National Federation of State High School Associations

Last updated
National Federation of State High School Associations
AbbreviationNFHS
Formation1920
Type 501(c)(3) - Tax Exempt
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeAthletic/Educational
Headquarters690 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Location
Region served
United States
Membership
18,500+ high schools
Official language
English
Executive Director
Dr. Karissa Niehoff
Staff
40 [1]
Website nfhs.org

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS's headquarters are located in White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. [2]

Contents

Member and affiliate associations

The federation's headquarters in Indianapolis with the NCAA Hall of Champions in the background NCAAHallofChampions 02.JPG
The federation's headquarters in Indianapolis with the NCAA Hall of Champions in the background

Over 19,500 high schools belong to associations that are members of the NFHS. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association belongs to the NFHS. However, in states that have separate associations for public and non-public high schools, only the public-school bodies are full NFHS members.

For example, the Texas University Interscholastic League (public schools, with non-public schools generally not allowed) is a full member; the largest association governing non-public schools, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, is an affiliate member, while other governing bodies are not NFHS members at any level. Similarly, the Virginia High School League, open only to public schools, is a full member, the state's largest association for non-public schools is an affiliate member, and other governing bodies are not members at all.

The case in Mississippi is slightly different; the body governing public schools is a full member, while the body governing private schools is not an NFHS member at any level. In the state of Alabama, the public schools and a handful of private schools compete in the AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletic Association) which is a full member of the NFHS. The majority of private schools in the state are members of the AISA (Alabama Independent School Association) a non-member that uses NFHS rules. The AHSAA will not allow its members to play AISA schools but the AISA schools do compete with public and private schools outside of Alabama.[ citation needed ]

Iowa has separate governing associations for boys' and girls' sports, including the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Only the Iowa High School Athletic Association is a full member of the NFHS; the girls' governing body is an affiliate member.

The provincial associations of Canada are affiliate members of the NFHS.

The NFHS publishes rules books for each sport or activity, and most states adopt those rules wholly for state high school competition including the non member private school associations.

The NFHS offered an online Coach Education Program in January 2007. It released a course, Fundamentals of Coaching. The NFHS has announced that it will offer a National Coach Certification in September 2009. This will enable to coaches to become a Level 1 - Accredited Interscholastic Coach issued by the NFHS. [3]

Member associations

Affiliate associations

Players by sport

PosSportTotalBoysGirls
1Track and field (outdoor)1,025,959569,262456,697
2 American football (11-player) 976,886973,7923,094
3 Basketball 892,082521,616370,466
4Soccer811,238436,465374,773
5Volleyball520,64066,487454,153
6Baseball484,024481,0041,156
7Cross-country422,710231,387191,323
8Softball (fast pitch)341,459536340,923
9Tennis322,043145,858176,185
10Swimming and diving272,959123,208149,751
11Wrestling263,528231,87431,654
12Golf229,414148,58580,829
13Lacrosse204,627107,86596,762
14Competitive spirit144,2093,657140,552
15Track and field (indoor)126,42565,31661,109
Total (2021–22) [55] 7,618,0544,376,5823,241,472

Executive Directors

[56]

National High School Hall of Fame

The National High School Hall of Fame is a program of the National Federation of State High School Associations that honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to high school sports or performing arts. Since 1986, the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony has been the final event of the National Federation's annual summer meeting, which is held in late June and early July and attended by board members and executives of the state high school associations.

See also

References, including organizations' official websites

  1. "Staff". Nfhs.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  2. "NFHS: About Us". Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  3. Brown, Allison (September 24, 2009). "Three New Coach Education Courses Now Available". National Federation of State High School Associations. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  4. Alabama High School Athletic Association. AHSAA. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  5. "Alaska School Activities Association". Asaa.org. 2018-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  6. AIA Online. AIA Online (2010-07-15). Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  7. Arkansas Activities Association - Arkansas High School Sports and Activities. Ahsaa.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  8. California Interscholastic Federation. Cifstate.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  9. Colorado High School Activities Association. CHSAA. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  10. Welcome to www.casciac.org!!. Casciac.org (2013-04-01). Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  11. "Welcome DIAA Website page". www.doe.state.de.us. Archived from the original on August 14, 2004.
  12. Florida High School Athletic Association. FHSAA.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  13. Georgia High School Association. GHSA.net. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  14. The Fast Track to Hawaii High School Sports - Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA). SportsHigh.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  15. IHSAA - Home. Idhsaa.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  16. "Illinois High School Association". Ihsa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  17. Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. Ihsaa.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  18. Iowa High School Athletic Association. Iahsaa.org. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  19. KSHSAA. KSHSAA. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  20. "Kentucky High School Athletic Association | KHSAA – Student-athletes of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow". Khsaa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  21. "Louisiana High School Athletic Association". Lhsaa.org. 2017-12-13. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  22. Maine Principals Association, Interscholastic and Professional Support. Mpa.cc (2013-08-06). Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  23. "Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association - MPSSAA". www.mpssaa.org.
  24. MIAA.net. MIAA.net. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  25. "Michigan High School Athletic Association". Mhsaa.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  26. "Welcome to the Minnesota State High School League!". Mshsl.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  27. "Home | Mississippi High School Activities Association". Misshsaa.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  28. "Missouri State High School Activities Association". MSHSAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  29. "Montana High School Association". Mhsa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  30. "Nebraska School Activities Association".
  31. "Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association". NIAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  32. "New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association | NH Sports". NHIAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  33. "Welcome to The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association". Njsiaa.org. 2018-01-01. Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  34. "NMAA - New Mexico Activities Association - News, Results, Records". NMAA.
  35. "New York State Public High School Athletic Association". Nysphsaa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  36. "North Carolina High School Athletic Association". NCHSAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  37. "Welcome to NDHSAA". NDHSAA.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  38. "Ohio High School Athletic Association". Ohsaa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  39. "OSSAA Home". Ossaa.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  40. "Home". OSAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  41. "Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association". PIAA. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  42. "Welcome!". RIIL.org. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  43. "SCHSL". SCHSL. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  44. "Home". SDHSAA. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  45. "TSSAA Home Page". Tssaa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  46. http://www.uil.utexas.edu/ Archived February 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  47. "UHSAA Utah High School Activities Association". www.uhsaa.org.
  48. "Vermont Principals Association / Overview". Vpaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  49. "Home - Virginia High School League". www.vhsl.org.
  50. "Washington Interscholastic Activities Association". WIAA. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  51. "Welcome to the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission's Home Page". Wvssac.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  52. "Home | Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association". Wiaawi.org. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  53. "Wyoming High School Activities Association". Whsaa.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  54. NFHS | National Federation of State High School Associations - Affiliate Associations Archived 2012-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  55. "2021-22 NFHS participation survey" (PDF).
  56. NFHS Handbook, 2017-18, p. 29.
  57. "Dr. Karissa Niehoff of Connecticut Selected NFHS Executive Director". NFHS. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original on Jun 2, 2023.

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