Parents LOVE the school-based experience of high school sports!
Why? Because they see it as irreplaceable:¹²
• 68% say the school-based experience provides higher value than non-school options
• 59% say it does a better job of balancing competitive performance and student development
• 69% say it provides something unique that cannot easily be replaced outside of school
These distinctions matter.
Parents aren’t simply saying school-based opportunities are available or convenient. They believe the school-based setting provides a different kind of value—one that is not interchangeable with or fully replicated by outside programs.
It’s the combination of the connection to the school, the educational structure centered on students, the adult guidance provided, and the balance between performance and development that they value AND they see as difficult to replace.
In other words, if school sports went away, could something else do its job? Two-thirds of parents say no.
What parents value is a different kind of experience for their students, and that difference is the tie to school itself with a structure built around students rather than results. And who holds that structure in place across every school? Every state high school association.
Students who play high school sports carry less, research says. READ MORE
Did you know the more connected a student feels to their high school, the better their mental health? READ MORE
The big debate: Do high school sports distract athletes from school? READ MORE
THE MISSION
Helping students learn life lessons. Grow as people. Become responsible adults and productive citizens. Why do our 51 state high school associations exist?
To make sure that happens.
Run by educators, our state high school associations protect high school sports and activities by:
So our students have the opportunity to compete, to learn and to belong.
State high school associations believe in the power of high school sports and activities for every student, every school and every community. And they believe the true purpose of high school sports and activities is worth protecting and preserving for generations to come.
Join us in sharing these messages all year long on social media! Together, let’s all #ProtectThePurpose!
