For the third straight year, the number of students playing 11-man high school football in California is lower than the year before.
According to the California Interscholastic Federation, participation fell 2.87 percent from 97,079 players during the 2016-17 school year to 94,286 lat year. 8-Man numbers dropped from 2,124 to 2,088.
11-Man Participation since 2009
2017-18 — 94,286
2016-17 — 97,079
2015-16 — 100,205
2014-15 — 103,725
2013-14 — 103,646
2012-13 — 102,505
2011-12 — 103,088
2010-11 — 103,921
2009-10 — 104,221
Overall, high school sports participation increased in California for the sixth consecutive year. It’s at a new all-time, up by 2.95% since the previous survey last year. Overall, 808,557 student-athletes are competing in education-based athletic programs in California.
