High school sports and activities are experiencing record participation. They are also experiencing unprecedented pressure — pressure that feels especially close to home in Alaska following the Anchorage School District’s recent announcement that it may eliminate certain high school sports programs as it works to address ongoing financial challenges.
Across the country, young athletes are training earlier, competing year-round and navigating expectations shaped by a rapidly expanding youth sports economy. For many families, athletics now feel increasingly high stakes. Youth sports have become a $40 billion industry, with club teams, travel programs and private training placing participation out of reach for many families. High school sports remain one of the few places where opportunity is still rooted in education, affordability and access.
High school sports operate differently — by design. They exist within schools, alongside classrooms, guided by the same educational mission. Participation supports academic success while teaching discipline, teamwork, resilience and responsibility. For many students, athletics are not separate from academics, but a key reason they stay engaged in school, attend regularly and strive to succeed in the classroom.
Every high school athlete is a student first, and high school sports serve as a vital extension of the classroom. In what is often called “the last class of the day,” students learn lessons that reinforce what education is meant to do: develop the whole person.
While the goal of competition is to win, the true purpose of high school sports is much greater — for students to learn and grow as people. At ASAA, we often summarize that purpose with a simple phrase: Win for Life.
The difficult choices facing the Anchorage School District are not unique. School districts across Alaska are being asked to do more with less as rising costs and flat or declining state funding place them in increasingly untenable positions. These fiscal realities deserve honest acknowledgment — and they demand solutions that extend beyond local budget debates.
High school athletics are an essential part of a well-rounded education, not an extracurricular luxury. The same is true for activities such as music, student government, drama and debate, art and other co-curricular programs. Based on ASAA’s experience working with schools and communities across Alaska, we believe school activities are our schools’ most powerful tools for dropout prevention, academic motivation, positive behavior and consistent attendance. Research and experience consistently show that students who participate in school activities are more likely to stay in school, perform better academically and graduate.
That is why the conversation in Alaska must also include a serious commitment from the state to adequately fund public education. Local districts should not be forced to choose between academic programs and the activities that directly support student engagement and success. Preserving opportunities for students requires partnership and leadership at every level.
With students first as the guiding principle, the NFHS and state associations like ASAA remain committed to advocating for education-based high school sports that are accessible, balanced and aligned with academic goals.
As Alaska navigates challenging financial times, we must remember that helping students learn, grow and stay connected to school is how they truly Win for Life.
Visit ProtectThePurpose.com to learn more.
Dr. Karissa Niehoff is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Billy Strickland is the Executive Director of the Alaska School Activities Association.
