If my child is a good athlete (not amazing) with stellar scores – would a coach ever bring him on to raise the team average of the academic index?
I think for most coaches the primary attribute they’re looking for is skill in the sport. So I would doubt it. Talk to your HS coach and see what they think
I also think it depends on the sport. My daughter was a good but not great athlete in her sport. She received the support of an ivy coach (not HYP) and was accepted. Send me a message if you want more info.
I recommend "Playing the Game: Inside Athletic Recruiting in the Ivy League " by Chris Lincoln for detailed information on this topic.