NFHS High School Sports Participation: Boys and Girls Wrestling make big gains in 2023-24
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (August 20, 2024) — More than eight million participants competed in high school sports in the 2023-24 school year – an all-time record and the first time ever that total participation has exceeded the eight-million mark.
The NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey indicated that 8,062,302 participants were involved in high school sports in 2023-24, which is up 210,469 from the previous year and tops the previous record of 7,980,886 set in 2017-18. The total includes 4,638,785 boys and 3,423,517 girls – both record highs – according to figures obtained from the 51 NFHS member state associations, which includes the District of Columbia.
The 2023-24 total marked the second consecutive increase after numbers tumbled during the pandemic. Since the initial survey after the pandemic, participation in high school sports has increased 444,248 in two years and represents a turnaround from the decline that started the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two of the biggest storylines are the increases in all forms of high school football – boys and girls – and the continued rise in both girls and boys wrestling.
Another highlight is the sizeable jump in wrestling – boys and girls – for the second consecutive year. An additional 32,443 boys were involved in wrestling last year, jumping from 259,431 to 291,874. Since the 2021-22 season, there has been a gain of 60,000 in boys wrestling – an amazing 25 percent increase. And participation on girls teams has continued its historic rise as well with 64,257 girls participants last year – an increase of 102 percent from the 31,654 in 2021-22.
Editor’s Note: Wrestling is the No. 6 sport for boys in terms of participants, with 291,874, behind only Football, track and field – outdoor, basketball, baseball and soccer. Boys wrestling remains the No. 8 sport in terms of schools, with 11,149 schools nationally. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/august/20/nfhs-high-school-sports-participation-boys-and-girls-wrestling-make-big-gains-in-2023-24
LeBlanc Touts 12 Additions for The Citadel Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2024
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Less than a year removed from a record-breaking 14-win campaign, The Citadel wrestling head coach Ryan LeBlanc officially closed out the program’s 2024 recruiting class, tabbing 10 undergraduate and a pair of graduate additions to join the Bulldogs for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Notably, the recruiting class of 2024 has posted a combined total of 22 state final appearances and 14 total state titles.
The Citadel Wrestling Class of 2024
Cadet-Athlete: Kyrel Leavell
Weight Class: 141 lbs
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School: Warren HS
Quick Hit: Four-time place winner and a two-time State Champion…two-time NHSCA All-American as well as a USA Wrestling Folkstyle All-American…recently announced as the #131 best D1 wrestling recruit on the Final MatScouts class of 2024 Big Board…combined high school record of 140-7.
Cadet-Athlete: David McEachern
Weight Class: 141 lbs
Hometown: Mount Pleasant, N.C.
High School: Mount Pleasant HS
Quick Hit: Four-time State Finalist and a three-time State Champion … more at … https://citadelsports.com/news/2024/8/22/leblanc-touts-12-additions-for-the-citadel-wrestling-recruiting-class-of-2024.aspx
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 