RJS has a lot of very good points. If a kid is a better baseball or basketball player, or even soccer player for that matter than a football player, they are going to concentrate more on that sport and give up football. 30 plus years ago you could play three sports and still have down time between seasons. Now in the specialized world we live in, with the "if you don't train everyday for this sport someone is going to be better than you and take your sports scholarship for college", everyone is on this select league play year round outside of the season the sport is in.

Football is a very demanding sport as far as time and effort, and if that isn't the kids best sport, the kid doesn't want to devote the time to be either second string or rotate in here and there when they can excel or do better in another sport. Not bashing them, but the days when a kid just wanted to be part of his high school team even if they didn't play much or at all are gone. Too many other options out there that don't require that much commitment. I.E. concentrate on one sport, XBOX, internet, or net flix. I think the concussion thing is a very small part.

Just my two cents, here...

 

1) I don't think kids are lazier, but they do have more options for their time now - there is just a lot more competing with all sports, now. Football is hard, by the nature of the game. And I think video games to play a role. I know they have been around for 40 years, but the graphics and storyline development have improved to such a degree that it is almost like virtual reality. Also, video games now add a social element that they didn't used to offer, with online gaming.

 

2) I don't buy the argument that there is a "media conspiracy" against football. There is enough evidence to suggest that football is dangerous, and probably more so than other sports, across the board. That said, parents have to weigh the risks against the incredible rewards of playing the game (talking about physical, social, & character rewards - NOT scholarships).

 

3) More boys being raised by their mothers, with no Dad in sight, or Dad being just a temporary diversion from. In light of the dangers of the sport, one would think that a Mom, having never played the game, might be less inclined to accept the risk, since they may not fully appreciate the rewards.

 

4) I think another reality is shifting demographics and populations, as well as the elimination of green spaces. Kids often don't live close enough to other kids to get a good pick-up game of football. If they do, they may not have the space available for a game. Finally, if there are other kids and space available, parents are less likely to just let young kids go down to the neighborhood park unsupervised.

Since you are throwing out stats, do you have market share numbers? What is the size of total participation of all sports? How many play multiple sports?

 

Survey for 2015.

http://www.nfhs.org/ParticipationStatics/PDF/2014-15_Participation_Survey_Results.pdf

Has anyone found the numbers of players for 13'-14' and 14'-15'?

 

In 2011-2012 school year there were 1,097,597 high school football players.

In 2012-2013 school year there were 1,088,158 high school football players.

 

That was an 0.86% drop in participation.

The 10,000 player drop in 2014-2015 would be slightly higher - about 0.93%

 

2015 1,085,182

2014 1,094,959

A

 

I don't buy this argument at all. I'd say athletes work harder than ever now. Video games have been around for nearly 40 years....I had a video game system in 1980. What I didn't have was access to elite, year round training programs designed to make me bigger faster and stronger. And I'd say all the select sports teams, and requirements to participate in year round sports activities is what's driving kids away from football. Its a tough sell for a kid who's really good at another sport but only an ok football player. In the past, it was much easier for the marginal kid to play. Now, it's impossible, especially if he plays another sport. There are other sports that give an immediate return, or they can spend that time working a job and making money.

 

But were your video games anywhere as good as they are now? I can only speak for the inner city, but as I was growing up, we were always outside playing something whether it be football, baseball or basketball. Now, when I drive through the city, I rarely see kids outside let alone playing a game.

Survey for 2015.

http://www.nfhs.org/ParticipationStatics/PDF/2014-15_Participation_Survey_Results.pdf

Thanks! i dig that type of info. Coulnd't find a notation on multi sport athletes. I'm guessing that number has been declining as well?

I'll bet anything it has to do with kids being lazy and not wanting to put down that Xbox controller. It probably has something to do with kids being scared too, but xbox games are killing kids.

 

Video game consoles have been in most homes since the late 1980s.

If your theory were true wouldn't we see a decline in all sports?

 

No because football requires more of a year round commitment as far as weightlifting and conditioning. This off season work is considered long, hard, and boring by some of todays kids who need quicker and instant stimulation. Other sports you typically play year-round and throw in some weightlifting and conditioning.

Air conditioning is a big factor.

No because football requires more of a year round commitment as far as weightlifting and conditioning. This off season work is considered long, hard, and boring by some of todays kids who need quicker and instant stimulation. Other sports you typically play year-round and throw in some weightlifting and conditioning.

 

Has anyone noticed a decrease in the pee wee level?

If you are a 16 year old who just realized that athletics is not going to be paying your college bills, can you really afford sacrificing the time spent working for any HS sport? Cost of higher education is driving kids out, while competition for scholarship escalates the commitment.

But were your video games anywhere as good as they are now? I can only speak for the inner city, but as I was growing up, we were always outside playing something whether it be football, baseball or basketball. Now, when I drive through the city, I rarely see kids outside let alone playing a game.

 

My kids were all very involved in sports but rarely played pickup games because there was always some sort of organized game they had to attend. Think about it, with select teams playing over 50 games a year regardless of sport, traveling to out of area tournaments, or just attending daily practices, what athlete has time to play a pickup game?? In my day you'd play a game or two a week and practice once and then be free the other 4 days. Kids are too busy to play pickup games.

 

As far as how good were the video games then.....at the time, I thought they were unbelievable. Current games will be lousy compared to games 30 years from now too. I'm not going to not play a game because I think it will suck in a decade or two. It's all relative.

If you are a 16 year old who just realized that athletics is not going to be paying your college bills, can you really afford sacrificing the time spent working for any HS sport? Cost of higher education is driving kids out, while competition for scholarship escalates the commitment.

 

90% of kids are not getting any form of academic scholarship. High school sports life lessons should not be missed.

90% of kids are not getting any form of academic scholarship. High school sports life lessons should not be missed.

 

And 99% won't get athletic schollys. But you are right, the emphasis of using sports to get a college education should not be what high school sports are about. I know I wouldn't be where I'm at today without sports.

And 99% won't get athletic schollys. But you are right, the emphasis of using sports to get a college education should not be what high school sports are about. I know I wouldn't be where I'm at today without sports.

 

To be clear I wasn't saying they should instead try for an athletic scholarship. The value is the participation and lessons learned that you carry throughout life. I still use those lessons.