Use of Participation Fees Falls Slightly
July 29, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The percentage of Michigan High School Athletic Association high schools that assessed participation fees to help fund interscholastic athletics dropped five percent during the 2014-15 school year to its lowest since 2011-12, according to the most recent survey taken by the MHSAA – although the ratio of schools assessing fees remained above 50 percent of respondents for the fifth straight year.
A total of 522 high schools – or 69 percent of the MHSAA membership – responded to the 2014-15 survey for the highest feedback rate since 2010-11. A total of 269 high schools, or 51.5 percent that took the survey, charged fees this school year, compared to 56.6 percent of schools that responded in 2013-14.
There were 753 senior high schools in the MHSAA membership in 2014-15. This was the 11th survey of schools since the 2003-04 school year, when members reported fees were being charged by 24 percent of schools. The percentage of member schools charging fees crossed 50 percent in 2010-11 and remained at 50.5 percent in 2011-12 before making a nearly five-percent jump three school years ago.
The largest drop of those charging fees in 2014-15 came at Class B schools, with 52 percent reporting fees after 62 percent reported using them in 2013-14. Class A schools saw a seven-percent decrease to 70 percent with fees, and Class D schools saw a four-percent decrease to 35 percent that assessed. Class C schools saw a one-percent increase to 47 percent assessing for participation.
Charging a standardized fee for each team on which a student-athletes participates – regardless of the number of teams – remains the most popular method among schools assessing fees, although that rate fell slightly from 41 percent of schools assessing during 2013-14 to 39 percent this school year. Schools charging a one-time standardized fee per student-athlete also fell, from 33 to 28 percent of schools that assess fees. The survey showed a slight increase in schools assessing fees based on tiers of the number of sports a student-athlete plays (for example, charging a larger fee for the first team and less for additional sports). There also was a slight increase in fees being assessed based on the specific sport being played.
The median fee by schools that charged student-athletes per sport did drop $10 to $75. Other fees remained consistent from the 2013-14 school year: the median one-time student fee at $100, the median annual maximum fee per student at $150 and the median annual maximum family fee at $300.
The survey for 2014-15 and surveys from previous years can be found on the MHSAA Website by clicking here.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 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.
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.