More than 8 million high schoolers are participating in school-sponsored sports, an all-time high, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, an advocacy nonprofit for high school athletics, as well as for fine and performing arts programs.
The NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey found that sports participation grew by 210,469 between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. The previous participation record was 7,980,886 and set in 2017-18. Participation began dropping in the 2018-19 school year and continued falling during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many schools limited in-person classes and activities.
"The comeback from the pause of school sports during the pandemic has been so gratifying and certainly indicates the staying power of education-based sports in our nation’s schools," said Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the NFHS, in an Aug. 20 statement.
One of the drivers of increased sports participation is the growing popularity of girls flag football, with participation more than doubling over the past two school years. Because of the expansion of flag football programs, the Indiana-based NFHS announced last month it was writing national playing rules for the sport for both girls' and boys' teams. Those rules are expected to be implemented during the 2025-26 school year.
"Flag is a sport of inclusivity," Niehoff said in an Aug. 19 statement. "It can be played in any season (weather dependent), is fast-paced and offers an opportunity for young people to play and others to coach or officiate in the exciting sport of football.”
According to NFHS, 12 states have sanctioned girls flag football. States that have approved the sport for girls include NFHS member associations in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York and Tennessee. Another 19 states are piloting similar programs.
The top three high school sports for girls, based on participation levels, are outdoor track and field, volleyball and soccer. The top three boys sports are 11-player football, outdoor track and field, and basketball.
Here are more statistics from NFHS:
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