OMAHA, Neb. — A significant drop in girl basketball participation has compelled one of Nebraska’s larger high schools to cancel its varsity team for the season.
The decision made by Grand Island Senior High School, which serves over 2,600 students and is the third largest in the state, highlights the wider trend of declining participation rates in girls’ sports, notwithstanding the growing popularity of women’s basketball, propelled in part by athletes such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who have drawn unprecedented attention to the game.
Similar choices have been made by schools nationwide, but the impact resonates profoundly among enthusiasts of basketball in Grand Island.
“We have seen this coming for a while. We’ve been waiting for something to change, but people weren’t willing to put in the necessary effort to cultivate a robust girls’ basketball program,” remarked Jeremy Jensen, a previous mayor of Grand Island and a high school soccer coach, lamenting the lack of long-term vision needed for the sport’s revival.
So, what led to this situation in Grand Island?
Located in a primarily working-class town of approximately 52,000 residents, situated around 120 miles west of Omaha, the high school decided to cancel both its varsity and junior varsity teams when no juniors or seniors expressed interest in participating.
The team faced a streak of heavy losses, and with many young athletes choosing to focus on a single sport, combined with other competing commitments, the school opted to emphasize the development of younger players rather than assembling a freshman and sophomore squad on the court.
The decision raised eyebrows, particularly when women’s collegiate and professional basketball has been experiencing an upward trend in viewership. Clark’s remarkable achievements at the University of Iowa have garnered significant numbers of followers.
Jeff Mittie, the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Kansas State University, pointed out that increased interest in watching the sport doesn’t automatically translate to more youth players.
“With all our college games now easily available on TV, it may capture interest, but it doesn’t mean more participants. It shows viewers are keen on watching the games,” he explained.
A concerning trend has emerged, as over the last two decades, involvement in girls’ high school basketball has plummeted nearly 20%. It has fallen to the fourth position in popularity, trailing behind volleyball, soccer, and track and field, all of which have seen substantial increases in participation, according to reports from the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Notably, while basketball participation has declined, overall engagement in high school sports among girls has risen, with over 3.4 million girls competing last year.
The impacts of losing continue to strain the Grand Island program.
Jim Ward observed that all athletes on his daughter’s middle school basketball team opted out of the sport in high school to pursue alternatives such as volleyball or wrestling, or due to waning interest.
His concerns were magnified by the team’s record; they suffered losses of over 70 points at times. In their last 44 varsity games, they won just one and haven’t surpassed three wins in a season since 2016-17, with their last winning season recorded back in 2009-10.
“When you’re consistently matching up against teams with Division I prospects and can only keep pace for a brief moment, would you want to continue playing?,” Ward questioned, representing the booster club and having a daughter currently in 10th grade on the team.
Kelli Jefferies, who notably led Grand Island to its only state championship in 1979 and secured 231 wins over her coaching career, acknowledges that success is attainable yet empathizes with the current challenges.
“When competition is not feasible, kids understandably lose interest. It becomes tiring for all parties involved,” Jefferies stated.
The difficulties facing Grand Island and similar locales extend beyond just poor performance records.
In various areas, it can be a struggle for girls to access competitive opportunities and learn the sport at a young age. Many families may not have the financial means to invest in the thousands needed for club basketball, which limits their children’s ability to prepare adequately for high school participation.
As competitiveness escalates earlier in sports, young girls may disenchant if they don’t make the cut at an early age.
For local families seeking elite club sports opportunities, traveling about two hours twice a week to Lincoln or Omaha for practices and competing on weekends adds to the burden.
Will the sport bounce back?
Current Grand Island coach, Kathryn Langrehr, is taking steps to foster talent by conducting free basketball clinics in elementary schools in the area.
However, reviving interest proves to be an uphill battle, particularly with the growing trend of children’s specialization in single sports.
“This reflects the current climate around club sports, forcing children to either fully commit to one sport or miss out,” said Jon Dolliver, who oversees basketball activities in Nebraska.
Volleyball’s unprecedented growth, fueled by increased visibility on media platforms and successes on a global stage, particularly stands out.
The sport holds substantial popularity in Nebraska, with significant programs at Creighton University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which are consistently ranked among the top ten collegiate teams.
Last year, an astonishing 92,003 spectators filled Nebraska’s football stadium to witness a volleyball match, setting a global record for attendance at a women’s sporting event.
Brandon Traudt’s daughter excelled as a basketball player in middle school but will soon follow her affinity for volleyball at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
“In Nebraska, girls naturally lean towards volleyball; it’s a major sport,” Traudt explained.
There is hope that the rising star power of players like Clark in the WNBA might encourage a return to favor for basketball among young girls, yet Ward remains skeptical.
“It’s uncertain whether a young girl witnessing Clark’s success would opt to switch from volleyball or dance to basketball,” he pondered.