SPOKANE, Wash. — More students in Spokane are getting out on the court and making plays on the field as sports participation rates reach record levels nationwide.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in sports increased by nearly 200,000 students across the country last school year, marking an all-time high. The surge has prompted local school districts to adapt by creating additional teams and expanding programs to meet unprecedented demand.
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At West Valley High School, 90 girls signed up for volleyball tryouts this fall, leading coaches to create five teams to accommodate the interest.
“This is probably the biggest turnout that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said Brynlee Ordinario, a senior volleyball player in her fourth year with the program.
Volleyball has emerged as particularly popular among high school athletes. Jamie Nilles, Athletic Director at West Valley High School, said the sport’s numbers are exceptional.
“Our volleyball numbers are blowing out of the sky right now,” Nilles said.
At West Valley, every sport has required additional teams over recent years to handle the influx of student athletes.
Spokane Public Schools is experiencing similar growth. One of the district’s middle school football program attracted 90 students in its firs year. Jake Hoffman, one of the teams four coaches, expects turnout to remain similar this season.
“I see a lot more kids interested right now. I think there’s a lot of buzz going around the sport,” Hoffman said.
Coaches and athletic directors attribute the participation boom to students’ desire to engage in activities after pandemic restrictions limited opportunities for several years.
“Everybody is just eager to get out and play. I mean, those couple of years of being locked down was pretty tough on everybody. And now, they have the opportunity,” Hoffman said.
For student athletes, the appeal is also social.
“It’s given me so many new friends and so many new connections that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t play,” Ordinario said.
Hoffman encourages students who might be hesitant about joining sports teams to take the leap.
“If there’s anybody that’s hesitant about doing sports, just go do it. Join a team. See what you learn. And then apply it to life,” he said.
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