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Most Popular High School Sports (U.S.)

Name the sports with the highest rate of participation in American high schools.
For 2022–2023. Source.
Change = since 2009–2010
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Featured Quiz
Last updated: October 3, 2023
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First submittedAugust 26, 2013
Times taken113,606
Average score73.3%
Rating4.39
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Participants
Change
Boys' Sport
1,064,062
-6.2%
Football
682,693
6.7%
Track & Field
450,455
15.0%
Soccer
537,438
-0.5%
Basketball
478,451
1.2%
Baseball
259,431
-4.9%
Wrestling
240,201
0.2%
Cross Country
158,306
-2.7%
Tennis
150,175
-4.8%
Golf
116,741
-11.1%
Swimming & Diving
111,108
22.5%
Lacrosse
77,287
53.1%
Volleyball
Participants
Change
Girls' Sport
553,262
4.5%
Track & Field
470,488
16.5%
Volleyball
373,366
-15.1%
Basketball
377,838
6.1%
Soccer
351,010
-10.4%
Softball
197,630
-2.1%
Cross Country
191,036
4.7%
Tennis
140,711
-11.2%
Swimming & Diving
149,694
21.1%
Competitive Spirit Squads
98,014
42.5%
Lacrosse
80,970
14.2%
Golf
52,962
-16.9%
Field Hockey
dt1
+3
Level 43
Jan 17, 2016
How about this for why bother: there is only one school under each male and female offering pentathlon with four participants listed for each gender. They must have a real tough time making up a schedule each year. Can anyone say private school?
ChocolateMoose
+1
Level 29
Jan 17, 2016
Well, no wonder swimming's more popular with girls than boys!
brandybuck96
+6
Level 83
Jun 10, 2016
Coming from the UK, I found this quite difficult. Almost every sport I thought of seemed to be particular to Britain. Netball - nope. Cricket and rounders - replaced by baseball. Etc.
shute
+7
Level 31
Apr 3, 2017
go cricket
brandybuck96
+2
Level 83
Feb 4, 2018
Cricket is great - rounders is better.
Anchi
+4
Level 46
Dec 13, 2020
Cricket is boring. Just a lot of sitting around. What kind of a sport match lasts for several days? Great to watch if all you want is to hang out with your friends in the sun and get drunk, but then why not just go to the park. It's just not cricket.
bridog8456
+1
Level 47
Jul 8, 2017
Drill team should be accepted for competitive spirit squads. That's what some are called here.
amm14
+1
Level 66
Jul 10, 2017
I guess sex, like chess, is a just a game to you people!
theperiodictable
+2
Level 47
Aug 11, 2017
Can you accept NFL for american football??
Maladroit
+24
Level 51
Feb 23, 2018
No, because this is high school sports. Hopefully there aren't any high schoolers in the NFL...
ander217
+4
Level 75
Dec 13, 2020
...yet.
DonTheLamplighter
+3
Level 84
Oct 11, 2017
What, no buzkashi??!!!
Confabulously
+6
Level 78
Nov 15, 2017
Marching band should be on here. Let the arguments begin.
selectL0L
+1
Level 49
Jan 18, 2023
My biggest thing about most schools not taking marching band as a sport is that the teachers may not get paid for their extra time. Sports coaches get paid for their time going to competitions and practices, while most band teachers would be lucky to get a small bonus
zelvind
+1
Level 19
Sep 2, 2023
I agree! I'm in marching band and it's annoying to hear people say. All you do is walk and blow into a horn. It's literally so stupid because they have no idea what they are talking about.
Ferbin
+1
Level 76
Jan 25, 2024
So Eurovision is a sporting competition, then? And I guess all those singing competition shows like American Idol are as well. Even if it's just singing, there' s still physical exertion. Which apparently is all it takes to be considered a sport, according to some.

Enough that friggin cheerleading is there, no need to compound on the ridiculousness.

Quizmaster
+11
Level ∞
Dec 22, 2017
Prediction for 2050: Soccer will be #1 for both genders. Ultimate frisbee will be in the top 10. Wrestling and softball/baseball will fall by over 50%.
Maladroit
+7
Level 51
Feb 23, 2018
Nooooo! Oklahoma State's twenty-three meaningless wrestling titles will be even more meaningless!
OfficerDibble
+2
Level 80
Apr 4, 2018
Won't cricket have taken over by then?
idontkn1
+2
Level 90
Apr 4, 2018
You may be right but I doubt soccer will pass football just because of the numbers and that we are only 30 years from that date. Most high schools over 150 per class already have multiple levels of soccer (Varsity, JV, freshman). With 20 kids per squad that's only 60 to 80 per high school. A high school of that size will usually have 50 kids just on the varsity football team. Throw in the other levels and you'll get 120 or so kids. I don't think there is enough time for it to catch up given it's huge lead. Especially when you consider that it probably won't grow as aggressively in the past 20 years as it has reached it's theoretical maximum participant size in many schools. To get soccer past football lost of schools will have to drop the sport entirely.
Djilas
+1
Level 82
Apr 24, 2020
It's more likely if you take into account the change in demographics (more Hispanics), not just changing sports popularity.
Froststar101
+1
Level 74
Oct 25, 2023
So what? Hispanics play football too.
ander217
+5
Level 75
Jul 12, 2018
Don't forget competitive video gaming. If it's accepted into the Olympics a lot of previous arguments about whether this or that qualifies as a sport will be shot to heck.
tom88
+5
Level 72
Aug 12, 2019
if video games make the olympics then I give up on the olympics
SgtMac
+2
Level 55
Feb 23, 2018
I think Track & Field should encompass Cross Country and they shouldn't be separate. Otherwise you should break out the track events like high jump, long jump, 100-yd dash, etc...???
Matthew07
+9
Level 47
Apr 4, 2018
Is cross country on a track or a field?
Ponderosa
+5
Level 86
Oct 29, 2019
Cross country is a fall sport, track is spring. Also, cross country is generally not run on tracks. Otherwise, it would be called "Track".
Djilas
+2
Level 82
Apr 24, 2020
Wikipedia says track&field is just stadium events (no marathon and other road racing, cross country and racewalking)
Jayjaysciz
+2
Level 55
Apr 4, 2018
I graduated in 1994 and I just mentally tried to remember what sports were listed in my yearbook. We had most of them..no swim team but did have golf. Field hockey and lacrosse were huge in my school.
dogla305
+6
Level 61
Apr 4, 2018
Why is American rugby called football and football called soccer?
Matthew07
+10
Level 47
Apr 4, 2018
Rugby and American football are fairly different
ander217
+9
Level 75
Apr 4, 2018
Ask the Brits. They used the word soccer first as a short form of Association Football to distinguish it from "rugger" or Rugby Football. Americans got the word from them, and we kept using it since we were already calling another game football. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/06/why-we-call-soccer-soccer/372771/
Jiaozira
+2
Level 70
Dec 12, 2020
In my (Canadian) high school there was a pretty large distinction between rugby and Canadian Football (the American version with slightly different rules). Teams from the school even went overseas to play rugby in Argentina and New Zealand in the 1990's. It was a big deal.
Anchi
+2
Level 46
Dec 13, 2020
Good question. Why is any form of rugby ever called football when the ball is mostly kept in one's hands. Surely there can be no argument that football is soccer, it's the only logical conclusion.
selectL0L
+2
Level 49
Jan 18, 2023
As with most things, it goes back to the British
possumsjay
+2
Level 58
Apr 4, 2018
If competitive cheer is considered a sport for this list, so should marching band.
Sagaris
+1
Level 62
Dec 12, 2020
Probably didn't make it, though.
AlexThirkell
+1
Level 75
Dec 12, 2020
George W Bush did cheerleading in college.
Trombone
+1
Level 57
Sep 13, 2021
competitive cheer is pretty much gymnastics, with a large group
DrWatson
+1
Level 72
Apr 4, 2018
Ultimate would totally be on there if schools sponsored it.
AlBysmal
+1
Level 56
Jun 8, 2021
At least for my old high school, I can confirm this. We had a really passionate, rather sizeable Ultimate team, and they often traveled for tournaments and scrimmages
killerkyle
+3
Level 23
Apr 4, 2018
Where is the Marching Band :-'(
caribdevist
+3
Level 62
Apr 4, 2018
It was my first guess. I quit when it didn't come up.
WolfCam
+1
Level 66
Apr 5, 2018
On the boys side, wrestling and cross country are out of order.
ruudsje
+3
Level 69
Apr 8, 2018
(online) poker?
sou66
+1
Level 53
Apr 10, 2018
Wait no ice hockey!? As a Canadian I'm disappointed.
clipper
+1
Level 76
Jul 12, 2018
You should include fastball for softball. This is commonly used to distinguish "slow pitch" baseball from windmill style pitching which is the common sport for female baseball players.
GeographyGeek42
+1
Level 66
Jan 20, 2019
How close did water polo get to making this list?
kalbahamut
+1
Level 82
Aug 12, 2019
Marco!
NEGeo
+1
Level 57
Oct 25, 2023
POLO
RoadmanM
+2
Level 56
Aug 12, 2019
What's cross country? Cross country skiing? Cross country cycling? Cross country running?
kalbahamut
+5
Level 82
Aug 12, 2019
running
bitterblue
+1
Level 58
Aug 12, 2019
wow i'm surprised hockey didn't make the list
Sagaris
+2
Level 62
Dec 12, 2020
Too expensive to build an ice rink at your high school.
My3dviews
+1
Level 58
Apr 24, 2022
Outdoor rinks aren't very expensive to build. We had one in a village with 60 people.
selectL0L
+2
Level 49
Jan 18, 2023
Except that a majority of the US would not be able to sustain an outdoor ice hockey rink
toowise
+3
Level 78
Aug 30, 2019
What no Cricket ;)
parkave
+4
Level 57
Dec 12, 2020
I live in the US and I've never seen a single person playing cricket, nor have I met any that do
TheOrca
+2
Level 50
Oct 25, 2023
Cricket is definitely increasing in popularity in Canada, maybe it will eventually make it to the states
bostjan
+3
Level 72
Mar 17, 2020
Lacross doesn't work for lacrosse? Running doesn't work for cross country? Gymnastics, acrobatics, nor dancing work for competitive spirit squads? I either have the wrong perception or the quiz is too strict.
MikeyDonut
+2
Level 54
Dec 20, 2021
Lacross isn't a correct spelling
DrLlamaLlama
+1
Level 46
Jun 23, 2020
As a Minnesotan I put Hockey down first, i forgot that we aren't normal. Also for the Cheer debate, my school had both a cheerleading squad and a competitive dance squad. the cheerleaders were not athletes, however the dance team were definately athletes, then again they did win state my senior year
Bonzo007
+2
Level 66
Dec 12, 2020
So then. How is 'Competitive Spirit Squads' in this list? In all seriousness and as a non-US citizen, I had never heard of that term, let alone known it could be a sport. Looking it up, I see it's cheerleading and drill - that's all dancing, which isn't usually considered a sport, though it is certainly more energetic than some other 'proper' sports. Next thing you know, chess and darts will be on the list.
Caro101
+1
Level 37
Dec 12, 2020
I love golf but surprised its on there as (In Canada at least) the season is done by November at the latest!
NPSWild
+1
Level 57
Dec 12, 2020
This is a very good quiz. You definitely had a good source. In my high school, 13 of these sports were played and the only one we play that wasn't on here is bowling, which was literally added this year.
AlexThirkell
+2
Level 75
Dec 12, 2020
Isn't softball just another name for baseball??
ander217
+1
Level 75
Dec 13, 2020
They are similar but not the same.
My3dviews
+1
Level 58
Apr 24, 2022
The softball is bigger than a baseball and must be pitched underhand. The bases are also closer together in softball.
zelvind
+1
Level 19
Sep 2, 2023
(easy baseball)
Fianchetto
+1
Level 73
Mar 1, 2024
I thought softball was harder
STLCardinalFan12
+1
Level 58
Dec 14, 2020
Notice how band doesn't make the list
kiwiquizzer
+1
Level 68
Dec 16, 2020
Isn't badminton and table tennis very popular in the USA? At my local high school in Auckland, we have a dozen teams in each of these.
Pearl2270
+1
Level 79
Apr 3, 2021
Track and field and Cross Country are the same in a lot of schools...I know it was in mine. It didn't even cross my mind that these would be separate. I don't know, that's iffy for me.
xXViolaXx
+2
Level 67
Feb 18, 2022
No they aren't. Track and Field encompasses everything from high jump to triple jump to pole vault and discus/shot put AND sprinting events with a few long distance runs (usually 1 mile, 2 mile, 1/4 mile 4 person relay). They usually only compete/meet in the spring into summer and can train off-season.

Cross country is strictly long-distancing running. 5k and above. much more about endurance and trains most of the year (cold allowing).

AlBysmal
+1
Level 56
Jun 8, 2021
Good quiz! I think it's rather interesting how football is losing participants, overall, yet it's still by far the most popular sport for high schoolers to play
FatSpartanJediLlama
+1
Level 67
Aug 13, 2021
Missed Softball, Golf, Cross Country
QuizFace
+1
Level 60
Sep 13, 2021
Spirit squads aren't a sport, the scoring isn't subjective, there is no racing, there is no defense.
DJMonaco
+1
Level 46
Nov 18, 2021
Ice Hockey not being on this brings a tear to my eye
Koopa
+1
Level 77
Feb 9, 2022
When our school adopted rugby for the first time, it ended up being way more popular with the girls than the guys.
Jango
+1
Level 64
Feb 27, 2022
A shame you don't have caber tossing and curling in the US. Being Scottish, I'm afraid competitive spirit squads are a step too far. Here, rival sports teams generally just give each other a Glasgow kiss ;)
ThEpicAssassin
+1
Level 48
Jun 2, 2022
should make "swim and dive" count for swimming and diving
LuigiDood227
+3
Level 64
Feb 12, 2023
Accept XC for Cross-Country?
Fianchetto
+2
Level 73
Oct 25, 2023
Yes, XC is a common abbreviation (and sometimes CC).
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 25, 2023
Okay
DevonD123
+5
Level 28
Feb 24, 2023
- Gymnastics should be an answer for "competitive spirit squad".

- swimming specifically should be an answer for "swimming & diving".

- Ice Hockey needs to be on here. Half of schools have an associated Hockey team. I can't believe that is not on here, but golf is.

Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Oct 25, 2023
This quiz is not just someone's opinion, it is data. Ice hockey is not on the list because there are not enough students playing ice hockey.
linkelli
+1
Level 36
Feb 25, 2023
Wow! No crew? I'm from North East and Crew is huge here!
NonoMonnz
+2
Level 41
Aug 20, 2023
Why was cross country separate from track and field??
MindWax
+3
Level 83
Oct 25, 2023
For the same reason baseball and lacrosse are separate. Read the comments before you throw one down of your own, it might help you learn something new and also keep people from needing to answer the same question 10 times over.

They're different sports with different teams, different rules, different stats, and different seasons.

zelvind
+1
Level 19
Sep 2, 2023
Marching Band: "am I a joke to you?"
D31415
+1
Level 71
Oct 25, 2023
As someone remembering hours at school (failing to) climb ropes, jump vaults and do handstands: do American school not do gymnastics much or is it called something different? (Surely the home nation of Simone Biles does gym at least a bit?!)
wkrpnyc
+1
Level 81
Oct 25, 2023
I think that gymnastics was cut from a lot of schools because of the insurance and liability. Most schools don't have gyms big enough, either. If people want to really do gymnastics, they have to go to a private gym.
dmperkins74
+1
Level 24
Oct 25, 2023
What about Pickleball people?!? COME ON! :D
greenapple7
+1
Level 57
Oct 25, 2023
Swim should be accepted for swimming! Everyone at my school just called it swim. I ended up getting it eventually but it's the same thing. Unlike the hockey one which is a moot point because this is US and ice hockey and field hockey are different and when someone says "hockey" they obviously mean ice hockey!
TenThousand
+2
Level 76
Oct 25, 2023
Cheerleading is a "sport"? I thought that was cheering on people who are actually playing a sport.
Dollyfroggy
+2
Level 60
Oct 25, 2023
Wrestling is listed as 0 for girls instead of -.
AndyTownsend7
+1
Level 47
Oct 30, 2023
Surprised that there are no Gymnastics or hockey
BringMeCoffee
+1
Level 26
Nov 30, 2023
The difference between track and cross country:

Track takes place in individual heats on a track, and includes short distance as well as longer distances, but those distance will typically only reach 3200 meters, or 2 miles.

Cross Country consists of all runners on each team (Divided into boys and girls, Varsity and JV), and takes place on any available designated course, across almost any surface. Cross Country is exclusively long distance, with the standard meet being a 5k, or roughly 3.1 miles

JJRN
+1
Level 69
Feb 9, 2024
Apparently Minnesota is home to 1/5 of all the ice hockey high school athletes in the country. It really is the "state of hockey" as appears on one of its new specialty license plates.
lockyere
+1
Level 35
Apr 4, 2024
who is doing wrestling as a school sport wth
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