With another school year on the horizon, BC School Sports (BCSS) says the 2023-2024 academic year saw record-high participation in sports at schools in B.C., with 7,742 teams involved in the 18 sports governed by the organization.
Strong registration growth was noticed in cross country running, winter sports including skiing and snowboarding, wrestling and, in general, girls' sports.
A "remarkable" 123,313 student-athletes registered to play at B.C. schools, marking an 8.2 per cent increase from last year’s record-breaking numbers, according to a report posted to bcschoolsports.ca.
Of note, BCSS has focused on retaining female athletes in high school sports, after observing a high dropout rate in recent years. In 2023-2024, the report says, 46 per cent of total registrations came from girls, "a strong indicator that the inclusive and welcoming environments is encouraging girls to get involved and stay involved throughout high school."
Overall at schools in B.C., there was a 19 per cent rise in participation in sports over the past decade and a 12 per cent surge since the COVID-19 pandemic, the report notes.
"In tangible terms, this means 23,819 more students are participating in school-based athletics compared to 10 years ago, with an additional 14,700 athletes joining since schools returned to normal operations post-pandemic."
After the pandemic shut down school sports from March 2020 until September 2021, there were concerns about the resiliency and sustainability of those activities, so Jordan Abney, BCSS Executive Director, is thrilled with the post-pandemic rebound.
“Our 460-plus member schools are doing an outstanding job of offering diverse and inclusive opportunities for youth to experience the transformative power of school-based athletics," Abney said in a news release.
"This is especially commendable given the limited resources available within the system. It is crucial that we continue to elevate the status of school sports within our communities and ensure that the necessary support is provided to sustain these invaluable experiences for generations to come.”
Last year, wrestling saw "extraordinary growth in participation," including a 19.8 per cent rise among female wrestlers and 50 per cent increase in the number of male wrestlers.
Cross-country running "continued its impressive multiyear trend of strong growth," the report says, with participation rising from 4,783 to 5,412 this year, a 13.2 per cent increase.
Nearly 28,000 student-athletes participated in more than one school sport in 2023-24, including 15,071 males and 12,764 females.
"The dedication of coaches remains vital to the success of school sports, with 14,827 coaches supporting students throughout the 2023-2024 school season," the report adds. "This includes 9,619 male and 5,208 female coaches."
