High school sports participation across the county is down for the first time in 30 years and Sturgeon Bay Athletic Director Todd Meikle believes he knows why. A study conducted by the National Federation of State High School Association showed high school sports participation across the nation in 2018-2019 had a decline of over 40,000 participants from the previous year; this is the first time high school sports participation saw a decrease since the 1988-1989 school year. Sturgeon Bay Athletic Director Todd Meikle believes this is due to two reasons: school population is decreasing and more student-athletes are focusing on only one sport and may be playing for a select team instead of their high school. Meikle recommends student-athletes play as many sports as possible.

Even though the study shows high school sports participation is down as a whole, participation in girls’ volleyball and boys’ wrestling as well both boys’ and girls’ soccer were actually up in 2018-2019.