Participation Rises to 4-Year High
July 10, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
While enrollment in MHSAA member high schools saw another slight dip in 2017-18, participation in the 28 sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments rose to its highest point since 2013-14.
A total of 284,920 participants competed in MHSAA-sponsored sports this past school year, up 0.46 percent from 2016-17 – and despite a 1 percent drop in enrollment at member schools during that time. The overall 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.
Girls participation rose for the third straight year to 121,349 participants, up 1.2 percent from 2016-17 and despite a 1.1 percent enrollment drop over the last year. Boys participation fell to 163,571 participants, a decrease of less than a tenth of a percent from the previous year – and much smaller than the boys enrollment decrease of nearly a full percent.
Girls lacrosse has set a participation record every season since becoming a sponsored tournament sport in 2005, and did so this spring with 2,900 participants – a 3.1 percent increase from a year ago. Boys lacrosse also set a record for the second year in a row, up 1.1 percent with 5,168 participants. Both boys and girls bowling broke records previously set in 2015-16 – boys bowling participation increased 8.4 percent over 2016-17 with 4,136 participants, while girls bowling was up 4.5 percent with 3,058 athletes. Also setting a record in 2017-18 was boys cross country, which saw record participation for the second straight season last fall with 9,656 runners (an increase of 2.6 percent).
The largest percentage increase in participation this school year came in girls gymnastics, which jumped 10.4 percent with 702 athletes – its most since 2011-12. Girls golf also enjoyed a notable increase, up 4.2 percent to 3,712 athletes – its highest participation total since 2007-08.
Six sports total saw increases in participation on both the girls and boys’ sides. In addition to bowling and lacrosse, girls cross country joined the record-setting boys with a 2.4 percent increase. Girls and boys swimming & diving both enjoyed increases for the second straight year, this time both by 2.4 percent. Girls tennis was up 2.3 percent to its highest total (9,123) since 2012-13, and boys tennis participation increased by one percent. Boys track & field (1.5 percent) increased for the third straight year, while girls track & field (1.6 percent) was up for the second consecutive.
Volleyball led participation among girls sports with 19,416 participants, up 1.8 percent from 2016-17. Other sports to see increases in 2017-18 were girls skiing, up 2.8 percent as participation increased for the second straight season; boys basketball, up a half percent; and girls soccer, which had four more athletes this spring than during the 2017 season.
Also of note in this year’s survey:
• The increase in participation for 18 sports during 2017-18 was compared to an increase in 16 sports for 2016-17 and 15 sports in 2015-16.
• Of 10 sports that saw decreases in participation in 2017-18, five were down less than a percent. Competitive cheer had five fewer athletes but 6,715 total, and there were three fewer boys golfers to take that total to 2,267. Boys skiing was down six athletes total to 831, while boys soccer was down 11 athletes and girls softball down 31 – both less than a quarter of a percent off their 2016-17 totals.
• Football experienced a much smaller decrease in participation last season than it had from 2015-16 to 2016-17, falling only 1.9 percent to 37,002 athletes – still the most participating in any sport by more than 13,000 athletes. The combined number of 11 and 8-player varsity teams sponsored by MHSAA schools last fall remained constant compared to recent seasons, although a shift of some programs from 11-player to 8-player continued.
The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations for compiling of its national participation survey. Results of Michigan surveys from the 2000-01 school year to present may be viewed by clicking here.
The following chart shows participation figures for the 2017-18 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 |
642/655/5 |
17,668 |
- |
0/7 |
|
Basketball |
730/729/1 |
21,367 |
691/723 |
15,654/5 |
|
Bowling |
385/391/18 |
4,098 |
360/381 |
3,058/38 |
|
Competitive Cheer |
- |
- |
343/353 |
6,715 |
|
Cross Country |
640/651/4 |
9,650 |
620/650 |
8,696/6 |
|
Football - 11 player |
578/582/89 |
35,475 |
- |
0/108 |
|
8-player |
71/74/10 |
1,406 |
- |
0/13 |
|
Golf |
506/530/66 |
6,146 |
340/339 |
3,712/121 |
|
Gymnastics |
- |
- |
83/96 |
702 |
|
Ice Hockey |
240/269/9 |
3,353 |
- |
292/12 |
|
Lacrosse |
154/161/5 |
5,161 |
109/113 |
2,900/7 |
|
Skiing |
96/107/1 |
830 |
95/107 |
767/1 |
|
Soccer |
484/506/20 |
14,550 |
468/483 |
13,216/69 |
|
Softball |
- |
- |
624/643 |
13,610 |
|
Swimming & Diving |
246/274/14 |
5,020 |
261/280 |
5,732/78 |
|
Tennis |
295/309/12 |
6,134 |
332/340 |
9,123/31 |
|
Track & Field |
668/686/2 |
23,566 |
659/685 |
17,288/14 |
|
Volleyball |
- |
- |
715/717 |
19,416 |
|
Wrestling |
467/482/152 |
9,147 |
- |
126/250 |
(A) The first number is the number of schools reporting sponsorship on the Sports Participation Survey. The second number indicates schools sponsoring the sport including primary and secondary schools in cooperative programs as of May 14, 2018. The third 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, w
Michigan's Ranking for High School Sports Participation Continues to Outpace Population
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 4, 2026
Michigan enjoyed the sixth-highest boys participation in high school sports nationally in 2025-26, moving up one spot in that ranking, and maintained its girls and overall rankings of eighth as well – continuing to outpace where it ranks nationally for population of school-aged children according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Michigan’s overall participation ranking was based on a total of 295,634 participants, data collected as part of the annual national participation study conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) – of which the Michigan High School Athletic Association is a member. That total number of participants counts students once for each sport played, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once.
A total of 171,573 boys participants moved Michigan up to sixth nationally on that list, after ranking seventh the past two school years and ninth in 2022-23. The girls total of 124,061 participants ranked eighth for the third-straight school year after Michigan was listed ninth for girls participation also in 2022-23.
Meanwhile, Michigan continued to rank 10th for both high school-aged boys and girls populations – and all high school-aged children combined – according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Three sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments moved up on their respective national lists. Michigan counted the fifth-most boys basketball players, the state’s highest ranking in that sport since 2012-13 and two spots ahead of 2024-25. Girls competitive cheer also moved up two spots to ninth nationally, and boys wrestling moved up one spot on its list to seventh.
Participation in several more MHSAA sports continued to outpace the state’s ranking for high school-aged population.
For girls, bowling (third), tennis (third), golf (fourth), cross country (sixth), track & field (sixth), volleyball (sixth), basketball (seventh), softball (eighth), swimming & diving (eighth), and soccer (ninth) joined cheer in ranking higher than their population listing of 10th nationally. Among boys sports, bowling (second), ice hockey (fourth), golf (fifth), track & field (fifth), tennis (sixth), football (all contact formats combined – sixth), cross country (seventh), swimming & diving (eighth), baseball (ninth) and lacrosse (ninth) joined basketball and wrestling in exceeding the boys ranking of 10th for population. Boys soccer participation placed 10th on its national list.
Only 12 states sponsor alpine skiing, but Michigan again ranked third on both the girls and boys lists for that sport.
Nationally, participation in high school sports increased for the fifth consecutive year and set another record, with the total of 8,415,684 participants an increase of 1.8 percent from 2024-25. The total included 4,761,095 boys and 3,654,589 girls – both record highs as well – according to figures obtained from the 51 NFHS member state associations, which include Washington, D.C.
Eleven-player football remained the most popular boys (and overall) sport, totaling 1,043,716 athletes. Next on the boys list were outdoor track & field, basketball, soccer, baseball, wrestling, cross country, golf, tennis, and swimming & diving, respectively, repeating the same top 10 as in 2024-25.
For girls, the top nine sports remained the same from the previous year – outdoor track & field, volleyball and soccer, in that order, followed by basketball, softball, competitive spirit, tennis, cross country and swimming & diving, respectively. Flag football moved ahead of lacrosse into the 10th spot this past school year.
Texas (911,405) and California (859,022) remained atop the list for overall state participation. Ohio (347,994) ranked third, followed by Illinois (326,756), Pennsylvania (315,647), New York (312,563), Florida (311,233), Michigan (295,634), New Jersey (273,711) and Minnesota (241,536).
The NFHS participation survey was started in 1971 and compiled in its current form through the 2018-19 school year, resuming annually with the 2021-22 survey.
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS writes playing rules for 18 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and Washington, D.C., the NFHS reaches more than 19,800 high schools and 12 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 8.4 million in high school sports.
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.