The rate of participation in clubs and sports all over has been slowly declining over time. Recently, incoming freshmen may decide not to join anything, or many may quit an activity after a year or two. Joining clubs and sports is important for students in high school. It socializes them with others that are like them; it gives them something to look forward to.
Kyle Fitzgerald, Washington High School’s Activities Director, says that joining activities can give students a “sense of belonging and it can develop leadership skills.” Personally, when I go to Marching Band practice after school and the Color Guard groups up together, it makes me feel proud to be a part of something that is important to our school.
Despite these positive feelings, some sports have been slowly—or even drastically—declining in participation over the years. Washington’s Women’s Bowling Team, for example, lost a lot of bowlers last year, due to around half of the team being seniors who have now graduated. The Women’s Bowling Team lost all of its Varsity players and even some JV (junior varsity) players.
The rate of people joining has been slow and low, with a very small number of freshmen joining for this coming season. Women’s Bowling Coach, Traci Mooney-Shaffer, says, “We have some people who are interested in bowling, [and we’re] hoping they’re brave enough and decide to go out for it.”
When asked how she plans to draw new members in, she said, “We lean more on our four amazing captains, who are familiar with the team dynamics. They’re relatable and welcoming, and they help foster a strong team spirit. They’re a positive force even from the first meeting.”
The Senior Class President, Nick Riley (‘26), who is in more than five sports or activities at school, says joining activities sets a sense of school pride and reinforces expectations. He points out how they allow students to get experiences they potentially wouldn’t have had otherwise. Riley believes that declining participation numbers have to do with general exposure, and students “not knowing the ins and outs [the activities at Wash] or [lack of] ‘Word of Mouth,’” explaining, “if your friends aren’t in it, you aren’t. Having friends makes joining activities easier for people.”
Joining activities at school can also help people make friends for a lifetime and get exposure to new hobbies. Warren Sprouse, Washington Social Studies Teacher and Debate Coach, mentioned, “I remained friends with people from Debate when I was in school.”
Not only is Debate a competitive after-school club, but it is also a class that students can take at Wash for credit. Debate is a good class for students to take when they want to join something that helps build critical thinking skills; it can help them get into college, and it can be fun in general. Sprouse explains that it’s a good activity for kids who aren’t involved in music, sports, or art. He even compares it to Mock Trial, but it has more tournaments and travel.
Fitzgerald believes that cost may be a factor in declining activity enrollment; a lot of times, families may not have the extra means or time to put their students into sports. For example, joining the Marching Band costs at least $100 every year with costs for camps and equipment. Similarly, in sports, students are often responsible for purchasing their own equipment— although teams do sometimes have gear for athletes to borrow, there is typically not enough for everyone to use. These add up.
Washington does offer financial support for students who want to join sports or activities in various ways. Depending on the activity, coaches or directors may be able to point students in the right direction. For example, this year Wash’s production of the Amelie musical will be performing at UNI and the Thespian Festival. It It is a $100 fee to participate, but there are grants available to help students with costs.
He says, “When you’re playing baseball from how old and playing on traveling teams, you’re getting exposed, where some of our kids don’t get those opportunities.” I completely agree with this. Getting exposed to sports at a young age isn’t possible for a lot of kids, but we can work harder to get those kids to join activities here and now.
Ultimately, we should work together as a school to bring back activities and sports; it’s a great way for students to socialize and feel a sense of belonging at their school.
