MICHIGAN — Michigan high school sports participation continues to outpace the state’s national population ranking.
According to a new national participation study from the National Federation of State High School Associations, Michigan ranked eighth nationwide for overall high school sports participation during the 2024–25 school year.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association reports a total of 298,246 athletic participations, with Michigan ranking seventh nationally for boys and eighth for girls, despite ranking 10th in high school-aged population.
Football participation climbed to fifth nationally, while girls track and field moved up to sixth. Several other sports, including ice hockey, tennis, cross country and gymnastics, also improved their national rankings.
Nationally, high school sports participation surpassed 8.2 million students, marking a second consecutive year above the eight-million mark.
Texas, California and Ohio led the nation in total participation, with Michigan ranking eighth overall.