It can be fun to take kids to a professional sports game, but after all of the expense and logistics we started wondering if it was really worth it. Older kids definitely appreciate the experience and get into the game, especially if they have been around other fans and watching it on tv. But do young kids really care about watching professional sports as opposed to other levels of game play?
Those questions prompted my family to check out a high school basketball game and we were shocked at the skill and intensity! The games are genuinely exciting, so we started going to more games at our local high school whenever our kids were interested in a particular sport. So far we have gone to soccer, football, basketball, and volleyball games.
Don’t underestimate these high school teams! They are incredible athletes. Not only that, but every game we have gone to cost $3 per adult (kids 11 and under were free)* and you can sit really close to the action! We highly recommend you check out the athletic schedules and go!
*Please note that those are the entrance fees that we paid at for regular games at schools in the West Suburban Conference. Prices go up for regionals/sectionals and may vary based on location, but they are generally inexpensive.
How to Find High School Sports Games
To help you understand how the schools are grouped, especially those of you new to the Chicago suburbs, we put together lists of each conference in the Kidlist area. Unless otherwise noted, you can find the athletic schedules at this link: List of Schools in Illinois. Simply click on a high school near you from that list of schools, and then go to the calendar on that school’s page.
When you go to a game, be sure to tag us in your instagram posts! @kidlist #mykidlist
West Suburban Conference
Addison Trail (Addison)
Morton (Berwyn-Cicero)
Hinsdale South (Darien)
Downers Grove South (Downers Grove)
Leyden (Franklin Park)
Proviso East (Maywood)
Willowbrook (Villa Park)
Downers Grove North (Downers Grove)
York (Elmhurst)
Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn)
Proviso West (Hillside)
Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale)
Lyons Township (La Grange)
Oak Park River Forest H.S
DuKane Conference
Batavia H.S.
Glenbard North (Carol Stream)
Geneva H.S.
Roselle (Lake Park)
St. Charles East (St. Charles)
St. Charles North (St. Charles)
Wheaton North (Wheaton)
Wheaton Warrenville South (Wheaton)
DuPage Valley Conference
Metea Valley (Aurora)
Waubonsie Valley (Aurora)
Neuqua Valley (Naperville)
Naperville Central (Naperville)
Naperville North (Naperville)
Upstate Eight Conference
East Aurora (Aurora)
West Aurora (Aurora)
Bartlett H.S.
Elgin H.S.
Larkin (Elgin)
Glenbard South (Glen Ellyn)
Glenbard East (Lombard)
South Elgin (Elgin)
Streamwood H.S.
West Chicago H.S.
South Suburban Conference
Eisenhower (Blue Island) https://blueislandeisenhowerathletics.com/main/
Reavis (Burbank) http://reavisathletics.com/
Thornton Fractional North (Calumet City)
Hillcrest (Country Club Hills)
Evergreen Park H.S
Thornton Fractional South (Lansing)
Lemont H.S. https://lhsathletics.org/
Bremen (Midlothian)
Oak Forest H.S
Community (Oak Lawn) https://www.olchs.org/athletics/
Richards (Oak Lawn) https://richardsathletics.com/
Shepard (Palos Heights)
Argo (Summit)
Tinley Park H.S. https://tinleyparktitans.org/
Southwest Prairie Conference
Joliet Central (Joliet)
Joliet West (Joliet)
Minooka H.S
Oswego East (Oswego)
Oswego H.S.
Plainfield Central (Plainfield)
Plainfield East (Plainfield)
Plainfield North (Plainfield)
Plainfield South (Plainfield)
Romeoville H.S.
Southwest Suburban Conference
Bolingbrook H.S.
Bradley Bourbonnais (Bradley)
Thornridge (Dolton)
Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor)
Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort)
Thornton (Harvey)
Lockport H.S.
Lincoln-Way Central (New Lenox)
Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox)
Sandburg (Orland Park)
Stagg (Palos Hills)
Thornwood (South Holland)
Andrew (Tinley Park)
Metro Suburban Conference
Aurora Christian (Aurora) http://www.aurorachristian.org/student-life/Athletics.cfm
Aurora Central Catholic (Aurora)
Aurora Rosary (Aurora)
St. Edward (Elgin)
IC Catholic (Elmhurst)
Timothy Christian (Elmhurst)
McNamara (Kankakee)
Chicago Christian (Palos Heights)
Guerin (River Grove)
Wheaton Academy (West Chicago) https://athletics.wheatonacademy.org/
St. Francis (Wheaton)
Fenton (Bensenville)
Elmwood Park H.S.
Ridgewood (Norridge)
Riverside Brookfield (Riverside)
Metropolitan Prep Conference
Aqsa (Bridgeview) http://aqsa.edu/aqsa/en-us/activities/sports.aspx
Universal (Bridgeview) http://www.universalschool.org/athletics/
Lycée Français de Chicago (Chicago) https://www.lyceechicago.org/student-life/athletics-at-the-lycee
Hinsdale Adventist Academy (Hinsdale) https://www.facebook.com/HinsdaleAdventistAcademyAthleticDepartment/
College Prep (Lombard) [no website on athletics]
Islamic Foundation (Villa Park) http://www.ifsvp.org/athletic-department/
East Suburban Catholic Conference
St. Viator (Arlington Heights)
Marist (Chicago)
Marian (Chicago Heights) https://www.marianchs.com/apps/pages/athletics
Catholic Academy (Joliet)
Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park)
Benet Academy (Lisle)
Carmel (Mundelein)
Notre Dame (Niles)
Marian (Woodstock)
St. Patrick (Chicago)
Chicago Catholic Conference
Aurora Christian (Aurora) http://www.aurorachristian.org/student-life/Athletics.cfm
Marmion Academy (Aurora)
Hope Academy (Chicago) http://chicagohopeacademy.org/athletic/#.W9s-dWhKiUk
De La Salle (Chicago) https://www.dls.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=213026&type=d
DePaul College Prep (Chicago)
Hales Franciscan (Chicago) http://manageyourleague.com/HFSYL/full-schedule
Providence St. Mel (Chicago) http://psmnow.com/Athletics
St. Francis de Sales (Chicago) https://www.sfdshs.org/sports/
St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) http://www.ignatius.org/athletics
McNamara (Kankakee)
Montini (Lombard)
Providence Catholic (New Lenox)
Fenwick (Oak Park) https://www.fenwickfriars.com/athletics/
St. Joseph (Westchester) https://www.stjoeshs.org/domain/53
St. Francis (Wheaton)
Loyola Academy (Wilmette) https://www.goramblers.org/page/athletics
St. Laurence (Burbank)
Brother Rice (Chicago) http://athletics.brotherrice.org/
Leo (Chicago) https://leohighschool.org/leo-lions/
Mt. Carmel (Chicago) https://www.mchs.org/page/athletics
St. Rita (Chicago) http://www.stritamustangs.com/landing/index
Girls Catholic Athletic (GCAC)
St. Laurence (Burbank)
De La Salle (Chicago) https://www.dls.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=213026&type=d
DePaul College Prep (Chicago)
Mother McAuley (Chicago)
Resurrection (Chicago)
St. Francis de Sales (Chicago) https://www.sfdshs.org/sports/
St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) http://www.ignatius.org/athletics
Montini (Lombard)
Providence Catholic (New Lenox)
Fenwick (Oak Park) https://www.fenwickfriars.com/athletics/
River Forest (Trinity)
St. Joseph (Westchester) https://www.stjoeshs.org/domain/53
Loyola Academy (Wilmette) https://www.goramblers.org/page/athletics
Wilmette (Regina Dominican)
