High school sports participation data: What do the trends tell us about Massachusetts?

Reports from private and boarding schools, as well as club sport participation, are not included in the data set, which is compiled through voluntary surveys. That means the data cannot account for athletes eschewing scholastic competition to play on travel teams and with elite clubs.

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Although it may not be entirely comprehensive, it is a well-proven method to determine what’s trending in high school sports. Let’s look at how — and why — certain sports have changed in the last decade.

Take a look at the top sports nationally and in Massachusetts. Click the blue buttons to change to the boys’ or girls’ data.

Boys participation in Massachusetts has declined 1.47 percent since 2015-16, from 125,750 athletes to 123,899. Girls participation has fallen more deeply: 4.95 percent, from 100,505 athletes to 95,529.

In the last decade, the boys’ sports that lost the most athletes were baseball and football. Baseball’s participation numbers dropped from 12,720 athletes to 10,347, an 18.66 percent decrease. Football participation went from 19,756 to 16,185 players, a 18.1 percent decrease.

On the girls’ side, swimming and diving took a 30.78 percent hit, and tuck-diving went from 4,237 participants to 2,933.

Cross-country also fell from 6,063 to 4,426, a 27 percent decline. Softball saw a 20.64 percent decrease (from 9,524 to 7,558).

In the summer of 2018, the MIAA sanctioned girls’ wrestling. Since then it has taken off, with participation increasing from 154 to 479 wrestlers — a rise of 211.04 percent.

A surge in female youth golf participation has helped grow numbers from 616 to 782 in Massachusetts, good for a 26.95 percent increase. Golf has enjoyed a boom across all levels since the pandemic.

Boys’ volleyball has seen an increase in participation — a 55.18 percent jump in players in the last decade, from 2,539 to 3,940. The sport is now offered by 167 schools in the Commonwealth.

After girls’ wrestling, it’s flag football — even though it is not a MIAA-sanctioned offering yet. The Patriots launched a girls’ flag football league in 2023, which began with eight teams. The league has grown to 56 teams with 853 athletes, exploding as a spring option.

Flag football is relatively inexpensive, can be learned quickly, and allows for large teams, making it easily accessible. The sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will only increase its visibility and popularity.

There are two sports with a low barrier to entry, cost-wise, compared to other sports.

In the last 10 years, outdoor track and field has increased from 14,221 athletes to 15,415, a 8.4 percent increase. Soccer has gone from 14,056 players to 14,748, a 4.92 percent bump. They are the second- and third-most popular in the state.

The decline in football participation in Massachusetts is more pronounced than it is nationally. The 18.08 percent decrease pales in comparison to the 3.42 percent drop over the same 10-year period nationwide

Even if the time frame is cut, the difference on a state vs. national level is profound. Massachusetts is down 5.28 percent the last five years, while the nationwide percentage is up 7.18 percent. It is worth noting that football is still the most popular sport in Massachusetts.

So, why are numbers dwindling in Massachusetts?

“The amount of time it takes to be a football player, and then the limited amount of games — that, to me, is a big thing,” said Milton coach Steve Dembowski. “And then the fact that we can’t give them more coaching is another thing. The communities have failing youth programs, and that leads to ‘Oh, well we don’t have football this fall, let’s go do an extra soccer season, or let’s go do a lacrosse season, or let’s go get AAU basketball,’ and those kids don’t come back.”

Largely, the stronger a town’s youth system is — regardless of sport — the more popular its high school program is..

The decline could also be attributed to New England’s large contingent of prep schools.

Massachusetts has always been a hockey state.

Of course, the game has deviated from its grassroots origin. The rise of prep school hockey, full-season club, and newly formed hockey academies encompass the Wild West of opportunities. At every fork in the road, the sell is clear: this is the right way to get to the next level.

“You can still play high school hockey and move on. I still think there’s a very good product,” said Marshfield boys’ hockey coach Dan Connolly.

An example: Will Manchuso, who played at Concord-Carlisle before transferring to St. Mark’s, skated at Boston Bruins rookie camp this fall, alongside James Hagens. Manchuso, 18, is committed to Dartmouth and is skating for the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season.

What about the girls’ side? There’s no shortage of examples. One in particular: Caroline Doherty, Hingham High’s career leader in points (234), will join Holy Cross after she spent a postgraduate year at Williston Northampton.

“At the high school level, the MIAA level, I think it’s in a pretty good spot,” said Duxbury girls’ hockey coach Dan Najarian. “I think the MIAA has done a decent job allowing co-ops and things of that nature to allow girls to play at the high school level that wouldn’t otherwise have it.

“I think the top-level talent is better than it was four, five years ago. I think the overall level of play is the same.”

From the source Cam Kerry can be reached at [email protected].