THE SOLUTION

During the pandemic, physical activity rates among students fell. Obesity rates grew,¹² as did mental health challenges. Suicide rates spiked, especially among girls.¹³ Families suffered, and policymakers distributed unprecedented federal aid to help students and schools recover. 

The value of sports as a solution grew. Amid the shutdowns and limited seasons, high school students missed the competition, the exercise, playing with friends, and above all, the fun. In our national survey, 30% of students said their interest in sports had grown during the pandemic – nearly twice that (16%) of those whose interest had diminished. This finding was true across genders, races and ethnicities, school types, and grade levels.¹⁴

All of this presents an historic opportunity for schools to reimagine their approach to sports. To use sports more intentionally as a tool of human wellness and development. To align its purpose more tightly with the educational mission. To help every student move into adulthood with the skills to succeed in the 21st century. 

The last time the school sports model was updated was 50 years ago with the enactment of Title IX. The federal law prohibited any school that receives federal funds from discriminating by gender in the provision of educational opportunities, including sports opportunities. In 1972, just 1 in 27 girls played high school sports.¹⁵ Today, it’s more than 1 in 3.¹⁶

Implementation has not been ideal. Full enforcement of the law is lacking, and girls still lag boys in participation rates in school sports. But the gap is closing. Women now win more U.S. Olympic medals than men, and role models abound. Most women in C-Suites today were high school athletes.¹⁷ Making sports more accessible to girls has delivered untold benefits to society. 

The next version of school-based sports+ needs to build on the lessons of Title IX. Its core values of participation and non-discrimination must drive decision-making. So, too, must the principles of health equity,+ given the mountain of research on the benefits that flow to students whose bodies are in motion – and the gaps in access to sport for under-resourced populations. 

Then, school leaders must put in place a set of aligned strategies and tactics to bring that more robust model to life, tailored to the interests of its students and assets of its community. 

On the following pages, we offer a playbook to help schools not miss this moment.