Girls' High School Basketball Participation Sees Sharp Decline Since 2000
Participation in girls' high school basketball across the United States has experienced a notable decrease, falling by at least 21% since the year 2000. This decline is based on comprehensive annual participation surveys conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which collects self-reported data from individual schools nationwide.
Survey Data Highlights Significant Drop in Player Numbers
The federation's surveys indicate that the number of girls playing high school basketball dropped from 451,600 players at 16,526 reporting schools in 2000 to 356,240 players at 18,208 reporting schools in 2025. It is important to note that not every school submits figures each year, and the data may have some imperfections. However, these findings are generally supported by separate annual surveys from the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).
The NSGA surveys suggest an even more dramatic decrease, reporting that overall basketball participation for girls aged 12 to 17 fell from 3.1 million in 2001 to 1.7 million in 2024. This represents a substantial decline of approximately 45%, highlighting a broader trend beyond just the high school level.
State-by-State Analysis Reveals Mixed Results
While the overall national trend shows a decline, the federation's survey data reveals some regional variations. Nine states have reported increased participation in girls' basketball since 2000, though these figures may require careful interpretation due to changes in reporting methods.
For example, Florida gained 559 players but had 235 more schools reporting in 2025 compared to 2000. Similarly, Arizona saw an increase of 214 players with 78 additional schools reporting. These gains might be partially attributed to improved data collection rather than actual growth in participation.
Mississippi stands out as a notable exception, showing a significant increase of 2,819 players since 2000 despite having 25 fewer schools reporting. Rickey Neaves, the executive director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association, has confirmed these numbers. He attributes this growth to the rising popularity and improvement of women's college basketball in the state over the past three decades, along with effective cooperation between AAU volleyball and high school basketball coaches.
States Experiencing the Most Severe Declines
According to the NFHS surveys, several states have seen particularly sharp decreases in girls' high school basketball participation since 1999-2000. The following list highlights some of the most affected regions:
- Kansas: 43% decline, from 10,120 players at 350 schools in 1999-2000 to 5,788 players at 337 schools in 2024-25.
- Louisiana: 42% decline, from 9,400 players at 376 schools to 5,486 players at 391 schools.
- North Dakota: 40% decline, from 3,354 players at 157 schools to 1,992 players at 160 schools.
- Indiana: 39% decline, from 11,499 players at 381 schools to 7,017 players at 394 schools.
- Iowa: 38% decline, from 9,401 players at 397 schools to 5,856 players at 340 schools.
- Texas: 36% decline, from 70,427 players at 1,175 schools to 44,953 players at 1,373 schools.
- Michigan: 34% decline, from 19,760 players at 705 schools to 13,068 players at 689 schools.
- Missouri: 34% decline, from 12,646 players at 534 schools to 8,321 players at 568 schools.
- Montana: 33% decline, from 3,984 players at 180 schools to 2,655 players at 164 schools.
- Nebraska: 32% decline, from 7,223 players at 328 schools to 4,878 players at 305 schools.
These figures underscore the widespread nature of the participation decline, affecting both large and small states across various regions of the country. The data suggests a complex interplay of factors influencing youth sports engagement, warranting further analysis and attention from educators, sports organisations, and policymakers.
