High school athletics participation increased by more than 200,000 in 2024-25, continuing an upward trajectory since the pandemic and registering an all-time high for participation.

Ron Nocetti, executive director of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), is the new president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for 2025-26. Nocetti, the 66th president of the NFHS, began his one-year term July 2 following the NFHS Summer Meeting, which was held this year in Chicago, Ill.

No player shall be allowed to transmit or record audio or video from the playing surface in high school softball. This new language in Rule 1-8-6 of the NFHS Softball Rules Book further clarifies the use of electronic devices and what is permitted in the sport after language was added last year to allow for electronic communication for coaching purposes.

Beginning with the 2027 season, a double first base will be required in high school baseball games to minimize the risk of collisions by runners and fielders.

A trio of changes to address when goaltending and basket interference are called are among the changes to high school basketball rules for the 2025-26 season.

Multiple contacts by one player attempting to play the ball will now be allowed on second contact if the next contact is by a teammate on the same side of the net. This elimination of a judgment call by officials highlights the 2025-26 high school volleyball rules changes.

The NFHS has agreed to a multi-year corporate partnership with the Pat Summitt Foundation to become a national philanthropic partner. Through this partnership, schools across the country are encouraged to support the Foundation through “We Back Pat” games or other initiatives.

During the next six to eight weeks, “going to state” will be heard by millions of high school student-athletes, fans and supporters in communities throughout the country. The excitement of playing with high school teammates in the state playoffs is a memory that endures for a lifetime.

More than eight million participants competed in high school sports in the 2023-24 school year – an all-time record and the first time ever that total participation has exceeded the eight-million mark.

There’s nothing quite like the start of another school year – and the beginning of another season of high school activity programs. Right up there with Opening Day in Major League Baseball is that first Friday night football game, which is an annual revival of spirit in communities nationwide.

At the request of its member state associations to address the nation’s fastest-growing emerging high school sport, the NFHS will be writing playing rules for flag football, effective with the 2025-26 season.

Effective with the 2025 season, races in high school track and field will be recalled in the first 50 meters when a competitor falls due to contact with another competitor.

The 41st class of the National High School Hall of Fame was inducted this month at the close of the NFHS Summer Meeting in Boston, and the storylines of the 11 individuals in the 2024 class were simply amazing.

High school softball coaches will be able to use electronic devices in the dugout for one-way communication to the catcher while the team is on defense beginning in 2025.

The NFHS has announced the release of three new courses on the online NFHS Learning Center, unveiling two sports statistics offerings titled “Collecting Statistics: Football” and “Collecting Statistics: Volleyball,” along with a third course called “The Female and Male Athlete Triad.”