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My theory about this as well as related issues (such as why swimming classes are sorted by ability whereas academic classes are sorted by age) is that deep down, people understand that it's the academic/intellectual stuff that really matters and that the sports stuff is just fluff.

I agree with this, actually. And while to some degree American society is anti-intellectual, a study just came out showing that Americans are extremely attached to the idea that their kids are smart--far more so than parents in other nations.