The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) released its annual High School Athletics Participation Survey in August. It showed participation numbers fell from 7,980,866 students — an all-time high — during the 2017-18 school year to 7,937,491 in 2018-19, a decline of 43,395 participants (.005%).
The 2018-19 school year participation total is still the third-highest ever.
“We know from recent surveys that the number of kids involved in youth sports has been declining, and a decline in the number of public school students has been predicted for a number of years, so we knew our ‘streak’ might end someday,” NFHS executive director Karissa Niehoff said in a press release. “The data from this year’s survey serves as a reminder that we have to work even harder in the coming years to involve more students in these vital programs — not only athletics but performing arts programs as well.”
While numbers nationwide may be declining, the local athletic directors said the value of participating in athletics hasn’t decreased.
“The value that kids get out of participating in high school activities is priceless,” Roys said. “There are so many lessons and so many things that are taught through athletics that really can’t be taught anywhere else. And so, well yeah, as a nation overall the numbers might be declining, but it’s importance hasn’t declined at all in my humble opinion.”
