Participation in high school sports in Michigan has been on the rise for the third consecutive school year, despite a 2% decrease in school enrollment among the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s 754 member high schools. In the 2023-24 school year, a total of 270,664 participants were counted across the 28 sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments, representing a 0.97% increase from the previous year. This increase is particularly noteworthy considering the overall decline in school enrollment.
Boys’ participation in high school sports rose by 1.1% to 158,260 athletes, while girls’ participation increased by 0.7% to 112,377 athletes. It is important to note that these figures count students once for each sport in which they participate, meaning that students who are involved in multiple sports are counted more than once. The increase in boys’ participation in the 2023-24 school year marks the highest level since 2018-19, indicating a positive trend in high school sports engagement.
While only 11 sports saw increases in participation during the 2023-24 school year, two sports set new participation records. Girls’ golf reported 3,936 athletes, a 6.2% increase from the previous year and the highest number since 2002-03. Similarly, girls’ lacrosse broke its previous record set in 2019-20 with 3,245 athletes, marking a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Wrestling reported the largest increase in participation for the second consecutive school year, with a 12.8% rise to 11,814 athletes. This increase was largely driven by the significant growth in girls’ participation in the sport, which saw a 39% jump with 1,216 female wrestlers in the 2023-24 season. Girls’ tennis also experienced a notable increase in participation, rising by 9.1% to 8,911 athletes, the highest number since 2018-19.
Both girls’ and boys’ track and field have seen consistent growth for the third consecutive year, with girls’ participation increasing by 5.2% to 17,325 competitors and boys’ participation rising by 2.9% to 23,888 athletes. Other sports that showed increases in participation include boys’ soccer, girls’ competitive cheer, and football.
Despite the overall positive trend in high school sports participation, 17 sports saw lower participation in the 2023-24 school year compared to the previous year. However, five sports experienced decreases smaller than the overall 1.8% loss in school enrollment, indicating relative stability in those programs.
The participation figures collected by the MHSAA are submitted annually to the National Federation of State High School Associations for its national participation survey. These numbers reflect the ongoing commitment of Michigan high school students to athletic engagement and highlight the importance of sports in the overall high school experience. The detailed breakdown of participation by sport can be accessed on the MHSAA website for further analysis and comparison.
