Number of prep athletes reaches all-time high, again

Anyone who thinks the youngsters are all sitting around playing video games is ignoring the numbers.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in high school sporst increased for the 23rd straight year in 2011-12.

Boosted by continued growth in several girls sports as well as new sports like cycling and bass fishing ? yes fishing, sports participation for the 2011-12 school year reached an all-time high of 7,692,520 participants ? an increase of 24,565 from the previous year.

?In this time of ever-increasing financial challenges, we are greatly encouraged to know that participation in high school sports continues to rise,? said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. ?With more than 55 percent of students enrolled in high schools participating in athletics, the value of these programs in an education-based setting continues to be significant.?

An additional 33,984 girls participated in high school sports last year, making the all-time record total 3,207,533. This also marks the 23rd consecutive year for an increase in the number of female participants. Outdoor track and field (468,747), basketball (435,885) and volleyball (418,903) continued to be the top three participatory sports for girls, with volleyball up 9,571 participants.

While girls participation continued to climb, boys participation figures dipped for the first time since the 1992-93 school year, down 9,419 from last year?s number of 4,494,406 to 4,484,987. Seven of the top 10 boys sports registered drops in participation. For a full report, visit www.standard.net.

Soccer (370,975) surpassed fast-pitch softball (367,023) as the fourth most-popular girls sport, up 9,419 from last year, while cross country (212,262), tennis (180,870), swimming and diving (160,456), competitive spirit squads (108,307) and lacrosse (74,993) completed the top 10. Along with soccer and volleyball, cross country, competitive spirit squads and lacrosse all had increased participation from 2010-11., with 11-player football (1,095,993), outdoor track and field (575,628), basketball (535,289), wrestling (272,149), tennis (159,800), golf (152,725) and swimming and diving (133,823) all down from last year. Baseball (474,219), soccer (411,757) and cross country (248,494) all had increases from the previous year, with soccer registering the largest increase of 13,406.

Lacrosse, which ranks No. 11 in participation among boys sports, topped the 100,000 mark (100,641) with about 5,000 additional participants. Wrestling continued its rise in popularity among girls, with almost 1,000 additional participants up to 8,235.

Participants by state stayed true to last year?s order, as Texas and California once again topped the list with 808,806 and 781,912, respectively, followed by New York (389,475), Illinois (346,896), Ohio (333,349), Pennsylvania (317,869), Michigan (308,080), New Jersey (259,219), Florida (257,282) and Minnesota (238,363).

Twenty states registered increases in participation in 2011-12.

The participation survey has been compiled since 1971 by the NFHS through numbers it receives from its member associations.

TEN MOST POPULAR BOYS PROGRAMS

Schools Participants

1. Basketball 18,099 1. Football ? 11-Player 1,095,993

2. Track and Field ? Outdoor 16,218 2. Track and Field ? Outdoor 575,628

3. Baseball 15,838 3. Basketball 535,289

4. Football ? 11-Player 14,241 4. Baseball 474,219

5. Cross Country 14,155 5. Soccer 411,757

6. Golf 13,624 6. Wrestling 272,149

7. Soccer 11,600 7. Cross Country 248,494

8. Wrestling 10,407 8. Tennis 159,800

9. Tennis 9,841 9. Golf 152,725

10. Swimming & Diving 7,001 10. Swimming & Diving 133,823

TEN MOST POPULAR GIRLS PROGRAMS

Schools Participants

1. Basketball 17,768 1. Track and Field ? Outdoor 468,747

2. Track and Field ? Outdoor 16,143 2. Basketball 435,885

3. Volleyball 15,569 3. Volleyball 418,903

4. Softball ? Fast Pitch 14,142 4. Soccer 370,975

5. Cross Country 13,970 5. Softball ? Fast Pitch 367,023

6. Soccer 11,127 6. Cross Country 212,262

7. Tennis 10,058 7. Tennis 180,870

8. Golf 9,667 8. Swimming & Diving 160,456

9. Swimming & Diving 7,221 9. Competitive Spirit Squads 108,307

10. Competitive Spirit Squads 4,916 10. Lacrosse 74,993

The complete 2011-12 High School Athletics Participation Survey is available on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

Source: http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/09/17/number-prep-athletes-reaches-all-time-high-again

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