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Message
High school football participation drops to lowest point since 1999
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:12 pm
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:12 pm
quote:
The good news: Football is still the most popular sport in America for high school boys. A total of 14,247 high schools sponsored 11-man football in 2018, with 1,006,013 boys dotting those rosters, putting football well ahead of track and field (605,354), basketball (540,769) and baseball (482,740), according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations released last month.
The bad news: That 1.006 million figure is the sport’s lowest in nearly 20 years. The last time the nation’s high school football participation figure stood this low was 1999, when 1,002,734 players participated in the sport.
The United States population was 279.3 million in 1999; it stands at an estimated 327.2 million today. This means that one in every 278.5 US citizens played high school football in 1999; today, that ratio stands at one in every 325.2.
Total participation peaked in 2008, when 1,112,303 boys (one in every 273.5 US citizens) and has been in decline in the decade since. While participation fell in small, steady increments in the first part of the previous decade — only one year between 2009 and ’15 saw a 1 percent decrease, and 2013 actually saw a slight uptick — the last three years have seen participation rates in free fall.
quote:
If 2019 sees another decrease, 11-man football participation among high school boys could drop below 1 million for the first time since 1998, when the United States had 51 million fewer citizens.
quote:
As referenced when compared to the overall United States population, though today’s raw numbers are similar to 1998-99, the per capita numbers are actually well below that. In 1998-00, 26 percent of high school boys involved in sports played football. Today, that number is 22 percent.
LINK and LINK
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Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:13 pm to Dr RC
Thats interesting, i would think that as media and social platforms become more accessible at a younger age, more kids would be interested in becoming a football player
This post was edited on 9/17/19 at 2:18 pm
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:15 pm to 225Tyga
^^ this is what happens when you rush to be witty and be the first comment in the thread
You say some unfunny shite that doesn’t even make sense
You say some unfunny shite that doesn’t even make sense
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:17 pm to Mr. Hangover
quote:
^^ this is what happens when you rush to be witty and be the first comment in the thread
You say some unfunny shite that doesn’t even make sense
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:18 pm to Mr. Hangover
By mid-century football will be an afterthought. A game played by knuckle dragging cretins in the days of yesteryear
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:19 pm to Dr RC
Damn media and their fear mongering.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:22 pm to Dr RC
Those numbers are kinda hard to compare, though. HS varsity football teams have between 40-70 kids on them usually. Basketball has around 12 or 13. And baseball has about 15-18. Basketball and Baseball don't let just any ole baw join the team. In football, if you can fog up a mirror and don't mind getting hit, they will take you usually.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:22 pm to genuineLSUtiger
I think football will see the elimination of special teams (outside of field goals) and 3/4 point stances before it gets too drastic. Maybe also require tackles for a player to be down to reduce people flinging themselves. It's all about eliminating that stigma of injury and brain trauma.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:25 pm to Dr RC
Good.. better chance for my boy to make it pro
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:26 pm to GhostofJackson
If they would remove the facemasks, it would eliminate people flying in tackling with their heads. People would learn to tackle properly and concussions would go way down.
That pederast enabler Joe Paterno suggested this back in the 90s.
That pederast enabler Joe Paterno suggested this back in the 90s.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:26 pm to 225Tyga
Kids are lazy these days.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:27 pm to oleyeller
I feel like there are more 5’6” white guys in the NFL than ever before.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:35 pm to Dr RC
Isn't youth participation down for pretty much every sport nowadays? Kids have way more entertainment and extracurricular options today than ever before.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:37 pm to Dr RC
Posted in another thread about how participation rates in youth football here in Monroe/WM area has fallen close to 25%, or a quarter, from rates a decade ago.
Some age groups have only 4 teams down from 8 when a friend if mine coached years back.
The sport is a slow dying sport.
The NFL is already getting ahead of the curve by pushing drama BS and influencing games and teams to their banking on those markets to help them in the future.
Some age groups have only 4 teams down from 8 when a friend if mine coached years back.
The sport is a slow dying sport.
The NFL is already getting ahead of the curve by pushing drama BS and influencing games and teams to their banking on those markets to help them in the future.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:45 pm to Bench McElroy
quote:
Isn't youth participation down for pretty much every sport nowadays?
Here's what I found on a quick Google search.
LINK
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:45 pm to 187undercover
College football will keep the sport going in the SE.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:52 pm to Colonel Angus
quote:
In football, if you can fog up a mirror and don't mind getting hit, they will take you usually.
That’s small town football, and one of the reasons participation is falling. Small towns are dying across America, especially the South and Midwest. Those schools are shrinking, closing, or consolidating with other schools.
Cities, especially suburbs are booming across the South and West. People are moving into areas with huge schools that have thousands of students.
There are a lot of 5’8” and 160 lb. kids out there that don’t play football, but had fathers, uncles, and cousins play a generation ago.
No one ever mentions they don’t play because they couldn’t make the team or would never get on the field. Participation is falling, but it’s also being concentrated and opportunities are being eliminated for the average high schooler.
Posted on 9/17/19 at 2:55 pm to Dr RC
Good thing gronk found the cure for cte
Posted on 9/17/19 at 3:06 pm to GetCocky11
damn, hockey blowing up y'all. Go Isles 
rags btw
rags btw
Posted on 9/17/19 at 3:07 pm to Dr RC
Not surprising. My son's e-sports team could not only mop the floor with any of the troglodytes from the football team in Gears of War, he will also have higher earnings power in his career. Also he and his friends tend to get more attention from the female classmates. Newsflash kids: Best stop wasting time learning route trees and start learning Python.
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