Lacrosse continues to expand rapidly when most sports are not.  And lacrosse is among the fastest growing sports that are in the top 15 in popularity.  Data on school sponsorship and student participation are compiled annually by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).  The tables below, which are also available as PDF files to facilitate printing (sponsorship and participation), show in most cases the top 16 boys' and girls' HS sports in terms of schools and participation for 2010-2011 with comparable data for 2004-2010.  Also see the graphs beneath the tables.

Boys' lacrosse again placed 13th in sponsorship (number of schools) and 11th in participants (nmuber of athletes). Girls' lacrosse also finished 13th in sponsorship but rose to 10th in participation.

B O Y S - S P O N S O R S H I P
SportSchools% Change
200520062007200820092010201110
11		01
11
Basketball17,482 17,535 17,762 17,861 17,869 17,969 18,150 1.0%5.9%
Track & Field (outdoor)15,294 15,497 15,709 15,835 15,936 16,011 15,954 -0.4%6.2%
Baseball15,161 15,290 15,458 15,720 15,699 15,786 15,863 0.5%7.2%
Football (11-player)13,671 13,727 13,922 13,987 14,105 14,226 14,279 0.4%6.1%
Cross Country12,727 13,110 13,354 13,485 13,647 13,942 14,097 1.1%15.1%
Golf13,152 13,267 13,541 13,647 13,543 13,693 13,681 -0.1%6.8%
Soccer10,392 10,580 11,066 11,122 11,139 11,375 11,503 1.1%16.8%
Wrestling9,562 9,744 9,445 10,090 10,254 10,363 10,407 0.4%10.7%
Tennis9,426 9,706 9,438 9,576 9,499 9,916 9,839 -0.8%0.7%
Swimming & Diving5,878 6,224 6,358 6,428 6,558 6,820 6,899 1.2%27.9%
Track & Field (indoor)2,295 2,394 2,725 3,095 3,172 2,546 2,638 3.6%26.1%
Bowling1,768 1,954 2,089 2,261 2,427 2,451 2,454 0.1%209.1%
Lacrosse1,334 1,395 1,588 1,815 1,984 2,068 2,192 6.0%133.7%
Volleyball1,688 1,726 2,006 2,006 2,192 2,089 2,078 -0.5%21.1%
Ice Hockey1,474 1,503 1,576 1,564 1,601 1,611 1,612 0.1%22.4%
Team Tennis1,223 1,138 1,543 1,342 1,832 1,419 1,414 -0.4%85.1%

B O Y S - P A R T I C I P A T I O N
SportParticipants (Thousands)% Change
200520062007200820092010201110
11		01
11
Football (11-player)1045.51071.81104.51108.31112.31109.31108.4-0.1%9.5%
Track & Field (outdoor)516.7534.0544.2548.8558.0572.1579.31.3%17.8%
Basketball545.5546.3556.3552.9545.1540.2545.81.0%1.1%
Baseball459.7470.7477.3478.0473.2472.6471.0-0.3%4.6%
Soccer354.6358.9378.0383.6383.8391.8398.41.7%19.7%
Wrestling243.0251.5257.2259.7267.4272.9273.70.3%11.7%
Cross Country201.7208.3216.1221.1231.5239.6246.93.1%31.1%
Tennis148.5153.0156.9156.3157.2162.8161.4-0.9%12.3%
Golf161.0161.3159.7160.0157.1157.8156.9-0.6%-3.0%
Swimming & Diving103.8107.5106.7111.9130.2131.4133.91.9%50.8%
Lacrosse60.065.071.582.988.590.795.75.5%128.8%
Track & Field (indoor)56.659.762.567.267.467.770.33.8%38.6%
Volleyball41.642.946.246.849.350.550.0-0.9%25.8%
Ice Hockey37.036.336.036.737.336.536.91.2%11.5%
Team Tennis21.620.623.627.133.428.928.4-1.7%137.0%
Bowling20.522.023.326.427.027.728.32.0%179.4%

G I R L S - S P O N S O R S H I P
SportSchools% Change
200520062007200820092010201110
11		01
11
Basketball17,175 17,275 17,458 17,564 17,582 17,711 17,767 0.3%6.0%
Track & Field (outdoor)15,213 15,417 15,578 15,772 15,864 15,923 16,030 0.7%8.4%
Volleyball14,526 14,578 14,881 15,009 15,069 15,382 15,479 0.6%13.8%
Softball (fast pitch)14,493 14,710 14,968 14,846 15,172 15,298 15,338 0.3%26.0%
Cross Country12,345 12,989 13,146 13,294 13,457 13,809 13,839 0.2%17.9%
Soccer9,695 9,970 10,503 10,543 10,548 10,901 11,047 1.3%23.7%
Tennis9,646 9,816 9,678 9,694 9,732 10,166 10,181 0.1%6.0%
Golf8,249 8,816 9,046 9,447 9,344 9,651 9,609 -0.4%26.8%
Swimming & Diving6,238 6,559 6,708 6,766 6,902 7,171 7,164 -0.1%25.0%
Competitive Spirit3,482 3,914 3,743 4,510 4,748 4,879 4,266 -12.6%27.3%
Track & Field (indoor)2,220 2,308 2,367 2,659 2,677 2,511 2,598 3.5%27.2%
Bowling1,676 1,871 2,012 2,321 2,345 2,435 2,436 0.0%181.9%
Lacrosse1,270 1,349 1,480 1,624 1,780 1,885 1,999 6.0%155.3%
Field Hockey1,684 1,668 1,493 1,760 1,818 1,827 1,808 -1.0%12.1%
Gymnastics1,430 1,484 1,516 1,454 1,495 1,518 1,506 -0.8%-1.5%
Team Tennis1,264 1,178 1,588 1,383 1,881 1,442 1,457 1.0%60.5%

G I R L S - P A R T I C I P A T I O N
SportParticipants (Thousands)% Change
200520062007200820092010201110
11		01
11
Track & Field (outdoor)428.2439.2444.2447.5457.7469.2475.31.3%14.3%
Basketball456.5452.9457.0449.5444.8439.6438.9-0.1%-3.0%
Volleyball386.0390.0405.8398.0404.2404.0409.31.3%4.7%
Softball (fast pitch)364.8369.1373.4371.3368.9378.2373.5-1.2%6.7%
Soccer316.1321.6337.6346.5344.5356.1361.61.5%23.8%
Cross Country170.5176.0183.4190.3198.2202.0204.71.3%29.1%
Tennis169.3173.8176.7172.5177.6182.4182.1-0.2%10.8%
Swimming & Diving148.2147.4143.6147.2158.9158.4160.91.6%15.2%
Competitive Spirit84.498.695.2111.3117.8123.696.7-21.8%9.2%
Lacrosse48.152.054.861.164.968.874.99.0%131.2%
Golf64.264.266.369.269.270.971.81.3%20.5%
Field Hockey63.062.363.962.664.663.162.0-1.8%1.8%
Track & Field (indoor)51.958.156.159.859.960.160.40.4%34.3%
Team Tennis23.622.525.928.836.630.830.3-1.6%95.8%
Bowling18.720.120.925.423.824.925.83.3%137.1%
Gymnastics19.117.418.918.118.818.719.75.2%-5.6%



*** Click on graphs to view them full size. ***




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