. But how many kids from the projects are going to end up pursuing a career in plumbing or some other "old blue collar job?" I would suggest not many, and if I am wrong I stand corrected. 

The fact of the matter is that these days kids born on the wrong side of the tracks, black white or other don't stand a very good chance of succeeding in today's economy, period. Things have changed technologically, politically and socially. Spending 4 years in college to get a General Studies degree may be just enough to keep that kid from pursuing a "career" in something on the wrong side of the law that screws his life up forever or ends it early. 

Sometimes a little maturity from the passage of time and a somewhat different environment outside the projects can get one over a rough hump. With that said, I think we are both in general agreement that the way the sports/college/professional complex currently works is probably not the best for society in general.

You are right.  I simply used plumbing as an example of many things a kid could do nowadays without a college degree that could earn him just as much,if not more than a kid with a college degree.  And, in that sense, many college degrees today do not have a good return on investment. The example I used is part of a problem that is much broader than football, ie kids getting degrees who 40 years ago would have been going to trade school. One of the richest guys in my area owns an HVAC business. 

What it all comes down to is, "What is the best path for a certain kid, recognizing his short-term and long-term needs?"   For many of these kids, a big driver for going to college is to "make it big" and go to the pros.  But we all know that is like playing the lottery, with very poor odds. Universities probably rationalize that, "Well, the kid did not make the pros, but we gave him a free college degree." That is great if the kid knows what to do with it. The college degree path is a long-term investment for most kids, but many of these kids and their families have short-term needs.

Over the years, I have mentored a number of young people with college degrees, and am amazed at how poorly the schools prepare these kids to make a living.  An upper middle class kid with a college degree may have some time to allow the earning power of that degree to "kick in" while he is living at home with mom and dad and finding his way.  But a kid from the hood does not have that luxury. In a manner of speaking, at the end of college, he is right back to where he started, without a dime in his pocket and a fancy piece of paper.   

I recently mentored a kid and encouraged him NOT to take the scholarship. Crazy?  He does not have the brains for college and there is NO WAY he will ever make the pros. He does have good mechanical aptitude.  If he goes to college, he is going to spend four years taking up space in a college classroom while he could be earning money(which he and his family really need-now) and setting himself up for a career that is best suited to utilize his strengths.   

As mentors to these young folks, it is up to us to stop the exploitation by these universities who prey upon the dreams of kids so they can make huge bucks off of them and then throw them back on the street with a piece of paper that is proving to be of lesser and lesser value as the years go by.  I agree that for some kids, sacrificing four years to get a degree may be the best path.  But for some, it is clearly not.  I went to college at an affluent, predominantly White school.  The football team was predominantly Black.  The latter lived together in dorms and did not relate well to the rich, White kids.  They stuck to themselves and had an us "us against the world" mindset that was nurtured by the coach.  I question whether the college experience really helped them.  Again,         

 

1 hour ago, DarterBlue2 said:

It varies from kid to kid. There are two I am familiar with that I will comment on. One went to Michigan the other U. Mass. Both came very close to NFL careers but in the end were done in by size in the case of the former, and just a little lack of speed in the case of the latter. Both did graduate from college, though, one with a General Studies degree and the other with a degree in Architectural Drawing. 

One of these kids was a 7th round draft pick. The other was an un-drafted free agent who got picked up on a couple practice squads along the way. The former, as a draftee, got the NFL minimum wage for one year.. The latter earned about $100,000 k over two years on NFL practice squads. One today lives in Arizona which is a long way from home. Neither of these kids came from advantageous economic circumstances. Both kept their noses clean over four years of college. Of the two one had struggled mightily in high school; the other did not have issues graduating. Both found a way to graduate from college. 

In the case of both these guys, although neither made it big in the NFL, I can't in all honesty say that their time in college was wasted. In another time or place, it may not have been the best option. However, in the times in which they came of age, I think college was a net benefit to both despite never fully realizing their professional career dreams. I do feel that each was enriched to a degree by the path they took. 

At the end of the day, it is up to each individual to maximize the opportunities presented them. While they are challenges, even if you don't make your ultimate goal, it does not mean that the college experience was totally not worth it. Many kids do build some relationships outside of the football squad that can serve them well post graduation. A lot depends on the individual and the efforts he makes to get outside of his comfort zone. 

But again, having said all the above, I do agree with you that our current system, if not broken beyond repair, needs a lot of fixing to be best for society as a whole in addition to the individual athletes. 

...great stories and so glad to hear those.  Bold above-I think that is the key.  It sounds like they were able to make some money off their "investment" of going to college in relatively short order and able to survive until they got their careers kick-started.  The kids I worry about are the ones who are not able to do so.  

I've read that kids are living at home with mom and dad longer than any time in history.  Some have $50k in student loans, are barely making a livable wage, if that, and would have trouble surviving if not able to fall back on their parents. As soon as I finished high school, I was on my own.  I had to have a backup plan, and it was not dad's bank account.  

Since then, I would have LOVED to have quit my job and gone back to school to start a new career, but could not afford to take a couple of years off with little/no income.  All kids, not just football players, need to understand that college is an investment, and like any investment, some do not pan out and failure can have dire consequences. 

If a kid has parents he can fall back on, good for him.   Some don't, and those are the ones that I sometimes question about going to college, especially if their talents on the field and in the classroom are limited and I know their family is going to fall deeper into poverty during those four years.  I dropped out of college for a while to support a parent.  It was the right thing to do.  .

It might seem odd to pass up "free money" in the form of a scholarship.  We all know it's not really free.  The kid is "working" for the university and has limited time to work a job during those 4 years if he is giving his all on the field AND in the classroom.  If someone gave me $25,000 free, no strings attached, but the catch was that I could earn no other income over the next two years, hard as it would be, I would have to pass on that "free" money.  I look at college scholarships much the same way.  It's no free lunch. 

Concerning college education, our military makes it feasible for a kid to go to college with some money in the bank.  Universities do not.  THAT is where they are getting away with murder and exposing the kids to some possible hard times if football does not work out.   

 

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[Proseteye]

I read somewhere that a study was done on NFL and NBA players that had retired from or just plane left pro ball. I think the average pro career was no longer than 5 years. 5 years after retirement or leaving  pro ball 80% of the players were broke. The few HS players that do go on to a D-1 college and eventually get some sort of opportunity to actually play for a pro team is not much more of a chance than winning the Florida lottery. We only hear about the handful of HS players that end up on a pro team. We never hear about the thousands of players that never get off the college bench, never finish college, and of course never get farther than a seat on Sunday at one of the games if they can still afford the absurd price to get into the stadium. I still remember John Brantley, Jr. One of the outstanding HS QB's and from my team. So much promise. He played for a couple of seasons with the Gators. Didn't do well. However, he did graduate with a degree. His father and uncle both played for Florida and played NFL ball. Still, he couldn't make it in the NFL even though he was groomed from the time he was in elementary school for a pro football career. I agree with Old School. There is just too much emphasis put on football as a career choice instead of just another sport that you play in HS along with getting a good education. Unfortunately many HS football players are not even getting a good education in both elementary and high schools. Some are graduating with diplomas that they did not earn. Some are not even graduating. How they can matriculate at the college level is beyond me. I just feel that there is an entire generation of young people who have been manipulated into believing a fairy tale. As such, their entire life takes a path that is least beneficial to them.