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The point of high school sports is to holistically develop student-athletes.

Coaches and athletic directors speak of building life essentials like teamwork, empathy, grit and leadership through practice and gameplay.

“To impact students so they can apply what they learn in athletics to post high school life, adult coaches and mentors need to value character education more than wins and losses,” preaches the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Is that how it works in real life, though?

Youth sports – increasingly a funnel to varsity high school sports – is a $40 billion industry.

And now Ohio has become the 45th state, plus the District of Colu

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