Continue to see St. Anthony's struggles to survive financially. Have the Friars ever considered the IMG Academy or Montverde or nearby St. Peters Prep as their financial model? Where do these guys get their funding? Has Under Armour, or Nike, or boosters from college basketball programs, or St. Anthony's alumni ever stepped forward to underwrite St. Anthony's in a big way?
OT: St. Anthony's struggles to survive
- Thread starter Mr_Twister
- Start date
IMG extracts a ton of money even from great players. I have a very good friend who had a son go there. Kid was a lefty pitcher and went junior and senior years. Kid was the best lefty in Florida as a sophomore. My buddy's kid got a scholarship but still paid $55k. The kid got drafted 2nd round but blew out his arm.
Bottom line is many families are paying a boatload to send their kids there and all kids are there for sports. Very different model than St. Anthony's where I assume the best basketball players are not paying much and none are paying close to $80 grand.
Bottom line is many families are paying a boatload to send their kids there and all kids are there for sports. Very different model than St. Anthony's where I assume the best basketball players are not paying much and none are paying close to $80 grand.
St Anthony's model is a low tuition private school that has mostly inner city kids in the area. Very few St. Peter's kids live in Jersey City, it has a huge endowment, and it draws generations of kids from the same families. It is also in a much better neighborhood and St Anthony's is not drawing the same kids.
St. Patrick's relied on Alumni to donate or the school would shut down. These private schools in the inner city are pretty bad.
St. Anthony is really such an amazing story. One of the best, if not the best coach in high school history, a national dynasty bball program for the past 25+ and the school constantly talks about closing the doors year after year. Hurley works tirelessly to keep that school open. Once Hurley's gone that school will be close within 6 months.
For anyone who has worked in Jersey City you see a lot of St Peters kids coming on the Light Rail from Bayonne and Hoboken. Some come on the PATH from Harrison.
I believe St Anthony's gets a lot of Jersey City kids because the local school district is below average and parents want to give kids a chance at a better education. Since many of these families don't have a lot they rely on low tuition and grants to pay for school.
There are stories of NYC kids going to St Anthonys for basketball but it is not really a sports school. St peters, Paterson Catholic, Don Bosco, and a few more are more sports schools that recruit kids.
I believe St Anthony's gets a lot of Jersey City kids because the local school district is below average and parents want to give kids a chance at a better education. Since many of these families don't have a lot they rely on low tuition and grants to pay for school.
There are stories of NYC kids going to St Anthonys for basketball but it is not really a sports school. St peters, Paterson Catholic, Don Bosco, and a few more are more sports schools that recruit kids.
Both are private/catholic, but a lot of dissimilarity as well
Enrollment at prep is about 4x greater and tuition is almost 3x more. Then you have the endowment as well.
Just tuition alone, prep would project a 10MM annual surplus over SA.
Also, as stated, lots of non-JC kids at Prep.
St Anthony's is a very small school. Running a high school is incredibly expensive, and it seems every year St Anthony's is on the verge of closing due to lack of funding. In the meanwhile, many other Catholic high schools in the region are also closing. Other than the basketball coach, there doesn't seem to be anything unique about St Anthony's that warrants propping it up at the expense of other Catholic high schools. It seems to me that it would make a lot more sense for the Archdiocese to accomplish its educational mission by closing St Anthony's, moving the students to another nearby school, and using the saved money to ensure the financial stability of the other schools. If having a Hurley-coached basketball team is important to the Archdiocese, then make him coach at a different school.
It's not like St Anthony's is a 150 year old school with a storied history. It was founded in the 1950's, and has been struggling to keep its doors open for one-third of its existence.
It's not like St Anthony's is a 150 year old school with a storied history. It was founded in the 1950's, and has been struggling to keep its doors open for one-third of its existence.
Don't they have some rich alums? The Hurley's? Anyone make the nba there?
That's why I am surprised st pats closed . Couldn't some of those nba guys donate some coin.
That's why I am surprised st pats closed . Couldn't some of those nba guys donate some coin.
I was thinking the same thing about these schools - and have no doubt that a lot have donated. The issue is that this is a bottomless chasm - year after year these schools will need help. St. Anthony gives subsidized tuition to a large portion of their students (who almost all are underprivileged) and the shortfall they experience is not a one time thing, but instead yearly. What these schools need is a corporate angel to essentially donate money on a yearly basis - for whatever reason (and I don't know enough of the ins and outs to know why) that isn't happening.
St. Pat's closed for many reasons much of which was linked to the fact that the population that supported Catholic education in the entire city has declined. also the kids who played ball in town wouldn't go there because they had no shot of playing with kids from all over the state (and out of state) that play there. As a result there were no families investing themselves in the school. Not sure but I don't think many siblings of the players they had over the years (Holloway, Harrington, Dalembert, Nardi, Billmeier, Kidd-Gilchrist, Irving, etc.) ever attended St. Pats which wasn't the case prior to Coach Boyle's arrival.
In the 60's The Elizabeth Parochial Grammar School League had 16 teams. These were school, not CYO teams. Growing up within a 10 block walking distance from my house I could go to Sts. Peter & Paul, St.Patrick, St. Adalbert, St. Michael's, St Anthony's or Holy Rosary. Now I think there are 4 (?) Catholic elementary schools open in the whole city. . What I would really like to know is how St. Mary's in Elizabeth stays open.
p.s. From what I heard at St.Pats some of the NBA guys have been very generous, in particular Kyrie Irving. Others have given back nothing.
In the 60's The Elizabeth Parochial Grammar School League had 16 teams. These were school, not CYO teams. Growing up within a 10 block walking distance from my house I could go to Sts. Peter & Paul, St.Patrick, St. Adalbert, St. Michael's, St Anthony's or Holy Rosary. Now I think there are 4 (?) Catholic elementary schools open in the whole city. . What I would really like to know is how St. Mary's in Elizabeth stays open.
p.s. From what I heard at St.Pats some of the NBA guys have been very generous, in particular Kyrie Irving. Others have given back nothing.
Good info. Lots of catholic schools all over the place have closed. It's expensive for middle class families that are struggling enough. Some can't afford high property taxes and then private school education .
Plus, I think religion isn't as important to people as it was in prior generations. Catholic schools used to thrive in middle class and poorer places....now it seems they only thrive in the richer places.
What I am seeing in Monmouth County is interesting. The Ranney School , who as long as I remember was never good in any sport other then maybe tennis. Now they have a top boys basketball team and have brought in players that never could have afforded the tuition. Then you have Mater Dei, who is putting a big push into sports all of a sudden.
I guess there is a financial reason for pushing sports in these small private schools.
I guess there is a financial reason for pushing sports in these small private schools.
This was another factor in St. Pats closing. The Archdiocese sold the buildings, not sure abouth the land itself, to the Elizabeth BOE for a nice chunk of change.
Is this the one time Brian Williams can actually say he was involved?
Saddle River Day is also seeing a slight increase in its sports programs as well.
Olmert 117, As far as I know there are now TWO Catholic elementary schools left in Elizabeth. St. Gen''s , still in a good area and Our Lady of Guadeloupe, located at the former St. Anthony':s in the Peterstown section of the city. This school is made up of the former Blessed Sacrament, St.Anthony's and St Mary's. St. Mary's High Schhol just received a decent donation from a wealthy alumni and are now deep into the recruiting game.
Last edited:
As I've said before . It never ceases to amaze me the importance of a Catholic school education when you're 6'5" or bigger.
Individuals donating on a yearly basis can be very helpful., We have sent tuition assistance to many individual students in this type of situation. We insist on good grades or we are out. The leverage in this scenario is powerful. Your donation can end up turning into a full college scholarship if the student performs well. Many of them do, given this opportunity. Thanks. $$$$
