Sports Participation at an All-Time High
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Education-based athletics participation in California has reached a historic all-time high, surpassing the previous record set in 2020, according to the latest California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sports Participation Survey. Participation increased by 1.8% since the 2024 survey, with 821,586 student-athletes competing in education-based athletic programs during the 2024-25 school year.
Overall, girls’ participation increased by 3.1% from the previous year, while boys’ participation increased by 0.8%. Most impressive was girls' flag football with an 84% increase (19,921 participants) in its second season as a CIF-sanctioned sport, ranking eighthoverall in girls' sports participation.
“With more than 821,000 student-athletes participating in education-based athletics in California, it’s clear that the value of high school sports is stronger than ever,” states CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti. “The surge in girls' flag football participation is particularly inspiring and reflects our commitment to expanding opportunities for all students to belong, connect, and compete through education-based programs.”
For girls, soccer remains the top sport with 47,918 participants, a 0.6% increase. Volleyball came in second (46,716), followed by track & field with 45,652 participants, a 2.0% increase. Softball (29,672) and basketball (28,544) rounded out the top five girls’ sports.
Football (11-player) continues to lead the top 10 boys’ sports and increased by 1.9% with 91,411 participants. Track & Field (58,457), a 2.4% increase, is the second most popular sport, followed by soccer (56,884), basketball (46,402), and baseball (42,972).
More than 1,600 CIF member schools participated in the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) nationwide survey, which tracks student participation in sports across the country.