This private preparatory school in Honolulu is known for being prestigious and educating members of the Hawaiian royal family. In 2006, they were named as the greenest school in the country and Sports Illustrated also called them the best school in the US for sports. All students take some form of athletics when they go to Punahou, as they need two credits to graduate.
They offer a ton of unusual sports, like judo, riflery, kayaking, and gymnastics. They’re also well-known for their most notable alumni – former president Barack Obama, who attended in the late 1970s. The president played for the basketball team and helped them take home a state title in 1979, the same year that he graduated. His jersey, number 23, later sold for $120,000.
The Bolles School
The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida is a prestigious private boarding school that’s known for its superiority in sports. Several of their teams have been recognized by national media outlets, including being ranked first in the nation by ESPN RISE for their overall boys’ athletic program and they continue to be recognized as the best sports school in the state of Florida.
They’ve won the Florida High School Association’s Sunshine Cup 24 times. But even though they may be known for being good at basically everything, they’re especially well-known for their incredible swimming and diving team. The boys’ and girls’ teams have won more than 70 state titles combined since 1988. They’ve also taken home 17 national championships.
Parkview
Parkview is a public school in Gwinnett County, Georgia. They are well-known for having an outstanding academic program, but they’re even more popular for their athletics. Several NFL players have graduated from Parkview and played for their football team; including Ainsley Battles, Chris Carson, and Michael Palmer. Their baseball has also won seven state titles and three national championships.
Major league baseball players Jeff Francoeur, Matt Olsen, Clint Sammons, and White Sox infielder Jeff Keppinger all got their start playing for the school. Between several of their sports teams, including football, baseball, swimming, and soccer, Parkview has won 57 state titles. Josh Wolff of the US men’s national team and World Cup player graduated from the school in 1995.
Boise
Boise is a public school in Idaho that caters exclusively to grades 10-12, rather than 9-12 like most high schools. The original school was opened in 1882 under the name “Central.” At the time, it cost $44,000 to build – which was nearly double what the initial estimate was. In the 1800s, that was a lot of money for construction.
The school was actually the first in its area to offer free athletics programs during night school. But their boys’ basketball team, along with the track, soccer, golf, and tennis teams, have all managed to bring home more than 20 state titles over the past few decades. The girls’ cross-country team has also won their fair share.
Mount Carmel High School
Mount Carmel is a prestigious, all-boys Catholic school in Chicago. It was established by the Carmelite order of Catholic priests in the fall of the year 1900. During its first year, there were only 13 students and five priests that worked as teachers. With all of the young men who were being drafted and going off to fight in WWI, the school was changed to cater to younger students.
Since then, they’ve been recognized for their exemplary academics and athletics programs. The football team is among the best of the best that the Mount Carmel sports programs have to offer. They’ve won more than 14 state championships since 1980 and the school also has impressive hockey and wrestling teams.