Intresting thread. Not being from Il and not knowing the player pool, I have 1 question.
How many D1 schools does the State have?
In the 2003 HS class....
How many Illinois players went D1?
How many went D1 in State?
How many went D1 out of State?
Like I said, I'm an outsider, but it looks like the problem is not that players are leaving the State, but, that the talent pool is spread between many teams at all college levels within the State. I this bad? He11 no. The kids are for the most part staying in State, getting playing time, having fun, and getting an education. Reality predicts, it will be a cold day in he11 before an IL D1 team wins the CWS, enjoy what you have. I come from a State that has 1 D1 team that uses HS facilities. In the past 3 years our HS talent has gone to Ark, U of MI, Evansville, S. Carolina, Clemson, Okl, Missouri, NC State, U of MN, Northwestern, UIC, New Orleans, Purdue, and many others.
As far as kids leaving IL to play elsewhere, that's going to happen. However, there are IL teams that have the coaching, and program dedication, but, the kid also has to want to be part of the program. So many times the high profile kid is lured away by promises of greatness, then finds he is only a number in a Southern program. Most mention UIC as a program that has made the committment, and other schools may not be far behind. Now it is the players turn to step up and make that committment to those schools.