High school sports participation reflects who gets to compete, where opportunities exist, and how participation has shifted by gender, race/ethnicity, and sport. In 2022-23, 7,857,969 students took part across 51 state associations, up 0.9% from 2021-22. Boys were a larger share than girls that year, and overall participation increased 2.5% from 2021-22—continuing a rebound after pandemic-era declines.
Key Takeaways
- White students comprised 54.2% of high school athletes in recent NFHS data.
- Hispanic/Latino students: 22.5% of participants.
- Black/African American: 12.1% of high school sports participants.
- In 2022-23, boys outnumbered girls in participation by 1,438,251.
- Boys' participation rate was 60.9% of total high school athletes in 2022-23.
- Girls made up 39.1% of participants with 3,209,859 in 2022-23.
- In the 2022-23 school year, 7,857,969 students participated in high school sports across 51 state associations, a 0.9% increase from 2021-22.
- Total high school sports participants reached 7.8 million in 2021-22, with boys at 4,531,232 and girls at 3,318,727.
- High school athletic participation totaled 7,937,522 in the 2018-19 school year before the pandemic decline.
- Boys track & field led with 612,234 participants in 2021-22.
- Outdoor track & field girls: 488,782 in 2021-22.
- Basketball boys: 551,373, girls: 413,522 in 2021-22.
- Participation increased 2.5% overall from 2021-22 to 2022-23.
- From 2018-19 peak of 7.9M to 7.6M in 2020-21, down 5% due to COVID.
- Girls' participation up 1,106% since 1971-72.
In 2022-23, 7.9 million students played high school sports, with boys leading and White athletes most represented.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographic Breakdown20 stats
01
White students comprised 54.2% of high school athletes in recent NFHS data.
02
Hispanic/Latino students: 22.5% of participants.
03
Black/African American: 12.1% of high school sports participants.
04
Asian students: 3.4% representation in athletics.
05
Multiracial: 5.3%, Native American: 1.2% of participants.
06
In football, 68% white, 22% Black, 8% Hispanic.
07
Basketball: 47% white, 37% Black, 12% Hispanic.
08
Track & field: 55% white, 20% Black, 18% Hispanic.
09
Soccer: 60% white, 20% Hispanic, 10% Black.
10
Volleyball girls: 70% white, 15% Hispanic, 8% Black.
11
California: Hispanic 45% of athletes vs. 39% enrollment.
12
Texas: Hispanic 40%, white 35%, Black 15%.
13
NY: white 50%, Black 20%, Hispanic 20%.
14
Florida: Black 25%, Hispanic 30%, white 35%.
15
Illinois: white 55%, Black 20%, Hispanic 20%.
16
Underrepresented minorities in lacrosse: 80% white.
17
Swimming: 75% white participants.
18
Wrestling: 65% white, 20% Hispanic, 10% Black.
19
Girls' sports: similar demographics, slightly higher white %.
20
Urban schools have higher minority participation rates.
Interpretation
Demographic Breakdown Interpretation
The demographic breakdown of high school sports is dominated by White participation at 54.2%, while Black and Hispanic students make up 12.1% and 22.5% respectively, showing a wide gap between the largest group and the next most represented communities.
02 · Category
Gender Breakdown22 stats
01
In 2022-23, boys outnumbered girls in participation by 1,438,251.
02
Boys' participation rate was 60.9% of total high school athletes in 2022-23.
03
Girls made up 39.1% of participants with 3,209,859 in 2022-23.
04
Female participation grew 2.0% in 2022-23 to 3.5 million since 2018-19.
05
Boys' sports teams sponsored: 208,438 in 2022-23.
06
Girls' teams: 191,444 sponsored in 2022-23.
07
In 1971, only 294,015 girls participated vs. 3.7 million boys.
08
By 2022-23, girls' participation up 1,106% since Title IX in 1972.
09
Boys' participation increased 5.3% from 1971 to 2022-23.
10
In basketball, 551,373 boys vs. 412,388 girls in 2022-23.
11
Track & field: 605,354 boys, 487,527 girls.
12
Soccer: 459,028 boys, 390,070 girls in 2022-23.
13
Volleyball girls: 453,403, boys: 66,147 in 2022-23.
14
Softball girls: 367,230 vs. baseball boys 482,740.
15
In California CIF, girls were 47% of participants in 2022-23.
16
Texas UIL: boys 55%, girls 45% of 873,000 athletes.
17
New York NYSPHSAA: nearly equal, girls 49% in 2022-23.
18
Florida FHSAA girls: 42% of total participation.
19
Illinois IHSA boys 52%, girls 48%.
20
Per Aspen, 3.4 million girls in high school sports in 2019.
21
Boys football dominates with 1 million, girls no equivalent.
22
In 2021-22, girls' participation up 0.5% post-COVID.
Interpretation
Gender Breakdown Interpretation
In the gender breakdown of high school sports participation for 2022-23, boys made up 60.9% with 1,438,251 more participants than girls, while girls still accounted for 39.1% and grew 2.0% since 2018-19 to about 3.5 million.
03 · Category
Overall Participation Numbers26 stats
01
In the 2022-23 school year, 7,857,969 students participated in high school sports across 51 state associations, a 0.9% increase from 2021-22.
02
Total high school sports participants reached 7.8 million in 2021-22, with boys at 4,531,232 and girls at 3,318,727.
03
High school athletic participation totaled 7,937,522 in the 2018-19 school year before the pandemic decline.
04
In 2019-20, participation stood at 7,937,948 students nationwide.
05
Pre-COVID peak was 7,980,886 participants in the 2017-18 school year.
06
7.6 million students played high school sports in 2020-21 despite disruptions.
07
Participation rebounded to 7,849,824 in 2022-23 from pandemic lows.
08
11-player football had 1,004,872 participants in 2022-23.
09
Across 19,279 high schools, average sports sponsorship was 20.72 teams per school in 2022-23.
10
Total sponsored teams numbered 399,882 in the 2022-23 school year.
11
High school participation rate was 11.08 students per 100 total enrollment in 2022-23.
12
Boys' participation totaled 4,648,110 in 2022-23, up 1.2% from prior year.
13
Girls' sports saw 3,209,859 participants in 2022-23.
14
In 2010-11, total participants were 7,628,676.
15
7,980,886 total athletes in 2017-18 across all NFHS member associations.
16
Participation dipped to 4,538,058 in fall 2020 sports only due to COVID.
17
7.9 million high schoolers in sports in 2019, per Aspen Institute.
18
Nearly 8 million students played sports in 2018-19.
19
In California, 2022-23 saw over 800,000 high school sports participants.
20
Texas high schools had 873,000 athletes in 2022-23.
21
New York state reported 412,000 participants in 2022-23.
22
Florida's FHSAA counted 445,000 high school athletes in 2022-23.
23
Illinois IHSA had 390,000 participants in 2022-23.
24
Ohio OHSAA reported 360,000 athletes.
25
Pennsylvania PIAA had 310,000 high school sports participants.
26
Michigan MHSAA counted 280,000 in 2022-23.
Interpretation
Overall Participation Numbers Interpretation
Across the overall participation numbers, high school sports rebounded to 7,857,969 participants in 2022 to 23, showing a modest 0.9% rise from 2021 to 22 after slipping from the 7.9 million range before the pandemic.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sport Specific Participation25 stats
01
Boys track & field led with 612,234 participants in 2021-22.
02
Outdoor track & field girls: 488,782 in 2021-22.
03
Basketball boys: 551,373, girls: 413,522 in 2021-22.
04
11-player football: 1,006,013 boys in 2021-22.
05
Baseball: 491,790 participants in 2021-22.
06
Softball girls: 370,738 in 2021-22.
07
Girls volleyball: 454,936 in 2021-22.
08
Soccer boys: 459,616, girls: 391,404 in 2021-22.
09
Wrestling: 268,325 boys in 2021-22.
10
Spirit squads (cheer/dance/poms): 196,401 girls.
11
In 2022-23, lacrosse boys: 113,313, girls: 96,562.
12
Competitive spirit: 12,328 participants in 2022-23.
13
Girls swimming & diving: 173,615 in 2022-23.
14
Bowling grew to 21,499 participants total.
15
Flag football girls emerging with 15,235 in 2022-23.
16
In California, basketball most popular with 90,000+ boys.
17
Texas football: 170,000 boys participants annually.
18
NY volleyball girls: 55,000.
19
Florida track & field: over 60,000 combined.
20
Illinois football: 65,000 boys.
21
Ohio wrestling: 20,000 boys.
22
Pennsylvania soccer: 30,000 girls.
23
Michigan basketball: 45,000 total.
24
Emerging sport girls lacrosse: 102,000 nationwide.
25
Boys volleyball up 10% to 61,000.
Interpretation
Sport Specific Participation Interpretation
For sport specific participation in 2021-22, 11-player football stands out with 1,006,013 boy participants, far ahead of other sports like boys track and field at 612,234 and boys basketball at 551,373.
05 · Category
Trends And Changes Over Time21 stats
01
Participation increased 2.5% overall from 2021-22 to 2022-23.
02
From 2018-19 peak of 7.9M to 7.6M in 2020-21, down 5% due to COVID.
03
Girls' participation up 1,106% since 1971-72.
04
Boys steady at ~4.5M since 2000s.
05
Football peaked at 1,086,996 in 2008-09, now 1M.
06
Girls' basketball from 100K in 1971 to 400K+.
07
Lacrosse up 200% since 2000, now 200K+ combined.
08
Bowling doubled from 10K to 22K since 2000.
09
Boys volleyball +67% since 2009.
10
Decline in wrestling from 250K to 240K post-2010.
11
Post-COVID rebound: +4.5% in 2022-23 over 2020-21.
12
Flag football girls +20% year-over-year.
13
Overall participation flat since 2010 at ~7.8M.
14
Hispanic participation +50% since 2010.
15
In CA, participation recovered 95% post-COVID.
16
TX football stable at 160K-170K yearly.
17
NY girls soccer +15% decade.
18
FL track steady at 50K+.
19
IL basketball up 5% post-pandemic.
20
OH wrestling down 10% since 2015.
21
National participation per capita down from 12% to 11% enrollment.
Interpretation
Trends And Changes Over Time Interpretation
Across the Trends And Changes Over Time, participation rebounded with a 2.5% increase from 2021 to 2022 and girls’ involvement surged 1,106% since 1971-72, even as the overall total fell from a 2018-19 high of 7.9M to 7.6M in 2020-21 due to COVID.
report visual · Breakdown
Participation split by gender (2022–23)
In 2022–23, boys accounted for the majority of high school sports participants, while girls made up a substantial share.
60.9%
Boys' participation rate was 60.9% of total high school athletes in 2022-23.
39.1%
Girls made up 39.1% of participants with 3,209,859 in 2022-23.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). High School Sports Participation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/high-school-sports-participation-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "High School Sports Participation Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/high-school-sports-participation-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "High School Sports Participation Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/high-school-sports-participation-statistics.
Sources & references
13 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level