| High school football | |
|---|---|
 An eight-man gun formation in a high school football game | |
| Country | United States Canada |
| Governing body | |
| National team(s) | |
| First played | 1870 |
National competitions | |
High School Football National Championship (United States) | |
High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, partly due to risk of injury, particularly concussions.[1] According to The Washington Post, between 2009 and 2019, participation in high school football declined by 9.1%.[2] It is the basic level or step of tackle football.
- ^ "Concussions in High School Sports - Can Football be Saved? - Athletico". January 24, 2020.
- ^ Bogage, Jacob (3 October 2019). "D-III football players say choice to forfeit season after injuries was theirs, not college's". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
Nationally, high school football participation has declined 9.1 percent over the past 10 years.