Murphy points out many student-athletes might be better served in aiming for an academic scholarship. Try to excel in athletics and academics, he said.

"There are lots of opportunities to take home an academic scholarship," he said. "Kids shouldn't miss the boat on what might be available to them."

Murphy's thinking is echoed by administrators and coaches.

"I believe we've lost a lot of what high school sports used to be like," said Groff. "Before, it was playing for the team and the school. You played to have fun, above everything else. Now it's more of a me-first thing. It's what I can get out of this.

"I hope it's a cyclical thing, and we get back to more of the way things used to be."

Joe Vaughan, the successful girls' basketball coach and athletic director at Buena High, has a similar sentiment.

"We tell our players not to think of what's best for themselves, but for the team," he said. "Too many people look for the wrong things in playing sports. I believe they should look at the high school experience as an investment.

"You put a lot of time into this, so the important thing is to enjoy the overall experience. There are so many memories you can create for a lifetime."