High school sports participation continued its post-pandemic momentum last school year with a fifth consecutive increase to a record 8,415,684 participants, up 2% over the prior year, according to the annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey. The 2025-26 tally included surges in girls flag football and wrestling and stabilization in the nation’s leading sport, boys 11-player football. A 3% increase in total girls’ participation to 3,652,315 was matched by a 1% uptick in boys’ participation to 4,763,369. The continuous rise since lockdowns translated into total participation up 6% over the ... Log in to view full article.