For your school, approximately how many players will be on your total roster, grades 9 thru 12?

Will you have a freshman team, JV, neither or both?

What are your numbers like compared to 2025?

What are your numbers like compared to 2019?

 

Coach:  

Beech High School (Hendersonville TN) enrollment 1,450  Division 1 (public) Class 5A 

Sophomore thru Seniors. 85-90

Freshmen.   40-45

Varsity, JV and Freshman teams. 
 

numbers are similar to 2019 & 2025

 

CAL has about 55 players this year

They have JV only; no freshman team

The numbers for CAL never really fluctuate.  They always have 48-55 kids in the high school program.

Other than the traditional power houses, have heard more than one coach tell me their numbers are down right now as compared to the past several years. 

Last year our high water mark was 77. We are in the high 60's right now. Our goal each year is 65. 15 in each grade, 10 thru 12. 20 Freshmen. Right now we have 17 freshmen.  Not bad but 3 more would be even better. 

When we have been 70 or over (Mercer 2019, 2020 & 2021 & Anderson 2025) we did not take freshmen/JV guys when school started. This year we will do so. Those few extra bodies can really help to play a full freshman and JV schedule, which are critical to player development. 

Spencer County

2019 - 55-60
2025 - 55-60
2026 - 65-70 (9 Seniors)

We will play in our Freshman/JV league. We do not take any players once school starts, unless they are new to the district.

I think this probably varies depending on what kind of success the program is having and then 4A and up probably have 40 or more even when they are down.

Covington Catholic

Cov Cath fields a varsity, JV, and freshman team. In recent years there have been a handful of kids from the freshman team who are also invited to dress for varsity games on Friday nights, but true freshman participants on the varsity team are pretty a-typical. There are also usually a handful of freshman who join the varsity team once the freshman season comes to an end. I'm also not counting the student-managers among the rostered players, although the managers are considered a rostered player by the school and will receive a letter for their participation on the team.

I'd put a big-ol asterisk next to all of this info, in general, because a lot of it's kinda hodgepodged together. 2023-2025 should be fairly accurate since there are full rosters for the freshman and varsity teams, both, on Arbiter. The numbers prior to 2023 are a combination of the varsity roster numbers shown on the KHSAA Scoreboard and then the freshman roster numbers shown on the freshman team's Hudl page, or else I used numbers from the freshman team photo in the yearbook.

2026: 92 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-12; JR-17; SO-30; FR-33)

2025: 95 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-18; JR-16; SO-23; FR-38)

2024: 94 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-15; JR-19; SO-22; FR-38)

2023: 108 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-16; SO-25; FR-46)

2022: 118 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-19; JR-24; SO-25; FR-50)

2021: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-23; SO-28; FR-38)

2020: 102 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-27; JR-17; SO-20; FR-38)

2019: 96 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-25; SO-20; FR-29)

2018: 110 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-21; SO-28; FR-41)

2017: 103 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-20; SO-19; FR-40)

2016: 93 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-22; SO-22; FR-27)

2015: 109 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-21; SO-33; FR-33)

2014: 124 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-26; JR-26; SO-24; FR-48)

2013: 128 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-25; JR-31; SO-25; FR-47)

2012: 130 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-25; SO-39; FR-45)

2011: 119 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-22; SO-29; FR-47)

2010: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-18; SO-25; FR-50)

22 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Covington Catholic

Cov Cath fields a varsity, JV, and freshman team. In recent years there have been a handful of kids from the freshman team who are also invited to dress for varsity games on Friday nights, but true freshman participants on the varsity team are pretty a-typical. There are also usually a handful of freshman who join the varsity team once the freshman season comes to an end. I'm also not counting the student-managers among the rostered players, although the managers are considered a rostered player by the school and will receive a letter for their participation on the team.

I'd put a big-ol asterisk next to all of this info, in general, because a lot of it's kinda hodgepodged together. 2023-2025 should be fairly accurate since there are full rosters for the freshman and varsity teams, both, on Arbiter. The numbers prior to 2023 are a combination of the varsity roster numbers shown on the KHSAA Scoreboard and then the freshman roster numbers shown on the freshman team's Hudl page, or else I used numbers from the freshman team photo in the yearbook.

2026: 92 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-12; JR-17; SO-30; FR-33)

2025: 95 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-18; JR-16; SO-23; FR-38)

2024: 94 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-15; JR-19; SO-22; FR-38)

2023: 108 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-16; SO-25; FR-46)

2022: 118 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-19; JR-24; SO-25; FR-50)

2021: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-23; SO-28; FR-38)

2020: 102 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-27; JR-17; SO-20; FR-38)

2019: 96 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-25; SO-20; FR-29)

2018: 110 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-21; SO-28; FR-41)

2017: 103 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-20; SO-19; FR-40)

2016: 93 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-22; SO-22; FR-27)

2015: 109 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-21; SO-33; FR-33)

2014: 124 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-26; JR-26; SO-24; FR-48)

2013: 128 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-25; JR-31; SO-25; FR-47)

2012: 130 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-25; SO-39; FR-45)

2011: 119 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-22; SO-29; FR-47)

2010: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-18; SO-25; FR-50)

I noticed the numbers dropped every year from freshman through seniors I have seen this at Glasgow to and probably most schools do you think this is because as they move from grade to grade they may realize they ain’t getting playing time so they quit playing.

3 hours ago, Tkinslow said:

I noticed the numbers dropped every year from freshman through seniors I have seen this at Glasgow to and probably most schools do you think this is because as they move from grade to grade they may realize they ain’t getting playing time so they quit playing.

A tale as old as time. Even in the very strongest programs. Playing time, jobs, girlfriends, other sports, other interests, etc.

Edited July 20Jul 20 by theguru

A high school football coach once told me that he lost players between sophomore and junior years due to three factors: Jobs, girlfriends & cars. Sophomore year is tough. Kids get to play a lot on the freshman team but if there is no JV team, playing time is tough to get at the varsity level.

6 hours ago, Maroon Beech said:

A high school football coach once told me that he lost players between sophomore and junior years due to three factors: Jobs, girlfriends & cars. Sophomore year is tough. Kids get to play a lot on the freshman team but if there is no JV team, playing time is tough to get at the varsity level.

Yep. Last year's 2025 Cov Cath varsity team had 18 seniors on it. Two of them weren't even at Cov Cath for their freshman year in 2022. The 2022 Cov Cath freshman team had 50 kids on the roster. That means from freshman to senior year there were 34 kids who dropped football; that's a 68% attrition rate.

High school is a tough time for a lot of (most?) kids. Football is also among the more demanding sports out there, with year-round dedication to the team, and a whole lot of people who aren't gonna necessarily be in a major spotlight even if they do eventually start. If your school's program is really competitive and demanding, on top of all that, it's bound to separate the wheat from the chaff along the way.

22 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Covington Catholic

Cov Cath fields a varsity, JV, and freshman team. In recent years there have been a handful of kids from the freshman team who are also invited to dress for varsity games on Friday nights, but true freshman participants on the varsity team are pretty a-typical. There are also usually a handful of freshman who join the varsity team once the freshman season comes to an end. I'm also not counting the student-managers among the rostered players, although the managers are considered a rostered player by the school and will receive a letter for their participation on the team.

I'd put a big-ol asterisk next to all of this info, in general, because a lot of it's kinda hodgepodged together. 2023-2025 should be fairly accurate since there are full rosters for the freshman and varsity teams, both, on Arbiter. The numbers prior to 2023 are a combination of the varsity roster numbers shown on the KHSAA Scoreboard and then the freshman roster numbers shown on the freshman team's Hudl page, or else I used numbers from the freshman team photo in the yearbook.

2026: 92 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-12; JR-17; SO-30; FR-33)

2025: 95 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-18; JR-16; SO-23; FR-38)

2024: 94 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-15; JR-19; SO-22; FR-38)

2023: 108 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-16; SO-25; FR-46)

2022: 118 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-19; JR-24; SO-25; FR-50)

2021: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-23; SO-28; FR-38)

2020: 102 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-27; JR-17; SO-20; FR-38)

2019: 96 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-25; SO-20; FR-29)

2018: 110 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-21; SO-28; FR-41)

2017: 103 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-24; JR-20; SO-19; FR-40)

2016: 93 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-22; SO-22; FR-27)

2015: 109 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-22; JR-21; SO-33; FR-33)

2014: 124 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-26; JR-26; SO-24; FR-48)

2013: 128 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-25; JR-31; SO-25; FR-47)

2012: 130 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-25; SO-39; FR-45)

2011: 119 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-21; JR-22; SO-29; FR-47)

2010: 113 total players, grades 9-12 (SR-20; JR-18; SO-25; FR-50)

Just eyeballing it, the sidelines have felt a lot smaller the last few years. 38 sophomores would be a huge jump over the last decade compared to other rosters.

A lot of reasons for it like mentioned in a few other posts, but I think playing a bunch of guys both ways at Cov Cath discourages some guys from playing and developing if they don’t see a real path for PT or a role. 

Raceland 

2026 55

Will have a JV team and normally a Freshmore team with around 10-12 freshmen and 5-10 sophomores.  Normally play a full JV schedule with 4-6 Freshmore games. 

2025 53

2019 51

Raceland has been fairly consistent from 1990s to now.  50-65 players a year.  But, at a Class 1A school, one smaller class can dramatically affect the size of the team.  One of those classes happens occasionally, but fairly consistent at 15-18 per class yearly. 

Edited July 22Jul 22 by Ram

57 minutes ago, Ram said:

Raceland 

2026 55

Will have a JV team and normally a Freshmore team with around 10-12 freshmen and 5-10 sophomores.  Normally play a full JV schedule with 4-6 Freshmore games. 

2025 53

2019 51

Raceland has been fairly consistent from 1990s to now.  50-65 players a year.  But, at a Class 1A school, one smaller class can dramatically affect the size of the team.  One of those classes happens occasionally, but fairly consistent at 15-18 per class yearly. 

That’s a lot for a Class 1A club.

1 minute ago, Tkinslow said:

That’s a lot for a Class 1A club.

It is.  No soccer.

Most of the schools in Northeastern Kentucky have the same number of players, regardless of class.  That is one of the reasons I don't subscribe to the belief that the size of the school matters.  The numbers of students in the school does not make the football team better.  The number of students on the football team makes the football team better.  But, I guess that's a discussion for a different thread. ?