PARTICIPATION PERCENTAGE IN ATHLETIC PROGRAMS INCREASES
FOR NINTH STRAIGHT YEAR

(Franklin, MA - July 2009)   The percentage of athletic participation by high school students at MIAA member schools increased for the ninth consecutive year.  While the total number of student-athlete participation dropped by a mere 52 students, overall attendance at MIAA member high schools dropped by over 8,000, helping raise the total percentage of athletic participation to over 70%.  Figures collected from 372 member schools indicate that 212,774 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 69 while girls’ participation increased by 17 over last year.

Football continued to have the highest number of participants with 20,789 players, however, this figure represents a decrease of 969 student-athletes from the previous year.  Once again soccer was the most popular girls’ sport with 12,518 participants, decreasing by 12 athletes from last year.    Participation in girls’ outdoor track remained the second most popular female sport with 11,313 athletes. Participation in cross country overtook lacrosse as the largest growing boys’ sport. 473 more student-athletes ran boys' cross country than the year before. Girls’ volleyball continued as the largest growing girls’ sport with an increase in participation of 210 athletes.