Here’s what I’m saying: there are probably only about five CPS football programs that can truly compete with teams across the state — Kenwood, Lane, Morgan Park, Simeon, and Whitney Young.
So, would CPS football be better off pulling its 80 football-playing schools out of the IHSA and creating its own city-wide playoff system? They’ve already acknowledged that roughly two dozen schools shouldn’t be playing outside the city. Why not take that a step further and build a two- or three-class system within CPS itself — giving every team and athlete the opportunity to compete for something meaningful?
I have to believe most of these athletes would rather play for a city championship than end their season after nine games with nothing to show for it.
This isn’t about excluding or discriminating — it’s about creating more opportunity and giving city schools something greater to play for beyond just their regular season.