South Dakota High School Football participation is not at a historic low. The number of high school football players in South Dakota has rebounded after hitting a 15-year low in 2019-20.
More than 5,500 students signed up to play high school football in 2024-25, with 2,048 of those in nine-man and 3,512 of them in 11-man. During the 2018 season, the number of athletes dipped below 5,000 for the only time since at least 2009. In 2018, 4,997 competed, with 3,133 in 11-man and 1,846 in nine-man. Despite declining participation across the country in the 2010s, numbers are starting to rise again nationally. In the 11-man game, there are about 23,000 more athletes in 2024-25 than 2018-19. Numbers also increased in nine-man.
The National Federation of High Schools says the increase is partly due to parents getting more comfortable with the safety of the sport after concussion protocols and new laws.
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