National high school sports participation hit a record high for the 2025-26 academic year, while Connecticut experienced a decline in student athletes. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) reported over 8.4 million participants nationwide, a 1.8% increase. Connecticut, however, saw a 4.13% decrease, falling from 29th to 32nd nationally.
The NFHS counted 107,053 participants in Connecticut (59,666 boys and 47,387 girls), down 4,611 from the previous year. The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) reported 101,444 participants (55,990 boys and 45,454 girls), a decrease of 1,908, or 1.85%. While boys' participation decreased by 2.54%, girls' participation increased by 4.03%.
CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini attributes the decline to a decreasing student population and the increasing implementation of pay-for-play policies by school districts. “I think there's a few challenges that exist in terms of maintaining participation rates here in Connecticut,” Lungarini said. He noted that Southington and Windsor instituted pay-for-play policies in June, and that such fees can discourage participation. Lungarini also pointed to a rise in cooperative sports programs, where multiple schools combine teams, as a potential factor.
Nationally, girls flag football saw a significant increase of 48.7%, reaching 102,360 participants. Girls wrestling also grew nationally by 19.9%, to 88,771. Connecticut mirrored this trend with a 27.17% increase in girls wrestling, from 357 to 454 participants. “Over the last three to five years, we've seen those numbers continue to grow,” Lungarini said. He also observed that students are increasingly requesting specific sports options. “I think you're seeing kids talking to their athletic directors, their schools, about the sports that they want to participate in,” he stated.
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