MHSAA Adjusts Fall Restart Schedule

December 22, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has adjusted its schedule to conclude Fall tournaments in football, volleyball and girls swimming & diving today after receiving full details and requirements for the pilot rapid testing program being provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) as an opportunity for teams and individuals to conclude their seasons amid a pause due to COVID-19.

Due to requirements and need for more direction from MDHHS that will be forthcoming in the next week, the MHSAA has instructed schools still participating in those sports to suspend practice immediately. The MHSAA also is working to update dates of competition to better reflect the testing schedule. Taking part is the MDHHS testing pilot is a requirement for athletes to participate in the final competitions in these sports.

Fall teams taking part in the pilot program are expected to receive rapid-result antigen tests and more instruction by Tuesday, Dec. 29. The MDHHS on Dec. 28-29 will be conducting webinars to train school personnel who will be involved in the testing process. Once the first tests have been administered on Wednesday, Dec. 30, full team practices may commence. If schools are delayed in the start of testing, those schools may begin practice once individuals have had one negative test.

With teams restarting practice Dec. 30 at the earliest, competition dates also could be rescheduled. Confirmation of updated tournament dates will be announced soon on the MHSAA Website.

MHSAA Member High Schools Report Highest Participation Since 2018-19

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

July 17, 2025

MHSAA member high schools reported a combined participation of 275,684 athletes in MHSAA-sponsored tournament sports during the 2024-25 school year – the highest number of participants in those activities since 2018-19 and despite another decrease in combined enrollment across those 754 schools.

This past year’s participation total was 5,020 students – or 1.9 percent – higher than in 2023-24, while enrollment at member schools fell by 1.3 percent. Boys participation was up 1.9 percent to 161,329 – also its highest since 2018-19 – and girls participation was up 1.8 percent to 114,355, its highest count since 2019-20. MHSAA participation totals count students once for each sport in which they participate, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once.

Two sports set participation records during 2024-25. Boys track & field counted 24,759 participants – a 3.7 percent increase from a year ago in breaking its previous record from 2005-06. Girls lacrosse participation was up 0.9 percent from last year to 3,970 participants in setting a record for the second-straight season.

Another 15 sports saw participation increases this past school year. Girls tennis saw an increase of 6.4 percent to 9,485 athletes, followed by boys and girls wrestling’s combined increase of 5.2 percent to 12,422 participants – with boys wrestling participation up 3 percent and girls up an incredible 24 percent to 1,505 athletes. Girls track & field (18,108 athletes) and boys cross country (8,209) also saw some of the largest jumps at 4.5 and 4.1 percent, respectively.

Also reporting increased participation during 2024-25 were boys tennis (3.7 percent, 6,163 total athletes), football (3 percent, 36,210), girls volleyball (2.9 percent, 19,679), boys golf (2.7 percent, 7,416), girls competitive cheer (2.4 percent, 6,319), boys basketball (1.7 percent, 20,541), girls cross country (1.4 percent, 6,826), boys soccer (1.1 percent, 14,112), boys bowling (1 percent, 4,333), boys swimming & diving (0.9 percent, 4,073), and girls soccer (0.7 percent, 11,090).

Although 11 sports saw participation decreases during 2024-25 from the previous school year, those for girls basketball (-0.4 percent) and boys ice hockey (-0.7 percent) were lower than the 1.3-percent enrollment decline at MHSAA member schools.

Football remains the most popular sport in terms of participation at MHSAA member high schools, with that total of 36,210 athletes its highest since 2017-18. Girls volleyball remained the most popular girls sport in 2024-25, with its 19,679 athletes the highest total since 2012-13.

The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for compiling of its national participation survey. Results of Michigan surveys from the 2000-01 school year to present may be viewed the "Sports Participation Listing" page.

The following chart shows participation figures for the 2024-25 school year from MHSAA member schools for sports in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament:

 

BOYS

 

GIRLS

 

Sport

Schools (A)

Participants

Schools (A)

Participants (B)

Baseball

650/9

16,044

-

-/13

Basketball

741/2

20,536

689

13,063/5

Bowling

408/12

4,312

380

2,689/21

Competitive Cheer

-

-

335

6,319

Cross Country

658/3

8,205

626

6,826/4

Football - 11 player

522/65

33,427

-

-/79

                 8-player

132/12

2,692

-

-/12

Golf

535/46

7,333

390

3,970/83

Gymnastics

-

-

86

497

Ice Hockey

285/12

3,092

-

-/15

Lacrosse

173/11

5,023

134

3,194/15

Skiing

106

762

111

727

Soccer

485/13

14,063

470

11,909/49

Softball

-

-

616

11,368

Swimming & Diving

266/17

4,031

276

4,648/42

Tennis

288/15

6,133

328

9,485/30

Track & Field

685

24,759

677

18,108

Volleyball

-

-

731

19,679

Wrestling

503

10,917

 379

1,505

(A) The first number is the number of schools reporting sponsorship on the Sports Participation Survey, including primary and secondary schools in cooperative programs as of May 15, 2025. The second number indicates the number of schools that had girls playing on teams consisting primarily of boys.

(B) The second number indicates the number of additional girls playing on teams consisting primarily of boys and entered in boys competition.

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.