MSHSL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPANTS
The Minnesota State High School League sponsors one of the most comprehensive programs of interscholastic activities in the
United States—activities that involve 525 member schools, 312,218 students, 22,197 coaches, and 9,773 contest officials and
judges. According to a national survey of 50 state high school athletic/activity associations, Minnesota ranks 10th in the nation
in the total number of student athletes. Here’s a look at the 42 activity programs offered by League member schools during the
2012–2013 school year and the scores of students involved in them.
Adapted Bowling (Co-ed)
Boys’ Basketball
y 39 participating schools (CI)
y 209 participants
y 33 participating schools (PI)
y 58 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 116 participating schools
802 participants
y 469 participating schools
y 13,503 participants
y 4 Championships
Nationally: 17,856 participating schools
538,676 participants
Adapted Floor Hockey (Co-ed)
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53 participating schools (CI)
236 participants
60 participating schools (PI)
151 participants
2 Championships
Minnesota is the only state that sponsored Adapted
Floor Hockey during the 2012−2013 school year.
Adapted Soccer (Co-ed)
y 67 participating schools (CI)
y 193 participants
y 48 participating schools (PI)
y 114 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 100 participating schools
701 participants
y 456 participating schools
y 11,601 participants
y 4 Championships
Nationally: 17,493 participating schools
433,120 participants
y 352 participating schools
y 6,680 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 14,148 participating schools
249,200 participants
Girls’ Cross Country Running
y 350 participating schools
y 8,179 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 13,918 participating schools
214,369 participants
Nationwide, cross country running is the sixth
most popular sport for girls and seventh for boys.
Girls’ Dance Team (competitive)
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y
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168 participating schools (Jazz)
3,987 participants
181 participating schools (High Kick)
4,785 participants
6 Championships
Adapted Softball (Co-ed)
Football
y 65 participating schools (CI)
y 269 participants
y 51 participating schools (PI)
y 153 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 77 participating schools
767 participants
y 440 participating schools
(includes 11 and 9 man)
y 26,563 participants
y 7 Championships
Nationally: 14,294 participating schools (11 man
and 9 man—does not include girls)
1,093,068 participants (includes girls)
Minnesota was the first of five state high school
activity associations to sponsor adapted athletic
programs for students with disabilities.
Nationwide, football is the most popular sport for
boys. It’s also the activity involving the most studentathletes in Minnesota.
Girls’ Badminton
Boys’ Golf
y 18 participating schools
y 529 participants
Nationally: 448 participating schools
11,811 participants
Baseball
y 431 participating schools
y 13,164 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 15,632 participating schools
476,050 participants (includes girls)
Baseball is currently the fourth most popular
sport for boys nationwide. It ranks fourth for students
in Minnesota.
y 379 participating schools
y 5,702 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 13,415 participating schools
152,584 participants
Nationally, golf ranks in the top 10 most popular
sports for boys (9th).
Girls’ Golf
y 362 participating schools
y 4,035 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 9,568 participating schools
71,054 participants
Girls’ Gymnastics
y 186 participating schools
y 2,534 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 1,516 participating schools
19,563 participants
Minnesota has the highest participation rate in
the country.
Boys’ Ice Hockey
y 277 participating schools
y 5,801 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 1,601 participating schools
35,198 participants
Minnesota has the second highest participation
rate in the country.
Girls’ Ice Hockey
y 246 participating schools
y 3,812 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 608 participating schools
9,447 participants
Minnesota leads the nation in number of
participants.
A national survey shows that participation in high school sports increased
for the 24th consecutive year in 2012–2013 and passed the 7.7 million mark
for the first time. The survey also reports that girls’ participation figures
reached an all-time record total of 3,222,733.
Nationally, Minnesota has the 2nd highest
participation rate.
Boys’ Nordic Ski Racing
y 111 participating schools
y 1,855 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 330 participating schools
4,346 participants
y 113 participating schools
y 2,287 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 332 schools
4,724 participants
Girls’ Basketball
Boys’ Cross Country Running
y 117 participating schools
y 805 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 550 participating schools
4,489 participants
Girls’ Nordic Ski Racing
Basketball is currently the third most popular
sport for boys in Minnesota. It ranks third for boys
nationwide.
Nationwide, basketball is the second most popular
sport for girls. It’s currently the fourth most popular
sport for girls in Minnesota.
Girls’ Alpine Ski
Girls’ Synchronized Swimming
y 21 participating schools
y 435 participants
Nationally: 31 participating schools
580 participants
Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio are the only states
that sponsor synchronized swimming. Minnesota has
the most participants.
Boys’ Tennis
Minnesota leads the nation in the number of
participants for boys and girls.
y 196 participating schools
y 4,935 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 9,730 participating schools
157,247 participants
Boys’ Soccer
Girls’ Tennis
y 242 participating schools
y 8,892 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 11,626 participating schools
410,982 participants
y 226 participating schools
y 6,517 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 10,005 participating schools
181,116 participants
Girls’ Soccer
Nationally, tennis ranks in the top 10 most popular
sports for both girls (7th) and boys (8th).
y 225 participating schools
y 8,346 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 11,351 participating schools
371,532 participants
Nationwide, soccer is the fifth most popular sport
for boys and fourth for girls.
Girls’ Fast-pitch Softball
y 415 participating schools
y 12,056 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 15,067 participating schools
362,488 participants
Fast-pitch softball is the 3rd most popular sport for
girls in Minnesota.
Boys’ Swimming & Diving
y 151 participating schools
y 3,704 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 7,001 participating schools
138,177 participants
Boys’ Lacrosse
Boys’ Track and Field
y 434 participating schools
y 15,988 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 16,001 participating schools
580,672 participants
Track and field is the second most popular sport
for boys nationwide and in Minnesota.
Girls’ Track and Field
y 435 participating schools
y 15,589 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 15,962 participating schools
472,939 participants
Track and field is currently the most popular sport
for girls in Minnesota and nationally.
Girls’ Volleyball
y 453 participating schools
y 15,124 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 15,565 participating schools
420,208 participants
Volleyball is currently the second most popular
sport for girls in Minnesota. It ranks third for girls’
nationwide.
y 76 participating schools
y 3,207 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 2,436 participating schools
101,687 participants
Wrestling
y 342 participating schools
y 8,020 participants
y 3 Championships
Nationally: 10,488 participating schools
270,163 participants
Girls’ Lacrosse
y 83 participating schools
y 3,354 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 2,212 participating schools
77,258 participants
y 223 participating schools
y 3,496 participants
Boys’ Alpine Ski
Girls’ Swimming & Diving
y 116 participating schools
y 1,020 participants
y 1 Championship
Nationally: 555 participating schools
5,631 participants
y 195 participating schools
y 5,516 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 7,249 participating schools
163,992 participants
Minnesota has the 2nd highest number of
participants nationally.
Nationwide, swimming and diving is the 10th
most popular sport for boys and 8th for girls.
There were 81,797 students involved in fine arts
activities—debate, speech, drama, music, and
visual arts during the 2012–2013 school year.
Debate
y 69 participating schools
y 543 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 26 state high school associations
sponsor debate
One Act Play
y 297 participating schools
y 3,246 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 23 state high school associations
sponsor drama
Robotics
y 180 participating teams
y 3,600 participants
y 1 Championship
Minnesota is the first high school association in
the country to host a state tournament in Robotics.
Speech
y 318 participating schools
y 5,096 participants
y 2 Championships
Nationally: 25 state high school associations
sponsor speech events
Visual Arts
y 202 participating schools
y 3,308 participants
Nationally: Minnesota and Alaska are the only
states that sponsor visual arts
Band
y 420 participating schools
y 31,245 participants
Orchestra
y 215 participating schools
y 3,841 participants
Vocal
Cheerleading
Lacrosse is the 10th most popular sport for girls
nationwide.
FINE ARTS
y 420 participating schools
y 31,578 participants
Nationally: 21 state high school associations
sponsor music
5 MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN MINNESOTA
Football - 26,568
BOYS 1.2. Track
GIRLS
& Field - 15,988
3. Basketball - 13,503
4. Baseball - 13,164
5. Soccer - 8,892
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Track & Field - 15,589
Volleyball - 15,124
Fast-Pitch Softball - 12,056
Basketball - 11,601
Soccer - 8,346