After a slight downturn during the Covid-19 pandemic, youth sports are back—and stronger than ever! Last year, the number of high school athletes in the U.S. surpassed 8 million for the first time. Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the National Federation of State High School Associations, thinks this is fantastic news. “Our country, our schools, and our community still value the concept that we should provide opportunities for kids to play high school sports,” she says.
Kids from elementary through high school are participating. They’re playing classics like basketball and soccer as well as up-and-coming sports like bass fishing and archery. Some sports—like girls wrestling and flag football—are seeing sky-high growth. During the 2023-24 school year, flag football saw a 173% increase in participation. “Flag is not just growing, it’s exploding,” says Niehoff.
The NFL is getting in on the game too. All 32 NFL teams are donating to a grant program to help states purchase equipment for flag football. “Girls sports are finally receiving the investment, national attention, and opportunities they’ve long deserved,” says Alex Kerman, from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Niehoff adds that 50% of the girls now playing flag football were not playing an organized sport previously. “These are kids that needed a place to play, and they found it,” she says.