NFHS Board of Directors Adopts Position Statement on “The Case for State High School Athletic/Activity Associations”
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — In support of the 51 NFHS-member state associations that provide opportunities for students to participate in education-based high school sports and other activity programs, the NFHS Board of Directors has approved the adoption of an NFHS Position Statement titled “The Case for State High School Athletic/Activity Associations.”
The Board of Directors approved the statement at its regularly scheduled spring meeting last month in Indianapolis. The Board voiced strong support for the 51 state associations, which have been successfully promoting, regulating and directing interscholastic athletic programs for 100 years.
The NFHS Position Statement in support of state high school associations is another part of the ongoing 2025-2029 NFHS Strategic Plan. Previously, the NFHS developed the “Value of State High School Associations” document, which led to the current “Protect the Purpose” campaign. All of these initiatives are part of the Strategic Plan’s directive to “establish the NFHS as the leading voice in advocating for the enduring relevance and importance of education-based athletics and activities, ensuring their continued prominence and valued integration into the educational experience.”
After setting the stage with a history of NFHS member associations, the NFHS Position Statement discusses the essential services provided by these organizations – all focused on educational outcomes – which include structure for regular-season competition, state-culminating championships, promotion of student safety/risk minimization, sportsmanship initiatives, coaches education programs, and community service and recognition programs, among many other important initiatives.
The Position Statement emphasizes that NFHS-member state associations are governed by boards and committees composed of individuals within member schools – superintendents, principals, athletic directors, coaches and others – who have an educational focus to enforcing eligibility, playing and academic rules.
Further, the statement adopted by the Board of Directors noted that governance of high school sports by these 51 state associations ensures fairness and equal opportunity for all student-athletes because the goal of sports within our nation’s schools is not to prepare students first and foremost for playing sports after high school, but to mold high school students to be tomorrow’s leaders. To maintain the proper focus on sports within our nation’s schools, it is essential that NFHS-member state associations maintain control over education-based activity programs in our country.
In light of recent challenges to the governing authority of NFHS-member associations in some states, the NFHS Position Statement concludes with the following summary:
“The NFHS believes that state high school associations that are education-focused and have been successfully directing high school sports for more than 100 years should continue to direct and operate these programs. The NFHS believes these programs should remain independent of state government involvement, so that the outcomes are not influenced by independent districts apart from the educational objectives of high school sports. Education-based sports programs are connected to classroom learning every day, and the 51 athletic/activity associations that govern activity programs have adopted eligibility, participation, transfer and academic rules consistent with their member schools that apply statewide. These are the only organizations capable of maintaining the educational focus on high school athletics and activity programs.”
Online link to article: https://nfhs.org/stories/nfhs-board-of-directors-adopts-position-statement-on-the-case-for-state-high-school-athletic-activity-associations-
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 18 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,800 high schools and 12 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 8.2 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Bruce Howard,
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
bhoward@nfhs.org
Chris Boone,
Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
cboone@nfhs.org
Jordan Morey,
Manager of Communications and Media Relations
National Federation of State High School Association
jmorey@nfhs.org