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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 21, 2001
Contact: John Johnson or Randy Allen-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. - July 19 - Participation in high school sports took place in record numbers again during the 2000-01 school year at Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools across the state.

There was a total of 287, 036 participants in sports in which the Association sponsors post-season tournaments during the past school year, topping last year's mark of 282,426. Among the participants, a record 119,586 girls participants took part, up from 118,292 last year. The totals count once for each sport in which an athlete participates, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once. The participation figures for girls are up 14 percent since the 1994-95 school year. Boys are up eight percent over the same time period.

Volleyball continues to be the most popular sport for girls, with a record 21,572 participants in 2000-01, up from 19,547 in 1994-95. Other girls sports hitting their all-time highs in participation last year were competitive cheer, golf, soccer, and tennis.

The most popular boys sport continues to be football, with last year's 44,043 participants an all-time high. Other boys sports hitting new participation highs last year were ice hockey, soccer, tennis, track and field, and wrestling.

The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations for compiling its national participation survey. The results of the survey from 1990-00 may be viewed on the NFHS Web Site - www.nfhs.org.

The following chart are participation figures for the 2000-01 school year from MHSAA member schools in sports in which the Association sponsors a post-season tournament:

                       Boys                     Girls

Sport         School   Participants   Schools   Participants

Baseball      625      19,351		

Basketball    716      24,036         692       20,379/*1

Competitive Cheer                     148        3,474

Cross Country 568       7,428         531        6,287/*32

Football      607      44,043/*29

Golf          558       8,321         292        3,664/*74

Gymnastics                             90        1,163

Ice Hockey    168       3,159/*12

Skiing/Alp.    89       1,174          83          806/*6

Soccer        399      13,441         349       12,191/*133

Softball -Fast Pitch                  579       16,377

Swimming/Div. 227       4,149         245        6,428/*24

Tennis        337       7,875         341        9,008/*101

Track/Field   643      22,372         623       17,660/*12

Volleyball    689      21,572

Wrestling     455      12,101/*153

* Indicates the number of girls participating on boys teams.

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,300 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.
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