Rising costs, shifting interests contribute to decline in girls high school basketball, survey shows

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fewer girls are participating in high school basketball across the country. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in girls basketball has dropped about 21 percent over the past 25 years.

Missouri is among several states seeing an even larger decline, with participation down 34 percent. There were 8,321 players at 568 schools in 2024-25 compared to 12,646 players at 534 schools in 1999-2000.

The Federation, which relies on schools to self-report participation number, said student athletes are still playing sports, just less basketball. Experts point to a combination of factors, including rising costs and an increased interest in other sports.

Families are feeling the financial strain of keeping their kids active in basketball. According to the NFHS survey, the average sports family spent about $1,016 on their child’s primary sport in 2024, a 46 percent increase since 2019.

Parents told ABC 17 News that costs can be significantly higher, with some families spending up to $20,000 per season on travel, tournaments, uniforms, and training.

"You're talking tens to $20,000 in a summer," Mark Means said. "It just prices kids out. Basketball is not meant to be that way."

Means was in Columbia on Friday to support his eleven-year-old daughter on the Troy Trojans. She started playing basketball when she was four years old.

“I’ve had three daughters go through AAU Basketball. Love the coaches, love what they’re doing. It’s way too expensive.”

Erin Dean, a mother to an eighth grader said it all adds up.

"I probably don't want to calculate that number," Dean said. "But it's probably on an annual basis, probably about 20 to 25k with our travel."

Dean’s daughter started playing basketball in third grade. Dean said she was surprised to learn that participation in girls’ basketball is declining, recalling that St. Louis, where she lives, has long been a “robust” hub for the sport.

“It’s competitive, it’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, and if you have other kids, other family needs, sometimes the prioritization of spending it on basketball, hotels, whatever flights. It’s a burden to a family. So I can understand,” Dean said.

Some programs, like Columbia Supreme, are working to make basketball more accessible. Founder Anthony Johnson said fees are cut roughly in half, ranging from $500 for younger players to $750 for older age groups.

"We make it affordable to make it more accessible. And we actively recruit girls from areas that typically don't play," Johnson said. “A lot of the kids, if we didn't have this format, you know, they wouldn't be on the team. That's a very high percentage of the kids."

The Columbia Supreme has been running since 2018. Johnson said he has not seen a decrease in participation numbers.

"We have a very high return rate," Johnson said. "I don't really see the kids that play competitive drop off, that is not something that I've seen."

According to the survey, part of the decline is also attributed to shifting interests. Many girls are choosing sports such as soccer, softball, track, volleyball, flag football, and even girls wrestling, which have all seen a rise in participation.

Dean's daughter also plays travel soccer.

"We are very busy" Dean said. "I committed to one year of the crazy madness before she goes to high school."

According to the 2024 National Youth Sports Parent Survey, from the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, many parents feel pressure for their children to focus on a single sport. Nearly half of parents surveyed, 48% said they feel some or significant pressure for their child to specialize, and 53 percent said that pressure comes from their child’s desire to play high school sports. The survey also found that 21% of parents report their child plays their primary sport for 9 to 12 months out of the year.

Means' daughter also plays soccer and flag football.

"At a young age you need to be playing all these kind of sports. We take our kids and we focus way too early, and they don't get an opportunity to really kind of expand and see what's out there," Dean said.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 13.