If I were a coach with the choice to recruit only one of these players, I would take the public school kid.
Chances are he comes from a family that knows what it's like to work hard and not have a silver spoon in his mouth. Real world, better work ethic, more blue collar, and fights for what he gets. I am after all, a hard working employee on a collegiate salary...far from the starched white collar pretentious parent. Plus, my team will already have many of the snobs who don't realize I am using them for their money since they can pay near full tuition while given a small percentage scholarship. (They think they're so smart!)
Also, the parents of the public school athlete know not to expect anything, whereas the private school parents are going to chew my ear off and play politics during which I will have to nod politely ad nauseam...and cringe as they present themselves in docksiders, pink shorts and a sweater draped over their shoulders. Please.
I think the few times during the season we have a post game family meal, I'd prefer to associate with a family more like my own, so the public school kid is in. You see, I just don't like the veneer of the rich families.
Finally, the public school kid is going to work harder on the field to destroy and silence the rich boy snobs that are two years older, but are in the same recruiting class. I love seeing that fire in the public school athlete then watching the rich boys call their folks right after practice wondering what to do...internally hoping his helicopter parents could call me to discuss better opportunities.
Oh, by the way, I have far less private meetings with the public school kid, but I wish I had a dollar for every time a rich private school boy came to my office in near tears hoping I'd console him cause he can't adjust. Sorry, real life lesson son. Tough love. The public school kid understands what to do.
Final choice: the public school kid, who doesn't care what helmet he is wearing because he knows that's not what makes him better. It's his character, what's inside...not the helmet or parents that shield him. I'll know my recruit plays with his heart, hustles to prove his worth and expects nothing.
Did you really think I'd take a kid who arrogantly thinks he's better and deserves the slot because his pretentious parents raised him to believe such nonsense? He still has a lot to learn and 4-5 years of college isn't enough.
Wow that was a lot of work for a premise that is patently false and completely misguided. D1 rosters are loaded with private school kids, especially the Ivies. You are making generalizations without any facts or examples. Nice try though.......