Minnesota State High School League ranks 10th in NFHS participation

Participation in education-based activities within the Minnesota State High School League increased by more than 5,000 students during the 2023-2024 school year after data was compiled for the annual NFHS Athletics Participation Survey.  

In the survey released on Tuesday, Aug. 20, Minnesota ranks 10^th nationally in participation with 224,179 students active in athletics. For the past decade, the League has ranked in the Top 10 of all state associations for participation in athletics. During the 2022-2023 school year, the League reported athletic participation of 219,094 students.  

The increase of athletics participation was reflected nationwide as a record 8,062,302 students competed during the 2023-2024 school year. The survey revealed that 4,638,785 boys participated in athletics and 3,423,517 girls participated. Those are all-time highs, according to the statistics shared by the 51 NFHS member state associations, which includes the District of Columbia. The 2023-2024 data marked the second consecutive increase after participation declined during the global pandemic. Since the NFHS conducted an initial survey following the pandemic, participation in high school athletics has increased 444,248 in two years.  

In Minnesota, an additional 51,140 students participated in League-sponsored activities that weren’t included in the nationwide survey. They are Cheer (2,850), Clay Target (8,602), Debate (1,406), Music (23,468), One Act Play (3,908), Robotics (3,948), Speech (4,611) and Visual Arts (2,347). 

“The Minnesota State High School League has a great tradition of outstanding education-based athletic and activity programs, and our students love to participate with their closest friends and classmates,” said Erich Martens, the League’s Executive Director. “The strength of our participation numbers does not happen without the great leadership and support of our coaches and administrators at our member schools and the commitment of their families.”  

Nationally, Texas and California remained atop the list of state participation.  

Participation of girls wrestling continues to grow in Minnesota with more than 1,000 students competing during the 2023-2024 school year. There were 64,257 girls wrestling participants nationally last school year, an increase of 102 percent from the 31,654 that competed in the 2021-2022 school year. Boys wrestling continues to grow with an increase of 32,443 from last school year.  

Eleven-player football across the nation added nearly 3,000 participants to a reported 1,031,508. Minnesota has 23,194 boys’ participants in football and 104 girls. Nationally, Flag Football for girls is growing dramatically. Nearly 43,000 girls participated in Flag Football in the 2023-2024 school year compared to 20,875 the previous year, an increase of 105 percent. Twelve state associations sanction Girls Flag Football. Minnesota is among 19 states with pilot programs in Girls Flag Football.