Iowa High School Sports Surge to Record Highs

Iowa high school sports participation reached a near two-decade high during the 2025-26 school year, with over 145,000 student athletes involved. This surge occurred despite a general decrease in overall student enrollment. The Iowa High School Athletic Association reported these figures on September 1, 2026. This marks the highest participation level recorded in Iowa since the 2008-09 school year.

Track and field emerged as the most popular sport, attracting 22,789 participants. Football and volleyball remained top choices for boys and girls, respectively. Football participation saw its highest statewide total since 2015-16. Girls' participation across all sports surpassed 60,000 for the first time since 2008-09, reflecting a growing trend in female athletic engagement.

Several girls' sports experienced significant growth. Wrestling, in particular, saw a 16% increase in participants, following a national trend. Other growing sports for girls included golf, track and field, and basketball. Girls' basketball saw its first increase of over 100 participants since 2007-08. Nationally, girls' high school sports participation grew by 3.2%, driven by sports like flag football and wrestling.