Word
Eats difficult conversations
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2009
- Messages
- 14,197
- Reaction score
- 11,783
- Points
- 113
I would say it might not be apples to apples though with just looking at participation numbers. How long is the football season in those states? How many kids are focusing on football only in those other states?found numbers from the 2021-22 school year:
this was for 11-player football (so 9-man not included)
(total population in parentheses)
Texas 162,132 (30.5 mill- 2nd place)
California 84,626 (38.9 mill - 1st)
Ohio 40,267 (11.7 mill - 7th)
Florida 37.898 (22.6 mill - 3rd)
Illinois 35,708 (12.5 mill - 6th)
Georgia 31,182 (11 mill - 8th)
Michigan 30,955 (10 mill - 10th)
Alabama 30,061 (5.1 mill - 24th place)
------
Minnesota in 16th place with 20,679 (5.7 mill- 22nd place)
note - the MSHSL in its report for the 22-23 season showed 22,534 playing football in all classes. that would include the 9-man schools, of which there are many in outstate MN.
My impression is Minnesota has a short football season compared to many states and the amount of time our football players spend focusing on/training for football is less (especially compared to southern states).