[sstack]

You said it with the african american population being higher as well. You're exactly right. It matters, especially if you are having to compete against schools with black athletes. If you aren't, then it doesnt matter so much.

Also, I was talking with a good friend of mine and he had an interesting criteria of factors that help seperate the "haves, from the have nots". And, it goes as follows (yes, there are exceptions to every rule), but the criteria goes as follows; the more of the following that you have AGAINST you, the harder it is:

1) Size of school (3A or smaller)
2) Soccer
3) "County"/rural school (non Independent) or in an area of <25,000 people
4) Large/Successfull band (not that football loses many kids to band, but for some reason, you just don
t see smaller schools that are adequately able to support both)
5) FFA
6) Black Athletes (lack of)


Personally, I think these factors above and my orignal post have a lot more to do with the rhyme to the reason(s) before anything else does.
The more of these that you have

Up until about 6 years ago Highlands had 0% black students in the school. Now it is probably less than 1% in the school and on the football team. I do not think it has hurt Highlands over the 5-6 decades!