VOLLEYBALL FAST FACTS DECEMBER 2015 SFIA Volleyball Meeting, AVCA Convention. For source materials contact: [email protected] High School: Volleyball is the Top Team Sports for Girls in U.S. High Schools Girls High School Team Sports Participation, 2005-2015 460,000 440,000 432,176 420,000 400,000 Volleyball 380,000 Basketball 360,000 # of# participants Softball 340,000 Soccer 320,000 NFHS Data Volleyball is the top team sport for girls in 25 of 50 states. Youth: 76% (247,027) of the members of USA Volleyball, the sport’s national governing body, are junior girl’s ages, 10-18. AAU Volleyball has more participants (over 100,000) than any other girls team sport. Between USAV, AAU, and the Junior Volleyball Association, there are more than 30 girl’s junior tournaments between January and July each year with 500 or more teams, i.e. 5000 female participants + coaches + parents/family. College: 96% of NCAA schools sponsor a women’s volleyball team, second only to women’s basketball (99%). There are over 2000 fewer scholarships available and 37 fewer teams in volleyball than basketball, yet there are more women playing college volleyball than basketball. 30% of DI female volleyball players are walk-ons, the same percentage as males in DI football. Men’s college teams are being added at the rate of 4-6 per year in both the NAIA & DIII, enrollment-driven, small, private schools. Beach NCAA college beach women’s volleyball has grown from zero varsity teams in 2011-12 to 60 varsity teams in 2015-16, and is currently the fastest growing sport in DI. After just four seasons of varsity play, 44% of college beach players are new participants, 25% of the programs have five or more scholarships, and 46% have added a dedicated beach coach. Per the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) research, youth female participation - ages 6-24 – in beach volleyball has increased by 47%, 467,000 since 2007. .