And what a season it’s been in high school sports for 2023-24! For the first time ever, we’ve smashed through the 8 million participant mark. That’s right—over 8 million students laced up their cleats, strapped on their helmets, and hit the courts and fields across the country, setting a new record and showing that high school athletics are back with a vengeance!

Let’s break it down, folks: We’ve got 4.6 million boys and 3.4 million girls stepping up, both hitting record highs! Football continues to be the king of the hill for the boys, with over a million young athletes battling it out on the gridiron. And how about the girls? Flag football is on fire, more than doubling its numbers to nearly 43,000 participants. That’s a whopping 105% increase—talk about a sport on the rise!

Wrestling fans, get excited! This sport is surging too, with boys’ wrestling jumping by over 32,000 participants, bringing the total to nearly 292,000. And the girls are not to be outdone, with their wrestling numbers up by a staggering 102%, hitting over 64,000. The mats have never been busier!

Track and field remains a powerhouse in both boys’ and girls’ sports, continuing to draw huge numbers. Basketball is still a crowd favorite, holding its spot among the top sports for both boys and girls. And let’s not forget soccer—particularly for the girls, where participation keeps growing stronger year after year.

But it’s not just about the competition—high school sports are opening doors to college scholarships and boosting academic performance. These athletes aren’t just winning on the field; they’re winning in the classroom and bringing their communities together in the process.

From the classics like baseball and basketball to newer favorites like lacrosse, high schools across the country are offering a smorgasbord of sports, and the kids are eating it up. States like Massachusetts and Minnesota are leading the pack in participation rates, and sports like competitive spirit, swimming, and diving are drawing in big crowds.