Sports participation on the upswing

More student athletes put in the work during the previous season, according to a press release from the NC High School Athletic Association.

With a 4.73 percent increase in participation, over 208,700 student athletes participates in NCHSAA-sanctioned sports. The number participating is up from 198,025 in the 2022-2023 school year.

Indoor track for both men’s and women’s program saw a significant increase in participation.

Twenty-one schools added a women’s program and 14 schools added men’s programs.

South Granville already has a successful indoor track program.

Women’s golf saw a large increase in the number of student athletes participating. With a 12 percent increase, 1,573 golfers participated on NCHSAA member school teams.

A total of 282 schools fielded a women’s golf program.

Falls Lake Academy has one of the most noteworthy women’s golf programs in the area.

Winter spirit (dance or cheer) made the greatest gains in 2023-2024 with sixty teams or 1,628 student athletes being added to the NCHSAA ranks.

Men’s golf and lacrosse saw an increase in participation over the previous season.

J.F. Webb is the only school that fields a lacrosse team in the immediate area.

With 436 schools under the NCHSAA umbrella, 432 schools had a men’s basketball team and women’s volleyball team, while only 383 schools had a football team. There were 29,075 student-athletes in the NCHSAA playing football, which is up over 1,200 participants.

Wrestling was not separated by gender until the 2023-2024 season, Women’s wrestling in now an officially sanctioned sport with 248 schools fielding a separate program. Over 1,400 female student athletes participated in the program last season.

Overall, the NCHSAA wresting program saw 1,329 more student athletes on the mat.

While softball saw a slight increase in participation last season, baseball saw the numbers on the diamond drop. Five high schools added a baseball program, but 153 fewer student athletes played baseball.

The NCHSAA urges people to remember the participants are students first and athletes second.

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