The Best High Schools for Sports

High school sports are the training ground for the next generation of professional sports stars. Across the country high schools in every community offer sports opportunities for their students, but some schools are more successful and well known than others, from powerhouses in certain sports to elite level schools with year-round training.

  1. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.

    • The IMG Academy is a one-of-a-kind facility that features its own high school and is focused on training elite young athletes from around the world. The IMG Academy offers a year-round boarding school for athletes who train with coaches in a variety of different sports, including tennis, golf, basketball and football. The Academy, which also offers camps throughout the year, has hosted thousands of athletes from 80 countries. Many of its former students have gone on to professional sports careers.

    Long Beach Poly, Long Beach, Calif.

    • Long Beach Poly High School was named the No. 1 high school sports program by "Sports Illustrated" in 2005. Long Beach Poly has dominant football and track programs, which have won multiple state and sectional champions. Long Beach Poly also has a long history of producing professional football players, dating back to 1927. In 2010, Long Beach Poly's football team went 8-3, losing in the first round of the playoffs. Long Beach Poly has also had success with its golf and badminton teams.

    Dematha, Hyattsville, Md.

    • Dematha, an all-boys Catholic school, has been a power in Maryland in basketball and many other sports. Basketball Hall of Famer Morgan Wootten coached the team, finishing with a career record of 1,192-274 before he retired in 2002. The basketball team has won 34 state titles, including the 2010-11 season. The school has won 24 baseball state championships, 19 football state championships and 17 state championships in lacrosse. It was named the No. 2 high school program in the country by "Sports Illustrated."

    Saint Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

    • Saint Thomas Aquinas, a co-ed Catholic school, has been a dominant power in Broward County, Fla. In 2010, the school won the Broward County All-Sports Trophy for the 30th straight season. Named the No. 3 high school athletic program in the country by "Sports Illustrated," Aquinas is known for its professional alumni, including tennis player Chris Evert and former NFL great Michael Irvin. The school has won 80 Florida state championships in various sports.