A decade ago, high school football seemed doomed. But the sport has made a surprising comeback.
Stories of retired NFL players haunted by head injuries filled the news. Participation dwindled as parents feared putting their kids in the sport. Then the pandemic further dimmed Friday night lights across the country and threatened to speed football’s decline.Turnout of boys for high school football rose 5.6% last year
. While participation remains well below the sport’s peak about 15 years ago, its gains last year surpassed the post-Covid rebound of popular fall sports including boys soccer and girls’ volleyball ., coaches and administrators say. Covid shutdowns made students and their parents hungry for social activities, steps to improve safety have reassured parents, and the NFL has put its colossal muscle behind promoting high school tackle and flag football.
“Whereas in some cases, the mom doesn’t want to let little Johnny play at age 6, flag is a great entry,” Oben said. If a flag football player doesn’t end up transitioning to tackle, Oben said, he or she could still end up becoming a lifelong fan of the sport., with over 1 million athletes. The growth of non-contact versions has deepened the pool of potential high school players. No-tackle, 7-on-7 leagues are thriving in warm-weather states in the offseason.
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