PARTICIPATION PERCENTAGE IN ATHLETIC PROGRAMS INCREASES FOR EIGHTH STRAIGHT YEAR

(Franklin, MA - June 2008)  The percentage of athletic participation by high school students at MIAA member schools increased for the eighth consecutive year.  While the total number of student-athletes dropped by just over 300, overall attendance at MIAA Member High Schools dropped by over 1,700, helping raise the total percentage of athletic participation to nearly 70%.  Figures collected from 369 member schools indicate that 212,826 student athletes participated on high school teams.  (The methodology of the survey does not account for students who play more than one sport).  This figure represents an athletic participation decrease from the previous year but an overall percentage increase in athletic participation.   Seventeen boys’ sports and sixteen girls’ sports were included in this survey.  The boys’ participation number this year decreased by just over 300 while girls’ participation increased by 30 over last year.

Football continued to have the highest number of participants with 21,758 players, however, this figure represents a decrease of 411 student-athletes from the previous year.  Once again soccer was the most popular girls’ sport with 12,530 participants, increasing by 39 athletes.    Participation in girls’ outdoor track remained the second most popular female sport with 11,438 athletes. Participation in lacrosse was once again the largest growing boys’ sport. 335 more student-athletes played boys' lacrosse than the year before. Girls’ volleyball leaped past lacrosse as the largest growing girls’ sport with an increase in participation of 459 athletes. Close behind girls’ volleyball is girls’ lacrosse and indoor track with increases of 412 and 363 athletes respectively.