Caitlin Clark effect hasn’t reversed the decades-long decline in girls basketball participation

The AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! The decision by Grand Island Senior High School — the state’s third-largest with more than 2,600 students — reflects a national decline in participation in the girls sport, even as the popularity of women’s basketball behind the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has sent record numbers of fans flocking to arenas or tuning in on TV. But frankly, people just didn’t want to do the heavy lifting that was required,” said Jeremy Jensen, a former Grand Island mayor and high school soccer coach who wishes more had been done to build a sustainable girls basketball program. “It just means they’re interested in watching it.” A declining trend Since Clark was born 22 years ago, participation in girls high school basketball has dropped nearly 20% and the sport has fallen from most popular to number four behind volleyball, soccer and track and field, which all have seen double-digit surges in participation, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Losing takes a toll In the past few years in Grand Island, Jim Ward watched every player on his oldest daughter’s middle school team quit basketball in high school, either to focus on another sport like volleyball or wrestling or because they lost interest.