By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
The Nationwide Federation of State Excessive College Associations has launched the Excessive College Athletics Participation Survey for the 2024-25 college yr, and the numbers present that swimming noticed a rise in participation from final yr, totaling 257,405 contributors. That is an enchancment from the 254,973 quantity from the 2023-24 college yr. This marks the primary yr since 2018 that there was a rise.
Notice that the information relies on surveys of highschool athletics administrators, so shouldn’t be actual.
Swimming and Diving maintained its place because the Tenth-most in style boys sport and the Ninth-most in style women sport. They each sit greater than 40,000 contributors again of the game instantly above them within the rankings.
This yr, the ladies participation numbers jumped 129 contributors to 138,303, a slight distinction from the 138,174 from final season. The boys numbers have now elevated for the 2nd year-in-a-row, making a 2,300 athlete leap to 119,102 from 116,799.
The game has seen a gradual decline in recent times, and though participation is up from final yr, the numbers are nonetheless decrease than they’ve been in a very long time, with the final yr of progress occurring in 2017 and 2018.
That college yr noticed 314,529 complete contributors made up of 175,594 women and 138,364 boys. The numbers this yr mark an 18% lower from these numbers. This lower comes compared to the overall HS Sports activities Participation which has elevated 3.45% for the reason that 2017-18 college yr.
Regardless of the general participation going up, there have been some sports activities that noticed a decline from the 2023-2024 college yr. Soccer has dropped from 1,031,508 to 1,029,588 whereas girls’s basketball dropped from 367,284 to 356,240.
Alternatively, boys soccer and women and boys wrestling noticed important will increase final season.
Swimming Participation Change Over Time
Boys
Women
Mixed
2024-2025
119,102
138,303
257,405
0.95%
2023-2024
116,799
138,174
254,973
-0.96%
2022-2023
116,741
140,711
257,452
-5.68%
2021-2022
123,208
149,751
272,959
-11.87%
2018-2019
136,638
173,088
309,726
-1.53%
2017-2018
138,935
175,594
314,529
1.74%
2016-2017
138,364
170,797
309,161
2.98%
2015-2016
133,470
166,747
300,217
-1.22%
2014-2015
137,087
166,838
303,925
-0.07%
2013-2014
138,373
165,779
304,152
0.66%
2012-2013
138,177
163,992
302,169
2.68%
2011-2012
133,823
160,456
294,279
-0.17%
2010-2011
133,900
160,881
294,781
1.72%
2009-2010
131,376
158,419
289,795
Total HS Sports activities Participation Over Time
Boys
Women
Mixed
2024-2025
4,726,648
3,539,596
8,266,244
2.47%
2023-2024
4,638,785
3,423,517
8,062,302
2.73%
2022-2023
4,529,795
3,318,184
7,847,979
3.02%
2021-2022
4,376,582
3,241,472
7,618,054
-4.02%
2018-2019
4,534,758
3,402,733
7,937,491
-0.54%
2017-2018
4,565,580
3,415,306
7,980,886
0.22%
2016-2017
4,563,238
3,400,297
7,963,535
1.24%
2015-2016
4,541,959
3,324,306
7,866,265
0.76%
2014-2015
4,519,312
3,287,735
7,807,047
0.15%
2013-2014
4,527,994
3,267,664
7,795,658
1.06%
2012-2013
4,490,854
3,222,723
7,713,577
0.27%
2011-2012
4,484,987
3,207,533
7,692,520
0.32%
2010-2011
4,494,406
3,173,549
7,667,955
0.52%
2009-2010
4,455,740
3,172,637
7,628,377
Learn the complete story on SwimSwam: Excessive College Swimming Participation Up For First Time In Eight Years