Participation numbers increase at high school level

9/15/2010
Tammy Tedesco, NWCA

For the sixth straight year, high school boys wrestling participation numbers have increased while girls' participation hit an all-time high as The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) released the 2009-10 participation numbers.

The number of boys wrestling in 2009-10 was 272,890 which ranked it as the sixth most popular boy's sport for participation. The total number of participants in 2010 is the highest number that wrestling has seen since 1980, when participation statistics were listed at 273,326 by the NFHS.

The total number of boy's teams sponsoring wrestling is at an all-time with 10,363 programs nationally.

Both of these numbers show significant growth in the past year with 111 programs added since 2008-09 and individual participation up by 5,512.

In the past decade 1,317 teams have been added throughout the country along with an increase in individual participation of 33, 785.

Mississippi remains the lone state which does not sponsor wrestling.

Girls' wrestling also continues to grow each year. Girls' wrestling is at an all-time high with 6,134 participants. Texas and California continue to have the strongest girls wrestling presence on the high school level.

"These numbers are a testament to the hard work that is going on at the youth level to educate our coaches and youth wrestlers. With participation numbers steadily climbing this gives a bright outlook on the future of the sport of wrestling at the high school level," said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA.

"The NWCA's primary mission is to develop the most proficient coaches in the nation so we can sustain this phenomenal participation growth in wrestling. In doing so, we can be assured that student-wrestlers across the nation are receiving a high quality, educationally based sports experience," said Moyer.

For more information on participation numbers you can visit the NFHS website. Other information on participation numbers specific to wrestling can be found on the NWCA website along with collegiate wrestling opportunities and what can be done to protect amateur wrestling at the youth, high school and collegiate levels.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.

The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.