Success and Incoming Talent

Prowler2018

Freshman
Feb 24, 2014
166
86
0
Been involved with UYFL since they left AYF and it Keeps going downhill. Expect all the programs with any level of success to move on in the future...year after year it's catered to help the same programs. Patriots leaving was a product of such catering-
On another note the privates (PC, Naz, Montini and a few others) are consistently at the games talking with the kids...on the other side the local HS's never make an appearance- even when invited. Yet they complain when the bus is picking up in their town
 

PRokie

Senior
Nov 22, 2010
1,004
492
0
Been involved with UYFL since they left AYF and it Keeps going downhill. Expect all the programs with any level of success to move on in the future...year after year it's catered to help the same programs. Patriots leaving was a product of such catering-
On another note the privates (PC, Naz, Montini and a few others) are consistently at the games talking with the kids...on the other side the local HS's never make an appearance- even when invited. Yet they complain when the bus is picking up in their town
You hit the nail on the head there mister
 

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
556
265
51
I'm just going to leave it at you aren't aware of all the moving parts here. Driscoll was a mess. The football program ran wild, with little to no oversight. The teachers were paid terribly and not given raises while the football team got lights and direct donations to the football program. The school looked terrible, the staff was disenfranchised and no one stepped in to stop the madness.

You can blame lack of enrollment on the closing of Catholic grade schools all you like, but you and I both know that's garbage. But keep believing what you want, glamorizing the demise of Driscoll based on a lack of Catholicism in the greater Addison area. Comedy gold.
interesting. I do know it was going under and looking bad before the close. my wife was a teacher there, but left a few years before the close. kept in touch with many of the other teachers though. Sounds like you had more inside info than we did. Perhaps a teacher or student parent at the time? Also, I never mentioned any Lack of Catholicism, just the declining enrollments which were fact. I did like the Comedy gold comment though.
 

dtlove3434

Freshman
Jun 8, 2014
118
92
0
MC140,

Can I have a list of said schools I need to transfer my boys, the elder high 20s ACT and pretty good receiver and the younger mid 30's ACT and a decent MLB. I know what tuition I'm paying and my current earning situation and I get nothing like you describe. Please give everyone the secret list of schools.
same here- I could use some help with two kids in high school.
 

PRokie

Senior
Nov 22, 2010
1,004
492
0
PR,

Are you happy or not happy that the park ridge falcons are under a new president and no longer guided by the big guy who ran them for years?

To answer your question...

Three years in UYFL. not by choice. As you know the league and leadership you speak of moved the Chicagoland conference. The program was very happy in the American Youth Football National affiliation. Our leadership was already gone in October of 2014 from UYFL and back at AYF and now Pop Warner as well.

It's sounds like you had issues with Mr Dihu that never were resolved.

I'm not begging, If one doesn't want to give that's fine, but some folks actually enjoy helping others.

Very Happy! 10 yrs too late, but a very positive move. Unfortunately numbers are down for many reasons and since we try not to bring kids in from outside our area we struggle to get enough kids.

I hated to see Naperville leave as it was an organization the rest of us could only hope to compete with.
 

godfthr53

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2008
4,959
2,775
113
Very Happy! 10 yrs too late, but a very positive move. Unfortunately numbers are down for many reasons and since we try not to bring kids in from outside our area we struggle to get enough kids.

I hated to see Naperville leave as it was an organization the rest of us could only hope to compete with.
Yeah the Patriots should be multiplied or success factored to freshman ball. But they'd probably do alright there as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PRokie

WP606

Redshirt
Oct 30, 2015
55
28
0
Driscoll was not in the Archdiocese, and so it had nothing to do with the decision to close Driscoll. Driscoll was in the Diocese of Joliet...which also did not decide to close Driscoll. Driscoll was closed by its owners, the Christian Brothers. Obviously, you didn't know any of that.

Not to nicpick, but the Diocese of Joliet is under the province of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
That being said, I agree they probably didn't have any input on the Christian Brothers decision to close down Driscoll. In this climate, if the student numbers and forecasts don't support it, the school is going to close 9.5 times out of 10.
 

ramblinman_rivals165935

All-Conference
Jul 18, 2001
9,102
2,802
0
Not to nicpick, but the Diocese of Joliet is under the province of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
That being said, I agree they probably didn't have any input on the Christian Brothers decision to close down Driscoll.

Probably? C'mon now. If you know enough to bring up the membership of the Joliet Diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago (and the subordination of the suffragan Bishop of Joliet to the Archbishop of Chicago), you know darn well that "probably" leaves the door open for nitwits (or do you say nicwits?) to think that the Arch MAY have had something to do with closing Driscoll. It most certainly (not probably) did not have anything to do with it.

And, the term is NITpick, not nicpick.
 

WP606

Redshirt
Oct 30, 2015
55
28
0
Probably? C'mon now. If you know enough to bring up the membership of the Joliet Diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago (and the subordination of the suffragan Bishop of Joliet to the Archbishop of Chicago), you know darn well that "probably" leaves the door open for nitwits (or do you say nicwits?) to think that the Arch MAY have had something to do with closing Driscoll. It most certainly (not probably) did not have anything to do with it.

And, the term is NITpick, not nicpick.

Wow calm down. I agreed with you. And if every person commented on typos on this board it wouldn't be a very fun place (like it is now).

And I said "probably" because I'm sure it was run by the Archdiocese in some form or fashion, even as an FYI memo, it would only make organizational sense to be made aware of it.
 
Last edited:

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
556
265
51
same here- I could use some help with two kids in high school.
Not to nicpick, but the Diocese of Joliet is under the province of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
That being said, I agree they probably didn't have any input on the Christian Brothers decision to close down Driscoll. In this climate, if the student numbers and forecasts don't support it, the school is going to close 9.5 times out of 10.
 

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
556
265
51
I think you nailed it. The same year DC closed, St. Charles Borromeo grammar school Bensenville closed up and merged with St. Joes Addison who was also on the verge of closing. At the same time, St. A's Villa Park was threatened to be closed as it's enrollment had dropped fro 265 to 128 over the previous four years. These were the main feeders to DC whose enrollment had experienced a steady decline. Sounds more like demographics than lack of Catholisism
 

Wassup13_rivals219252

All-Conference
Nov 9, 2002
5,846
2,728
0
The working class (blue collar) neighborhoods feeding into Driscoll (Addison, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream etc) are being hurt by the economy which makes it hard to support private schools.
 

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
556
265
51
But back to the topic at hand. I know it was a way different era, but did anyone read Taylor Bell's book on H.S. football, and the chapters on the old Catholic league? Fascinating stuff. It covered how recruiting star grade school athletes and winning the city title had direct affects on school enrolment.. Mt Carmel's largest freshman class ever to this day followed their 1960 championship. When Pat Cronin took over at St Rita, they had 44 players on scholarship and he spent most of his weekends visiting 8th graders.
 

Thedoctor50

Freshman
Jun 10, 2013
220
90
0
I think you nailed it. The same year DC closed, St. Charles Borromeo grammar school Bensenville closed up and merged with St. Joes Addison who was also on the verge of closing. At the same time, St. A's Villa Park was threatened to be closed as it's enrollment had dropped fro 265 to 128 over the previous four years. These were the main feeders to DC whose enrollment had experienced a steady decline. Sounds more like demographics than lack of Catholisism
St. A's was not a feeder to Driscoll. It was one of the founding supporting parishes of Montini.Most kids from St. A's went to Willowbrook, a few to Montini and fewer to IC. I doubt that in its history more than 10 went to Driscoll. St. A's is now closed.
 

eagles2k3

All-Conference
Dec 26, 2003
1,922
1,212
0
St. A's was not a feeder to Driscoll. It was one of the founding supporting parishes of Montini.Most kids from St. A's went to Willowbrook, a few to Montini and fewer to IC. I doubt that in its history more than 10 went to Driscoll. St. A's is now closed.
Agree. Driscoll feeders were Holy Ghost, St. Joes and St. Phillip.
 

ramblinman_rivals165935

All-Conference
Jul 18, 2001
9,102
2,802
0
And I said "probably" because I'm sure it was run by the Archdiocese in some form or fashion, even as an FYI memo, it would only make organizational sense to be made aware of it.

Looks like we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Sadly, closing Catholic schools happens with some regularity. I seriously doubt that this routine matter was run by the Arch in any official communication. If anything, the Arch was informed post decision and within the construct of Driscoll no longer appearing in the Official Catholic Directory.

Remember, this was a religious order of brothers closing one of its own schools located in the Joliet Diocese. It certainly does not need to inform the Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago prior to doing so. Maybe a diocesan school like IC might be different, but even there I doubt it.
 

RRH1

All-Conference
Jan 27, 2002
34,644
2,139
113
How does making a state run impact incoming numbers and talent level. How will the incoming freshman look at Naz, Montini, Loyola, Marist.
Nazareth had about 50 recruits at Leo game and another 50 recruits at the Joliet Catholic game, I would expect the top freshmen football class to be at Nazareth next Summer.
 

CCL65

Junior
Oct 28, 2015
556
265
51
By recruits, do you mean fifty eight grade boys, probably athlete types, on the sideline escorted by coaches, volunteers or some other school representative?
 

godfthr53

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2008
4,959
2,775
113
By recruits, do you mean fifty eight grade boys, probably athlete types, on the sideline escorted by coaches, volunteers or some other school representative?
Nazareth doesn't allow any grade school kids on the sidelines. Except for maybe a ball boy in 4-5th grade. I even remember a couple times Nazareth has had a special needs kid be both a captain and ball boy. It was an awesome thing to witness.
 

Prowler2018

Freshman
Feb 24, 2014
166
86
0
The Roadrunner cupboard runneth over when it comes to talent coming in! Those guys do a great job getting the boys to the school. Many of the 8th graders this year are currently headed to FL for national championships in their respective leagues (Pop Warner and UYFL) after sweeping Chicagoland 8th grade competition.
 

drwisewords

Redshirt
Jun 21, 2005
9
2
0
IC had over 50 recruits at their first night game. They had just about every 7th and 8th grader from the Leyden Bears at the game.
 

jwarigaku

All-Conference
Jan 30, 2006
4,199
1,557
73
I say good for IC...I hope the boys and their parents from every youth program out there look deeply into each of the high schools that serve their areas, both public and private, and shadow for a day at the schools on their list. Shadowing will help to make certain they are comfortable and fit in at their school of choice. Competition builds quality in business and hopefully education as well!

I can tell you that the top kids in the program were in elmhurst that night.
 

redmen85

Senior
Dec 17, 2014
730
492
0
It was nice to see I-C make a nice playoff run.
Was it Jack Lewis who was the coach there forever?
 
Jun 17, 2015
195
42
0
Nazareth doesn't allow any grade school kids on the sidelines. Except for maybe a ball boy in 4-5th grade. I even remember a couple times Nazareth has had a special needs kid be both a captain and ball boy. It was an awesome thing to witness.

That's not true, I have to stop you right there. Every naz home game I went you did see around 50, 8th football players on the sideline. You know they were football players because all of them were wearing their uniforms. The team I saw most represented was the team with USA flag jerseys, I'm assuming those are the Naperville Patriots? Also a maroon team that said Plainfied? Not only were the players on the sideline they were directly behind the team. I swear I even saw bench players talking to the 8th graders during a game. I remember this so well because I was shocked how close the 8th graders were to the players. Like Im talking behind the players on the 50 yard line, in front of the water coolers. In my day that would never be allowed, but just shrugged it off as a new way of showing off to future students. I thought it was really cool for the kids and as long as they weren't interfering with the game I didn't see it as a big deal.

1) Either 8th graders were not allowed on the sidelines and rules were not enforced
2) or they were allowed, but there was no doubt multiple 8th grade teams were on naz's sideline.
 

dtlove3434

Freshman
Jun 8, 2014
118
92
0
I say great for IC for having the Leyden Bears players there. You do not want your kid going to Leyden High School. I know all of those kids having coach them for years. There are all great kids but there are only about 6 very talented 8 graders and I do not know if they could afford IC or NAZ. Naz will probably get 3 and IC will probably get 3. The rest will go to Leyden HS.
 

eagles2k3

All-Conference
Dec 26, 2003
1,922
1,212
0
I say great for IC for having the Leyden Bears players there. You do not want your kid going to Leyden High School. I know all of those kids having coach them for years. There are all great kids but there are only about 6 very talented 8 graders and I do not know if they could afford IC or NAZ. Naz will probably get 3 and IC will probably get 3. The rest will go to Leyden HS.
Did you guys consider IC at all?
 

dtlove3434

Freshman
Jun 8, 2014
118
92
0
We did. My nephews played for IC at the time and Julian considered going there to play with them. We shadowed IC, Montini, and Naz. We just felt Naz was the best fit at the time. It worked out!
 

godfthr53

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2008
4,959
2,775
113
We did. My nephews played for IC at the time and Julian considered going there to play with them. We shadowed IC, Montini, and Naz. We just felt Naz was the best fit at the time. It worked out!
Not sure it could've worked out better for Julian. 2 state titles and his dream school. Such a deserving young man.