'Running' Up Our Numbers!
Cross-country leads the way in popularity growth
on CIF sports scene in recent years and over last decade!
By Rich Gonzalez
Editor, DyeStatCal.com
(AUGUST 5, 2007) -- The survey takers have spoken!
In the latest report from the CIF-State office, participation in high school athletics in California continues its upward trend, with cross-country's growth popularity leading the way.
Findings from the lastest survey - taken every two years, in conjunction with research for the National Federation of State High School Associations -- indicate that high school athletic participation numbers have mushroomed by nearly 60,000 in the last two years. There are 735,503 students now involved in a CIF-sanctioned sport, an increase of 8.6% from 2005. Boys participants increased by 9.8 percent since the last study while girls accounted for a 7.1 percent jump.
Of particular interest for DyeStatCal readers is that cross-country's growth has fueled the overall statewide numbers more than any sport both over the last decade, with no signs of the trend easing in recent years.
Of the 10 boys sports and 10 girls sports with greatest total participation since 2005, girls' cross-country has shown the biggest spike in popularity, growing by 14.9% in those two years. During that same time frame, boys' cross-country (with a 13.2% upside change) was a very close second to boys' soccer (13.4%) in growth of numbers for that gender.
Among overall participation numbers (not just percentage growth, but actual participants), boys' track and field remains a distant second overall to football (107,916 to 49,911) among boys sports while track and field is a very close second to soccer (40,895 to 38,817) in girls' sports.
Over the last decade, the running trend is even healthier.
Participation in boys' cross-country has bolted upward by 38%, well ahead of boys' swimming/diving (28%) and boys' track and field (27%) as the fastest-growing sport in the Golden State.
For the girls, the growth is even more dramatic. A whopping 46% more girls were involved in the sport last year compared to 1997! That leads the state's survey, with girls' water polo (42%) showing the next best growth during the 10-year span, followed by girls' soccer (35%) and girls' track and field (31%).
Congratulations to all runners and coaches, who have all shared in fueling the acceptance and popularity of both cross-country and track and field in recent years! |
Most popular sport, by percent growth,
in CIF boys sports in last two years
|
Most popular sport, by percent growth,
in CIF girls sports in last two years |
1. Soccer (+13.4%)
2. Cross-Country (+13.2%)
3. Wrestling (+11.1%)
4. Tennis (+11.0%)
5. Track & Field (+10.8%)
6. Volleyball (+10.7%)
7. Football (+8.9%)
8. Swimming/Diving (+7.2%)
9. Basketball (+6.3%)
10. Baseball (+5.3%)
|
1. Cross-Country (+14.9%)
2. Golf (+11.4 %)
3. Tennis (+9.9 %)
4. Soccer (+9.3%)
5. Track & Field (+7.5%)
6. Volleyball (+7.3)
7. Basketball (+4.2%)
8. Softball (+4.2%)
9. Water Polo (+2.9%)
10. Swimming/Diving (+2.5%)
|
Most popular sport, by percent growth,
in
CIF boys sports in last ten years |
Most popular sport, by percent growth,
in CIF girls sports in last ten years |
1. Cross-Country (+38%)
2. Swimming/Diving (+28%)
3. Track & Field (+27%)
4. Soccer (+26%)
5. Volleyball (+25%)
6. Tennis (+24%)
7. Football (+18%)
8. Basketball (+12%)
|
1. Cross-Country (+46%)
2. Water Polo (+42%)
3. Soccer (+35%)
4. Track & Field (+31%)
5. Tennis (+25%)
6. Volleyball (+18%)
7. Softball (+9%)
|
Most popular boys sport, by participant
numbers,
in 2006-2007 school year. |
Most popular girls sport, by participant
numbers,
in 2006-2007 school year. |
1. 11-man Football (107,916)
2. Track & Field (49,911)
3. Soccer (44,730)
4. Basketball (44,722)
5. Baseball (42,835)
6. Wrestling (25,896)
7. Cross-Country (25,790)
8. Tennis (19,139)
9. Swimming/Diving (18,852)
10. Volleyball (14,532)
|
1. Soccer (40,895)
2. Track & Field (38,817)
3. Volleyball (36,499)
4. Basketball (34,991)
5. Softball (31,306)
6. Swimming/Diving (25,115)
7. Tennis (21,818)
8. Cross-Country (20,873)
9. Water Polo (13,482)
10. Golf (6,652)
|
All data above based on top 10 sports (by number of participants) per category. |
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