Participation in boys high school sports across Connecticut experienced an overall decline during the 2025-2026 school year.
Total participation dropped by more than 4% compared to the previous year, according to “data from the CIAC.”
The number of student-athletes fell from 58,605 in 2024-2025 to 55,990 in 2025-2026.
Football saw a significant decrease, with participation numbers dropping 9% from 8,831 to 8,015 over that same period, as noted by “recent reports from Yahoo Sports.”
Many other sports also faced declines, including swimming and indoor track, which both saw 6% decreases.
Wrestling and volleyball saw 5% drops, while basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis each experienced a 4% decline.
CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini attributed these trends in part to a shrinking student population.
“We are still experiencing a decline in student population each year,” “Lungarini stated regarding the state’s challenges.”
The state reached a 20-year low for public school enrollment in 2025-2026, based on figures from the Department of Education.
Lungarini also highlighted the impact of financial pressures on families.
“You’re seeing more and more school districts that are in financial positions where they have to go to pay to participate,” “Lungarini explained to CT Insider.”
He added that such policies negatively impact participation rates.
Despite the widespread downturn, fall golf saw a 5% increase in participation, rising from 685 boys to 719.
Outdoor track remained nearly stable, with a minor decrease of only 12 participants.
The recent figures contrast with the 2024-2025 school year, which saw more positive trends in several sports.
For instance, volleyball experienced a 27% increase during that earlier period, while swimming saw a 12% rise.
However, the most recent data confirms a broader downward trajectory for boys athletics in the state.