2 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2016
High school sports participation continues to increase
Led by an encouraging
report in football participation
nationwide, the number of par-
ticipants in high school sports
increased for the 27th consecu-
tive year in 2015-16, according
to the annual High School
Athletics Participation Survey
conducted by the National
Federation of State High
School Associations (NFHS).
Based on figures from the 51
NFHS member state high
school associations, which
includes the District of
Columbia, the number of par-
ticipants in high school sports
reached an all-time high of
7,868,900 — an increase of
61,853 from the previous year.
After a decline of almost
10,000 participants in football
the previous year, the number
of boys playing 11-player foot-
ball in 2015 was almost identi-
cal to 2014 with a drop of just
309 — from 1,083,617 to
1,083,308.
While some states reported a
decline in football participation
in 2015, 24 states registered
increases in boys participation
in 11-player football. When
combining boys and girls par-
ticipation in 6-, 8-, 9- and 11-
player football, the number of
participants increased 138 —
from 1,114,253 to 1,114,391.
“The NFHS and its member
state associations have taken
significant steps over the past
10 years to minimize the risk of
participation in football and all
high school sports, so this
report on the continued strong
interest and participation in
high school football is very
encouraging,”
said
Bob
Gardner, NFHS executive
director. “With the adoption of
state laws and protocols for
concussion management in
place, we continue to believe
that the sport of football at the
high school level is as safe as it
has been since the first rules
were written in 1932 — and we
believe this year’s participation
report is confirmation of that
belief.”
After a decline the previous
year,
boys’ participation
increased about 25,000 to an
all-time high of 4,544,574,
while girls’ participation
increased for the 27th consecu-
tive year with an additional
36,591 participants and set an
all-time high of 3,324,326.
Track and field registered the
largest increase in participants
for both boys and girls, with an
additional 12,501 boys and
7,243 girls.
Track and field ranks second
to football in boys participants
with 591,133, and remains the
most popular sport for girls
with 485,969 participants.
In addition to track and field,
six other top-10 girls sports
registered increases in 2015-16,
including volleyball, soccer,
softball, cross country, tennis
and lacrosse. The top 10 girls
sports remained the same as the
previous year: track and field,
volleyball, basketball, soccer,
fast-pitch softball, cross coun-
try, tennis, swimming and div-
ing, competitive spirit squads
and lacrosse.
After track and field among
the top 10 boys sports, soccer
registered the largest gain with
an additional 7,753 partici-
pants, followed by cross coun-
try (up 6,710), basketball (up
4,949) and baseball (up 2,248).
Although the top five boys
sports remained the same as
last year — 11-player football,
track and field, basketball,
baseball and soccer — cross
country moved to sixth place
ahead of wrestling, which
dropped to seventh after a
decline of 7,555 participants.
from 1B
Jim Campbell competes
in state competition.
highest score in his over-60
class entailing all categories
and shooting styles.
Campbell has hunted all
around the world and holds
many trophies and titles. All
told, he has won more than 36
Oregon Bowhunter State tro-
phies and titles, including:
Master Hunter for the State of
Oregon; being a four-time
Oregon Bowhunter State
Triple Crown winner in several
classes; and becoming a life-
time member of both the
Oregon Bowhunters and
Traditional Archers of Oregon.
Campbell has repre-
sented and been spon-
sored by many companies
and product lines over the
years, allowing him to
acquire a “man-cave” full
of trophies and species.
To keep up his skill
level, Campbell practices
and shoots in tourna-
ments all year long to be
ready for both competing
and hunting.
Both Jim and his broth-
er, Kim, have a passion
for archery and love to
promote the sport.
Archer
COURTESY PHOTO
Tennis, golf and swimming
and diving complete the top 10
listing of boys sports.
Lacrosse continued its rise
among emerging sports with
197,572 total participants to
rank 10th in girls participation
and 11th for boys.
Among some of the non-tra-
ditional high school sports on
this year’s survey, archery
(8,668), badminton (17,645)
and flag football (12,093) con-
tinued to register increases in
participation.
Also, while boys’ wrestling
had a drop in participation, an
additional 2,000 girls partici-
pated in the sport last year for
an all-time high of 13,496.
Participation in adapted
sports also increased in 2015-
16 from 8,483 participants to
9,491 with schools in 12 states
now offering these programs
for students with disabilities.
The top 10 states by partici-
pants remained the same; how-
ever, Florida moved ahead of
New Jersey to eighth position
this year.
Texas and California topped
the list again with 809,075 and
802,117, respectively, followed
by New York (372,772),
Illinois
(344,143),
Ohio
(319,929),
Pennsylvania
(319,853), Michigan (295,436),
Florida (285,885), New Jersey
(279,371) and Minnesota
(237,686).
Thirty-three of the 51 NFHS
member state associations
reported increases in participa-
tion in 2015-16.
The participation survey has
been compiled since 1971 by
the NFHS through numbers it
receives from its member asso-
ciations.
The complete 2015-16 High
School Athletics Participation
Survey will be posted soon on
the NFHS website at www.nfhs
.org.
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local
non-proft
organizations in
our community!
Volunteer•Get involved•Donate
Florence Food Share provides food to those
who are hungry in our community. If you have
four hours a week available, we are in need of
volunteers to staff our Front Desk and also act
as Guides as clients walk through the pantry.
Please call our volunteer coordinator, Gina Yates,
@ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon)
to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence-
foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street.
Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers.
You will find an area of interest
in a caring organization.
Peace Harbor
Volunteers
400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439
541-997-8412 ext. 209
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the
age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness
or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those
who prefer to make new friends in a dining room
setting.
1570 Kingwood • PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
laneseniormeals.org
Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday
SOS is looking for a
few great volunteers!
We have morning opportunities available
at the front desk! Spend a few hours each week greeting clients,
answering the phone and helping our community.
All training is provided.
Call our Volunteer Coordinator- Lori @ 541-997-2816
How To Participate
The fee to participate is $20. An ad for the Community Wide Garage Sale with a map of
all participating sales will be published in the Siuslaw News on September 7th and 10th.
Because of print deadlines, the registration deadline is 5pm August 30 2016.
You will also receive two offi cial Community Wide Garage Sale signs as well as a tip
sheet on how to have a great sale. Please post signs only on private property with the
owner’s consent. Posting signs on City utility poles, street or signal light poles, and
median strips is against the municipal code.
Saving men one
PSA test at a time.
541-997-6626
maribob@oregonfast.net
Someone to talk to...
who understands!
Additional maps will be available at the Florence Visitors Center and the Siuslaw News.
Name _________________________________________________Phone____________________________
Address___________________________________Email__________________________________________
Subdivision name (if any) ____________________________________
Dates (CIRCLE):
Friday 9/9
___________
Saturday 9/10
Sunday 9/11 Times:
___________
___________
15-word description:
Add’l
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
Date, times and address are included. Additional words over 15 are $0.50 each.
Bring form and payment to 148 Maple St in Historic Old Town or
mail to Siuslaw News PO Box 10, Florence, OR 97439
Call 541-902-3526
Online www.fl orencechamber.com
Deadline is August 30th at 5pm to be included on the map.
To include your
organization in this
directory,
please call us
@ 541-997-3441