Interest in high school sports

Brian,

Part of the reason, I think, is that there is more opportunity for kids. Suddenly three kids get to play quarterback, not just one. And there are three leads in the high school play, three valedictorians and all of that jazz. More of the "every kid is special" mindset.

 

I think the larger schools is part of the reason why Texas is not as efficient at producing players as some of the other football-crazy southern states. Louisiana doesn't have these 3,000-student mega high schools and it produces more NFL players per capita. I think what happens at the big schools is late bloomers fall through the cracks and leave the sport (maybe they weren't starting on the freshman team, so they quit), so you might not have as many players college bound from a given population in Texas as you have in Louisiana, Missisippi or Alabama.

Just my pet theory.

 

Here are some stats on HS sports -7M HS athletes in the US, playing on 34,000+ basketball teams (boys and girls, 30,000 track teams (boys and girls), 14,000 + girls softball teams, almost 14,000 football teams, 13,000+ boys golf teams - here are some stats from the state high school activities Ass'n, and while football still gets a lot of attention, it seems to me that the players, coaches and parents of the other sports are every bit as intense.


B O Y S - S P O N S O R S H I P
Sport Schools % Change
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1 2 3 4 5 1
2 3 4 5 5 6
Basketball 17,135 17,135 17,333 17,389 17,482 17,535 0.00% 1.20% 0.30% 0.50% 0.30% 2.30%
Track & Field (outdoor) 15,016 15,261 15,195 15,221 15,294 15,497 1.60% -0.40% 0.20% 0.50% 1.30% 3.20%
Baseball 14,791 14,924 14,988 14,984 15,161 15,290 0.90% 0.40% 0.00% 1.20% 0.90% 3.40%
Football (11-player) 13,454 13,509 13,642 13,680 13,671 13,727 0.40% 1.00% 0.30% -0.10% 0.40% 2.00%
Golf 12,812 13,031 13,120 12,921 13,152 13,267 1.70% 0.70% -1.50% 1.80% 0.90% 3.60%
Cross Country 12,245 12,456 12,574 12,649 12,727 13,110 1.70% 0.90% 0.60% 0.60% 3.00% 7.10%
Soccer 9,846 9,903 10,103 10,219 10,392 10,580 0.60% 2.00% 1.10% 1.70% 1.80% 7.50%
Wrestling 9,404 9,578 9,543 9,526 9,562 9,744 1.90% -0.40% -0.20% 0.40% 1.90% 3.60%
Tennis 9,767 9,365 9,411 9,427 9,426 9,706 -4.10% 0.50% 0.20% 0.00% 3.00% -0.60%
Swimming & Diving 5,396 5,540 5,588 5,758 5,878 6,224 2.70% 0.90% 3.00% 2.10% 5.90% 15.30%
Track & Field (indoor) 2,092 2,242 2,135 2,185 2,295 2,394 7.20% -4.80% 2.30% 5.00% 4.30% 14.40%
Bowling 794 1,046 1,281 1,477 1,768 1,954 31.70% 22.50% 15.30% 19.70% 10.50% 146.10%
Volleyball 1,716 1,804 1,650 1,683 1,688 1,726 5.10% -8.50% 2.00% 0.30% 2.30% 0.60%
Ice Hockey 1,317 1,395 1,427 1,467 1,474 1,503 5.90% 2.30% 2.80% 0.50% 2.00% 14.10%
Lacrosse 938 992 1,107 1,156 1,334 1,395 5.80% 11.60% 4.40% 15.40% 4.60% 48.70%
TOTALS 126,723 128,181 129,097 129,742 131,304 133,652



B O Y S - P A R T I C I P A T I O N
Sport Partipants (thousands) % Change
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1 2 3 4 5 1
2 3 4 5 5 6
Football (11-player) 1012.4 1023.7 1023.1 1032.7 1045.5 1071.8 1.10% -0.10% 0.90% 1.20% 2.50% 5.90%
Basketball 539.8 540.6 540.9 544.8 545.5 546.3 0.10% 0.10% 0.70% 0.10% 0.20% 1.20%
Track & Field (outdoor) 491.8 494 498 504.8 516.7 534 0.40% 0.80% 1.40% 2.40% 3.30% 8.60%
Baseball 450.5 451.7 453.8 457.1 459.7 470.7 0.30% 0.50% 0.70% 0.60% 2.40% 4.50%
Soccer 332.9 339.1 345.2 349.8 354.6 358.9 1.90% 1.80% 1.30% 1.40% 1.20% 7.80%
Wrestling 245 244.6 239.8 238.7 243 251.5 -0.10% -2.00% -0.50% 1.80% 3.50% 2.70%
Cross Country 188.4 191 191.8 196.4 201.7 208.3 1.40% 0.40% 2.40% 2.70% 3.30% 10.60%
Golf 161.8 163.3 162.8 163.3 161 161.3 1.00% -0.30% 0.30% -1.40% 0.20% -0.30%
Tennis 143.7 139.5 144.8 152.9 148.5 153 -2.90% 3.80% 5.60% -2.90% 3.00% 6.50%
Swimming & Diving 88.8 90.7 94.6 96.6 103.8 107.5 2.10% 4.30% 2.10% 7.40% 3.60% 21.00%
Lacrosse 41.8 46.2 50 53.4 60 65 10.50% 8.20% 6.90% 12.30% 8.40% 55.50%
Track & Field (indoor) 50.7 52 51.9 51.9 56.6 59.7 2.50% -0.10% 0.00% 9.10% 5.40% 17.70%
Volleyball 39.8 40.6 39.3 40.1 41.6 42.9 2.00% -3.10% 2.00% 3.90% 3.00% 7.80%
Ice Hockey 33.1 34.7 35.2 36.2 37 36.3 4.70% 1.70% 2.70% 2.30% -2.00% 9.60%
Bowling 10.1 12.6 16 17.7 20.5 22 24.50% 27.00% 10.30% 16.30% 7.00% 117.10%
TOTALS 3830.6 3864.3 3887.2 3936.4 3995.7 4089.2

G I R L S - S P O N S O R S H I P
Sport Schools % Change
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1 2 3 4 5 1
2 3 4 5 5 6
Basketball 16,756 16,851 17,028 17,061 17,175 17,275 0.60% 1.10% 0.20% 0.70% 0.60% 3.10%
Track & Field (outdoor) 14,789 15,151 15,032 15,089 15,213 15,417 2.40% -0.80% 0.40% 0.80% 1.30% 4.20%
Softball (fast pitch) 12,177 13,807 14,007 14,181 14,493 14,710 13.40% 1.40% 1.20% 2.20% 1.50% 20.80%
Volleyball 13,597 14,083 14,244 14,181 14,526 14,578 3.60% 1.10% -0.40% 2.40% 0.40% 7.20%
Cross Country 11,736 11,976 12,083 12,235 12,345 12,989 2.00% 0.90% 1.30% 0.90% 5.20% 10.70%
Soccer 8,934 9,186 9,299 9,490 9,695 9,970 2.80% 1.20% 2.10% 2.20% 2.80% 11.60%
Tennis 9,606 9,378 9,332 9,559 9,646 9,816 -2.40% -0.50% 2.40% 0.90% 1.80% 2.20%
Golf 7,581 7,754 8,106 8,171 8,249 8,816 2.30% 4.50% 0.80% 1.00% 6.90% 16.30%
Swimming & Diving 5,733 5,935 6,120 6,176 6,238 6,559 3.50% 3.10% 0.90% 1.00% 5.10% 14.40%
Competitive Spirit 3,352 4,245 4,644 3,693 3,482 3,914 26.60% 9.40% -20.50% -5.70% 12.40% 16.80%
Track & Field (indoor) 2,042 2,141 2,080 2,096 2,220 2,308 4.80% -2.80% 0.80% 5.90% 4.00% 13.00%
Field Hockey 1,613 1,646 1,594 1,634 1,684 1,668 2.00% -3.20% 2.50% 3.10% -1.00% 3.40%
Bowling 864 1,061 1,176 1,467 1,676 1,871 22.80% 10.80% 24.70% 14.20% 11.60% 116.60%
Gymnastics 1,529 1,548 1,593 1,475 1,430 1,484 1.20% 2.90% -7.40% -3.10% 3.80% -2.90%
Lacrosse 783 819 976 1,176 1,270 1,349 4.60% 19.20% 20.50% 8.00% 6.20% 72.30%
122,724

G I R L S - P A R T I C I P A T I O N
Sport Partipants (thousands) % Change
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 1 2 3 4 5 1
2 3 4 5 5 6
Basketball 452.7 456.2 457.2 458 456.5 452.9 0.80% 0.20% 0.20% -0.30% -0.80% 0.00%
Track & Field (outdoor) 415.7 415.7 415.6 418.3 428.2 439.2 0.00% 0.00% 0.70% 2.40% 2.60% 5.70%
Volleyball 390.8 395.1 396.7 396.3 386 390 1.10% 0.40% -0.10% -2.60% 1.00% -0.20%
Softball (fast pitch) 350.2 356 357.9 362.5 364.8 369.1 1.60% 0.50% 1.30% 0.60% 1.20% 5.40%
Soccer 292.1 295.3 301.5 309 316.1 321.6 1.10% 2.10% 2.50% 2.30% 1.70% 10.10%
Cross Country 158.5 160.2 163.4 166.3 170.5 176 1.00% 2.00% 1.80% 2.50% 3.20% 11.00%
Tennis 164.3 160.1 162.8 167.8 169.3 173.8 -2.50% 1.70% 3.00% 0.90% 2.60% 5.80%
Swimming & Diving 139.6 141.2 141.5 144.6 148.2 147.4 1.20% 0.20% 2.20% 2.50% -0.50% 5.60%
Competitive Spirit 88.6 94.6 111.2 89.4 84.4 98.6 6.90% 17.50% -19.60% -5.60% 16.80% 11.30%
Golf 59.5 59.9 62.2 63.2 64.2 64.2 0.60% 3.80% 1.60% 1.70% -0.10% 7.80%
Field Hockey 60.9 60.7 61.1 62 63 62.3 -0.30% 0.50% 1.50% 1.60% -1.10% 2.30%
Track & Field (indoor) 45 46.4 47.3 46.6 51.9 58.1 3.20% 1.90% -1.40% 11.20% 12.10% 29.30%
Lacrosse 32.4 35.2 38.9 43.1 48.1 52 8.60% 10.50% 10.80% 11.60% 8.10% 60.40%
Bowling 10.9 13 13.9 16.2 18.7 20.1 20.00% 6.60% 16.60% 15.60% 7.60% 85.40%
Gymnastics 20.9 21 21.1 19.9 19.1 17.4 0.70% 0.50% -5.70% -4.10% -8.80% -16.50%
2842.7

 

Statsman has yet to master the table function.

Let's see if he's mastered the beer function. Fetch!

 

There may be some validity to that, but Texas has 1,300 high schools that run the gamut from your Plano Easts and Allens (mega-schools that would still be 5A if you split them 3 ways) to some 11-man schools where there are barely 25 boys in the whole high school. All classes have produced college players who have gone on to the NFL.

Parents whose boys (and girls, in other sports) won't cut it at 5A but are still pretty good players routinely move a little farther out to the outlying outposts to give their kids a chance to play. A number of 2A and 3A schools around D/FW make their living on this.

 

Same thing happens elsewhere. The beneficiary around my home town in Louisiana is the catholic school that plays Class 3A. When the 5A powerhouse (in baseball and football, not so much basketball) pushes out some more average players, those guys often wind up at the local catholic school, which can have an above-average 3A team largely using these kinds of kids.

Of course, the real powerhouse 3A teams and 2A teams have plenty of players the top 5A teams wish they could also have...

 

That's it in a nutshell. Unless it's a REALLY small town, people not connected to the school find other things to do. Once upon a time high school sporting events were THE social activity in many communities. Not so much anymore. Too many options these days.

As for too much or too little coverage, I don't know. The one compelling argument I have heard in favor of coverage is the readers can't get it on ESPN or the web (unless,of course, it's YOUR site).