The reason elite schools play sports is to build a stronger sense of loyalty to the school among alums, especially alums with money to donate. But I think it's

The reason elite schools play sports is to build a stronger sense of loyalty to the school among alums, especially alums with money to donate. But I think it's better for kids to separate the school from the sports. Put the kid into a independent sports league. And it's better, I think, to be playing in an environment where the competition for positions isn't as intense - i.e. a smaller school or sports club. In a related matter I see that Sidwell Friends does play football. I had been wondering about that. Here in Washington State, the best small private high schools don't.