More than 7.6 million high school students played sports across the U.S. during the 2021-22 academic year, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Those athletes participated in a slew of sports: from football—the most popular sport for high school boys with 1 million players nationwide—to track and field, which is the most popular sport amongst high school girls in the U.S. with more than 488,000 athletes.
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The dynamic landscape of high school sports has created competition not only between athletes but the institutions they represent. With more than 23,500 public and private secondary and high schools across the country, determining the best options for athletes is an arduous process.
High schools across the country are vying to be crowned the best institution for athletes in America and not only has the battle become personal but regional as well. States like California and Florida, which have high-profile high-school athletic programs, also want bragging rights.
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Young athletes will continue to thrive as sports return to pre-pandemic participation levels and high schools put in the work to be considered one of the best institutions in America for sports.
Stacker compiled a list of the best high schools for sports in Florida using data from Niche. These rankings factor in parent and student surveys on sports, total high school enrollment, K-12 sports championships, number of sports, and athletic participation rates.
#25. NSU University School
- City: Davie
- Type: Private
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#24. Lake Mary High School
- City: Lake Mary
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A
#23. Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
- City: Melbourne
- Type: Private, Episcopal
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#22. Miami Northwestern Senior High School
- City: Miami
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: C+
#21. Madison County High School
- City: Madison
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: C+
#20. Apopka High School
- City: Apopka
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: B+
#19. Bartram Trail High School
- City: Saint Johns
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A
#18. Merritt Island High School
- City: Merritt Island
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: B+
#17. Jones High School
- City: Orlando
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: C+
#16. Vero Beach High School
- City: Vero Beach
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A-
#15. Niceville Senior High School
- City: Niceville
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A
#14. Tampa Catholic High School
- City: Tampa
- Type: Private, Catholic
- Overall Niche grade: A
#13. Fort Myers High School
- City: Fort Myers
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#12. Dr. Phillips High School
- City: Orlando
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A
#11. Ponte Vedra High School
- City: Ponte Vedra
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#10. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
- City: Miami
- Type: Private, Catholic, All-Girls
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#9. Venice High School
- City: Venice
- Type: Public
- Overall Niche grade: A-
#8. Cardinal Gibbons High School
- City: Fort Lauderdale
- Type: Private, Catholic
- Overall Niche grade: A
#7. Montverde Academy
- City: Montverde
- Type: Private, Boarding
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#6. Jesuit High School
- City: Tampa
- Type: Private, Catholic, All-Boys
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#5. Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
- City: Miami
- Type: Private, Catholic, All-Boys
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#4. The Bolles School
- City: Jacksonville
- Type: Private, Boarding
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#3. American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus
- City: Plantation
- Type: Private, Boarding
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#2. Christopher Columbus High School
- City: Miami
- Type: Private, Catholic, All-Boys
- Overall Niche grade: A+
#1. St. Thomas Aquinas High School
- City: Fort Lauderdale
- Type: Private, Catholic
- Overall Niche grade: A+
