The Alabama High School Athletic Association has released some exciting new figures when it comes to how many students are participating in athletics across the state.

According to an article from The Bama Buzz which cited an NFHS High School Athletics Participation survey, Alabama had 195,769 athletes compete in an AHSAA-sponsored sport last year.

“The AHSAA remains committed to education-based interscholastic athletics that foster integrity, sportsmanship, safety, fair play and lifelong values,” AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon said.

“It’s rewarding to know more of Alabama’s young people are playing high school sports than ever before. We will continue to emphasize these core values and support the vibrant educational role high school athletics plays in so many Alabama communities.”

Over the last five years, it’s been a total growth of more than 35 percent for the AHSAA:

• 2025-26: 195,769
• 2024-25: 172,332
• 2021-22: 141,465

National high school sports participation also grew for the fifth straight year to 8,415,684 young student athletes. The AHSAA broke down the number of participants in each sport with some fascinating stats.

• Football: 39,739
• Boys basketball: 18,993
• Volleyball: 16,886
• Baseball: 15,692
• Boys outdoor track and field: 13,411
• Girls basketball: 11,581
• Softball: 11,110
• Boys soccer: 10,349
• Girls outdoor track and field: 9,923
• Girls soccer: 7,315
• Boys wrestling: 5,673
• Boys indoor track and field: 5,035
• Boys cross country: 4,798
• Girls indoor track and field: 3,702
• Girls cross county: 3,664
• Flag football: 3,372
• Boys golf: 3,315
• Girls tennis: 2,791
• Boys tennis: 1,991
• Girls golf: 1,403
• Boys bowling: 1,228
• Girls wrestling: 1,150
• Girls bowling: 911
• Girls swimming & diving: 895
• Boys swimming & diving: 842
• Decathlon: 120
• Heptathlon: 56