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

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Plunging participation in girls basketball led one of Nebraska’s largest high schools to cancel its varsity team for the year.

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.

Schools across the country have made similar choices, but that hasn’t made the move any easier for those passionate about Grand Island basketball.

“We’ve seen the train coming. I mean we’ve been sitting on the tracks forever. 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.





https://apnews.com/article/girls-high-school-basketball-participation-caitlin-clark-a6976a4e8da83067ae564da5cc6a3b5e