CHSAA has good numbers for 2000-01 participation

CHSAA has good numbers for 2000-01 participation

November 27, 2001

STAFF REPORT

AURORA — The educational activities participation numbers for 2000-01 school year have again increased for the most part, but the report reflects both positive and negatives sides, according to the Colorado High School Activities Association.

CHSAA commissioner Bob Ottewill said the report and trends are not surprising.

Overall, the CHSAA saw its athletic participation rate grow from 111,756 to 112,288. Boys’ athletic participation grew at a rate of 1.23 percent while girls’ participation grew at a slower rate of .74 for an 1.01 overall growth rate.

The participation survey is conducted each year in conjunction with the National Federation of High School Association’s request for participation information from its members. The CHSAA had a return ratio of approximately 85 percent on the survey and then was able to project additional numbers on a class-by-class basis for the individual sports and activities.

Additional, CHSAA established a baseline for the number of schools in each class to create the most accurate view of the participation numbers.

The 112,288 number reflects those students participating in each activity. The three-sport athlete would be counted three times in this number.

Football remains the most popular boys’ sport with 17,350 participants, followed in order by basketball (8,279), baseball (7,876), track (7,755) and wrestling (5,465). Soccer has slipped into the fifth spot last year. Wrestling reclaimed its fourth spot with 5,403 participating.

In girls’ sports, volleyball held on to its top ranking with 8,769 participants. Basketball had 7,223, followed by track (6,337), soccer (5,680) and softball (3,944).

The association saw its greatest growth in lacrosse (not played in Southwestern Colorado), golf and swimming. Lacrosse rcorded a 10.1 percent increase while golf was up 7.38 and swimming up 5.07. The greatest increases in girls’ sports were non-competitive spirit (36.56), cross-country (5.27), lacrosse (4.3) and swimming (2.15).

Of great concern each are the activities that lose participation. Those activities saw a significant decline in numbers. Girls gymnastics (also not contested in these parts) saw a loss of 12.75 percent. Boys skiing was down 9.49, girls skiing down 6.64, and field hockey 6.64. The reasons for the decline are varied, but also include the statistical adjustment from year to year, according to CHSAA.

In athletics overall, CHSAA reported a participation rate of 54.5, significantly igher than the national averge of just a little more than 48 percent of all students. It is just a little bit lower than 1999-2000 school year’s total of 55.2 and well off the high of 58.2 percent rate in 1990-91.

The number of schools sponsoring activities has stayed relatively consistant through the years. Sports like softball, girls golf, lacrosse, and field hockey continue to grow. Boys swimming (Montezuma-Cortez High School will likely not have a boys team this spring) and girls gymnastics continue to struggle. But overall, CHSAA said there was not a great deal of fluctuation in the numbers.

The three non-athletic activities sponsored by CHSAA (music, student council and speech) continue to grow. A total of 57,311 participated in those endeavors. The largest activity is music with 43,455 participants (20,068 band and orchestra members and 23,287 vocalists). There were 8,524 in student council and 5,332 in speech.

The combined numbers — all athletics and non-athletic — create an 82.1 participation rate for 2000-01. The total in 1992-93 was the highest at 84.1.

"Our participation rate is solid. But, considering the value of participation to the student, we should not be satisfied until every student is involved in some kind of activity," Ottewill was quoted in a news release.

"Taking a step away from the overall numbers and looking at what the participation rate might be if a student was counted just one time despite playing more than one sport would provide the association with an individual participation rate," he said.

But determining that number is grounded more in conjecture than in statistical fact. However, once every five years, the association requests that information and it is able to develop at least a glimpse into those numbers.

Based on a total student population of 207,926 in 1999-2000, the association projected there were 105,938 total males and 101,988 females enrolled in its member schools. CHSAA estimates that 57,101 males participated with 55,853 females participating. An overall individual participation rate was 54.37 percent. Those numbers include those students who play athletics or participate in non-athletic activities.