According to data collected by the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in public high school football decreased nationally by 3.2 percent between the 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 seasons. The overall drop figure was calculated by Capital News Service without Louisiana, because of questions about the accuracy of the data for the state.
During that time period, Maryland experienced a 3.5 percent decrease in football participation. The drop comes at a time when player safety issues are at the forefront of the game, with increased concern over concussions.
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Credit: Spencer Israel/Capital News Service.