MHSAA Reports 2020-21 Participation; More than 240,000 Participants Counted Despite Pandemic

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 4, 2021

While COVID-19 surely played a part in reduced participation in sports at Michigan High School Athletic Association schools during the 2020-21 school year, a total of 244,012 participants continued to take part in athletics across the 28 sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments.

The overall MHSAA participation totals count students once for each sport in which they participate, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once.

Generally, the MHSAA provides as part of its annual participation release a comparison of totals, both overall and per sport, to the previous school year. But a comparison of the 2020-21 overall participation total to that from 2019-20 cannot be considered relevant because the Spring 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 before the start of competition, which likely affected participation counts from those spring sports. Similarly, the Fall 2020 season saw a number of schools put some sports on hold for that year, including in the highest participation sport football, which also affected identifying participation trends in those sports. Enrollment reported by MHSAA member schools did see a 2.1-percent decrease from 2019-20, to 444,085 students overall.

The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations for compiling of its national participation survey (although the NFHS has not compiled national surveys for 2019-20 or 2020-21 amid the COVID-19 pandemic). Results of Michigan surveys from the 2000-01 school year to present may be viewed on the MHSAA Website.

The following chart shows participation figures for the 2020-21 school year from MHSAA member schools for sports in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament:

 

BOYS

GIRLS

Sport

Schools (A)

Participants

Schools (A)

Participants (B)

Baseball

656/11

16,035

-

-/18

Basketball

728/5

18,806

722

13,285/15

Bowling

421/25

3,465

413

2,414/51

Competitive Cheer

-

-

362

5,191

Cross Country

667/4

8,372

667

7,248/16

Football -11 player

543/103

30,630

-

-/115

                  8-player

104/18

1,737

-

-/23

Golf

531/51

6,075

358

3,585/108

Gymnastics

-

-

102

613

Ice Hockey

298/11

3,221

-

-/13

Lacrosse

174/8

4,497

121

2,777/13

Skiing

121/0

818

115

778

Soccer

504/16

13,129

486

11,130/60

Softball

-

-

647

11,389

Swimming & Diving

274/18

4,051

279

5,111/56

Tennis

310/16

5,879

339

7,125/25

Track & Field

702/0

17,390

692

12,739

Volleyball

-

-

720

18,430

Wrestling

491/158

7,296

-

-/283

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(A) The first number is the number of schools reporting sponsorship on the Sports Participation Survey, including primary and secondary schools in cooperative programs as of May 15, 2021. The second number indicates the number of schools that had girls playing on teams consisting primarily of boys.

(B) The second number indicates the number of additional girls playing on teams consisting primarily of boys and entered in boys competition.

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.

MHSAA Update Meeting Series Returns for 47th Year

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 6, 2024

The Michigan High School Athletic Association will conduct its 47th annual Update Meeting series during September and October, and this year’s schedule will again offer in-service programming for athletic directors at six of the seven locations.

The Update series is annually attended by more than 800 school administrators. During the meetings, information about current MHSAA activities is disseminated, issues affecting interscholastic athletics are discussed and attendees are surveyed on various topics.

Six luncheon meetings are scheduled in the Lower Peninsula, and a morning meeting is scheduled for Marquette in the Upper Peninsula. MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl will address high school superintendents, principals, athletic directors and school board members on a variety of topics at these meetings. Update Meetings also provide school administrators an opportunity to ask questions and discuss any recent changes in the Association's rules and regulations.

This also will be the 22nd year of Athletic Director In-Service programs conducted during morning-long sessions prior to most of the Update Meetings. These workshops are designed to help prepare those administrators for the rigors of their jobs, and with the Update Meetings offer those in attendance an opportunity to meet with administrators from neighboring school districts with whom they normally are not able to have day-to-day contact.

The meeting in DeWitt on Oct. 2 also will serve as the Annual Business Meeting for the MHSAA. The registration form for Athletic Director In-Service and Update Meetings is available on the “Administrators” page of the MHSAA Website.

Here is a schedule of the 2024 Update Meetings: 

• Sept. 10 – Four Points by Sheraton, Kalamazoo (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Sept. 16 – Ukrainian Cultural Center, Warren (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.) 
• Sept. 23 – Prince Conference Center, Grand Rapids (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Sept. 25 – Zehnder's Restaurant, Frankenmuth (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Sept. 30 – Otsego Club & Resort, Gaylord (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 2 – DeWitt Banquet & Conference Center, DeWitt (Noon – Preceded by AD In-Service at 8:30 a.m.)
• Oct. 18 – Northern Michigan University Superior Dome, Marquette (10 a.m.) 

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.