Football Players

Declining Participation in High School

Football numbers shrinking at AHS, across country.

By Jose Leon

In the 2014 season, the AHS football program had 105 total players with 58 students on the varsity team and another 47 on the junior varsity team. In the 2021 season, AHS only fielded a varsity team with just 39 players.

The decline in high school football participation is not only happening at AHS, it is a trend nationwide. According to a Forbes magazine titled “High School Football Participation is on a Decade Long Decline” published on August 29, 2019, participation in high school football has declined across the country. According to the article, in 2018-2019 high school boys football participation dropped 30,829 or 3%.

In the fall of 2020, the California Interscholastic Federation published a survey that showed high school football participation in California had been declining for 5 years.

Head football coach Mikel Dace believes football participation is declining due to the loss of interest and the teamwork involved.

“Students choose a different sport and put their time and effort into it, also football is a 11 man sport where it can’t just be one person pulling the weight which is where I think students don’t play the sport. Also over the years students have found other sports more interesting to them.” Dace said.

Why do you think students at Arroyo don’t play football?

Head football Coach Mikel Dace

“There are a lot of kids that don’t the physicality of football nor like the game where its hit or be hit.”

Senior Tony Estes III

“Some students judge the game before trying to understand the meaning of football, Brotherhood”

Sophomore Andrew Nguyen

“I know people that are super athletic but they don’t play because they don’t wanna get hurt.”

Senior Lino Gaona

“Some people don’t have the guts to go against an opponent that is bigger and stronger then them.”

Junior Josiah Johnson

“Because some people don’t have the drive to play the sport like we do but we will always welcome anyone to the Don family.”

Junior Ron Nguyen

“Most kids I’ve talked to say they don’t have the passion or skill to play football, but never try to see how they like it.”