I have been around this school a long time. I have relationships with a fair number of their admin. and coaches (not Really with Jack beyond he would recognize me as an active guy at the school). Here are some of my views.

A. More competition from the rest of the CHSAA would be welcomed, but they realize if a kid is a stud lax player and is inclined to go Catholic they aren't going to go to a school not named Chaminade or St. Anthony's. They aren't afraid of the competition and it would only help national rankings.

B. Express is certainly an important tool for both CHSAA big boys. Both schools have an early look at youngsters, and conversely kids and parents get to see both schools coaches up close. This familiarity must, coupled with public v private, shape the decisions. If you want to call this recruiting I think that's a reach.

C. Is playing Exress a prerequisite to playing time. Nonsense. Yeah, the Express kids have relationships that may give them a head start but as more programs develop history has shown plenty of non_Express kids have been impact players.

D. Do these coaches play politics? I think it is more that they sometimes fall in love with kids, spotting potential, and may stay with them perhaps to the detriment of some other kids playing time. Sometimes they are right, and sometimes the potential isn't reached.

E. The fact that kids take trains from Suffolk is irrelevant. The choice to take a train to go to the school you want to isn't the kid's/parent's call. As a Chaminade guy the only thing that tells me is St. a's should question why? Not many kids from Nassau going the other way.

Yeah I know, that was uncalled for. Hahahaha