Ohio ranks third in US high school sports participation

Ohio ranks third in the United States for high school sports participation, according to the annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey for the 2025-26 school year. With 347,994 total student-athletes, the state trails only Texas and California in total numbers.

Ohio is a national leader in the number of high schools offering teams in three specific sports: girls wrestling (525), girls bowling (505), and boys bowling (517). The survey noted that growth in girls wrestling and girls flag football contributed to a national record for total high school student-athletes.

Among boys, the most participated sports in Ohio include football, track and field, baseball, basketball, and soccer. For girls, the top sports are competitive spirit/cheerleading, track and field, volleyball, soccer, softball, and basketball.