It’s time the Rhode Island Interscholastic League levels the playing field. 

For too long, public high school sports teams have been forced to play against private high school sports teams that recruit players from a wide region.

Our gripe is not with the private school teams. Our gripe is with the league that allows the privates to compete against the publics for the same titles. 

One does not need to have an extensive sports background to see the challenge public high school sports teams face each year when they step on the pitch, court or track oval against private school sports teams. In many cases, the student-athletes from Barrington High School, East Providence, Portsmouth and beyond are facing off against hand-picked all-star teams. 

In fact, the public school teams in Rhode Island face the double-hit of losing talent (often some of their best) to local private schools and then having to play against that same talent twice a year during the regular season and again in the playoffs.

Barrington High School’s boys and girls lacrosse teams should be especially irked by the system. The BHS boys’ lacrosse team was eliminated from the playoffs by Moses Brown in the semifinals this spring, while the BHS girls lost to Moses Brown in the girls’ championship.

The Interscholastic League makes a choice to allow the private schools to play against the public schools. LaSalle, Bishop Hendricken, Prout, St. Raphael’s and the other Rhode Island private schools could take their games to private school leagues, such as the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. There, the Rams, Hawks, Quakers and others could play against similar teams that recruit. Many would likely flock to see a basketball game pitting Hendricken against St. Andrew's School or Tilton School or Vermont Academy.

It’s time officials take a serious look at the inequities in Rhode Island high school athletics. It’s time they get serious about leveling the playing fields.