Team Insight

1. Leading Ladies There are seven team sports where more than 50 percent of the participants are female — cheerleading, fast-pitch softball, gymnastics, court volleyball, grass volleyball, swimming on a team and field hockey. Source: SFIA 2. Starting Female Five The top five most popular team sports in the U.S., which have the largest overall number of female participants, are, in order, basketball, outdoor soccer, court volleyball, gymnastics and fast-pitch softball. Source: SFIA 3. Females in Football In the 2016-17 school year, 2017 girls from 665 high schools played high school football. Source: NFHS 4. Female Factor There were 3.4 million girls who played high school sports in the 2016-17 school year. For comparison purposes, there were 4.6 million boys playing high school sports. Source: NFHS 5. Statistically Significant Surge In the 1971-72 school year, there were 294,015 girls and 3.7 million boys playing high school sports. Since then, overall participation by girls has risen by more than 1000 percent, while participation by boys has risen by 24.4 percent. Source: NFHS 6. Girls Go For It Girls are participating on a high school team in 62 different sports, ranging from baseball to flag football to lacrosse to rugby to weightlifting. Source: NFHS 7. Girls Score From a participation perspective, the top 10 most popular sports for high school girls are, in order, outdoor track and field, court volleyball, basketball, soccer, fast-pitch softball, cross-country, tennis, swimming and diving, competitive spirit squads and lacrosse. Source: NFHS 8. Big Sports on Campus While track and field, court volleyball and basketball have the most female high school athletes in the U.S., basketball, track and field and volleyball are the top three sports in terms of number of teams. Source: NFHS 9. The Big 10 The 10 states with the most girls playing school sports are Texas, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and Minnesota. Source: NFHS 10. A Kids' Game Soccer is so skewed to young girls that 42.6 percent of all female soccer players are in the eighth grade or lower. Source: SFIA 11. Gender Rising Female participation in college sports has shown significant growth since the 2007- 08 academic year. From 2007-08 to 2016- 17, the number of females playing sports has increased at all three levels. Female participation in NCAA sports has increased by 22.1 percent since 2007-08. Source: NCAA 12. Female Collegiate Athletics From the 2007-08 school year through 2016-17, there has been a 19.2 percent increase in the number of women's athletic teams at all NCAA levels, combined. Source: NCAA 13. Soaring Sports In 2016-17, there were 16,532 women playing NCAA basketball, up from 15,307 in 2007-08. Soccer, volleyball and lacrosse also showed significant participation increases. Source: NCAA 14. The "K" Club In 2016-17, there were five NCAA I, II and III- sponsored sports that featured more than 1000 female teams — basketball, cross-country, volleyball, soccer and softball. Source: NCAA 15. Role Reversal In 1981-82, there were an average of 10.3 men's varsity teams and 7.3 women's varsity teams per every Division I school. By 2016-17 there were more women's than men's varsity squads — 10.6 women's, 8.6 men's. Source: NCAA 16. Basketball Bucks Nearly 30 percent of all female basketball players come from homes where the combined annual household income is at least $100,000. Source: SFIA 17. Financial Finding Just over 40 percent of all female lacrosse players come from homes where the combined annual household income is at least $100,000. Source: SFIA 18. Girls Score in Soccer In the 1981-82 school year, there were 80 women's soccer teams, combined, at the NCAA levels. By 2016-17 there were 1035. Source: NCAA 19. Soccer and Salaries Nearly 40 percent of all female soccer players come from homes where the combined annual household income is at least $100,000. Source: SFIA 20. Court Control Almost 60 percent of all court volleyball participants and 67 percent of all core (playing 13- plus times a year) court volleyball participants are female. Source: SFIA Compiled by Mike May teaminsightmag.com TEAM / TRENDS WHY TEAM DEALERS SHOULD SELL GIRLS' SPORTS 20 REALLY GOOD REASONS SINCE 1971-72, PARTICIPATION IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BY GIRLS HAS RISEN BY MORE THAN 1000%

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