In the city of Mobile, there are 17 different high schools, all of which field athletic teams. That means that in Mobile, there are 17 different school zones from which those high schools draw students and student-athletes. Each school’s athletes come from one of those 17 distinct zones, and it is against state rules for a student who resides in one zone to attend a school in another zone.
But if you operate a private school in Mobile, you can have your pick of students and student-athletes from any of the 17.
There is no better example of the competitive advantage that private schools hold over the public school counterparts. It is why the Alabama High School Athletic Association has implemented rules, such as the competitive balance factor, to level the playing field…