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while cross-country had the biggest decline at 14 percent. Among other important findings of the NFHS survey: • Other boys' sports outside the Top 10 that experienced significant gains from 2018/19 were volleyball, up 4.6 percent, and bass fishing, up by 10,626. • Volleyball continued its rise in popularity among girls' sports and was the only Top 10 sport to increase from three years prior with 454,153 participants. Volleyball is only 2500 participants behind track and field for the number one participatory sport for girls. • e emerging sport of girls' sand/beach volley- ball increased from 2237 to 6489 participants. • Among other girls' Top 10 sports, soccer moved ahead of basketball to number three behind track and field and volleyball, with so- ball remaining fih. Cross-country, swimming and diving and competitive spirit registered the biggest decline in the past three years among Top 10 sports with a 13 percent drop. • Flag football and girls' wrestling continued their recent surge in popularity with a 50 percent increase since 2018/19 (21,124 to 31,654). irty-two U.S. states now offer sep- arate state wrestling championships for girls. While most of the traditional sports experi- enced some decrease since 2018/19, the 2021/22 survey showed a dramatic rise in Unified sports participation. With only 5541 combined par- ticipants from 10 states in 2018/19, this year's survey showed 47,909 combined participants in almost 20 states. Unified/Adapted Sports See Growth In addition to Unified sports participants, the survey's data showed another 7689 combined participants in Adapted sports. e 55,598 combined participants in Unified and Adapted sports represent a 163 percent increase from three years ago. "It is great to see a growing interest in sev- eral emerging sports, as well as programs like Unified and Adapted programs," Niehoff says. "Our goal continues to be to involve as many students as possible in high school sports and other activity programs." is year's survey indicated participation by high school students in 69 different sports, as well as 16 Adapted sports and 16 Unified sports. In addition to those previously noted, some of the more popular Other sports (combined participation numbers) were bowling (57,219), field hockey (56,091), ice hockey (42,092), water polo (37,379) and weightliing (25,257). With an increase of about 20,000 partici- pants, Texas topped the list of state participation with 846,161. Texas was one of 14 states that had a gain in participation since the 2018/19 survey. California retained the number two position with 762,823 participants despite a drop of more than 60,000 from three years ago. Other changes in the Top 10 show Ohio moving to number three with 378,354 par- ticipants, followed by Pennsylvania (315,097), Illinois (314,839), New York (313,404), Florida (291,504), Michigan (271,423), New Jersey (264,139) and Massachusetts (215,848). The NFHS Hig h s cho ol Athletics Participation Survey began in 1971 and was compiled in its current form through the 2018/19 school year and now resumes annually with the 2021/22 survey. n 11 • Team Insight ~ November/December 2022 teaminsightmag.com TEAM TRENDS