INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 31, 2022)— The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Learning Center shattered yet another ceiling earlier this month when it surpassed 15 million course deliveries since its inception in 2007. The milestone comes after a record-breaking year in 2021 with more than 2.6 million courses delivered — more than any other year in the Learning Center’s 15-year history.

Founded as the NFHS Coach Education Program, the Learning Center has evolved from just two courses for coaches (Fundamentals of Coaching and First Aid for Coaches) to more than 85 online education courses, more than 50 of which are available at no charge. Learning Center course offerings extend across 14 different sports with sport-specific courses and to performing arts programs.

“We are elated that the NFHS Learning Center continues to grow as a destination for professional development for the interscholastic community and beyond,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “15 million is only a number; however, the fact that over 15 million online courses have been accessed and are educating and engaging with coaches, students, parents, officials, and members of performing arts programs is humbling.”

Twenty-two Learning Center courses are available for students— at no charge — including The Student Experience, Hazing Prevention for Students, Implicit Bias and the Captains Course.

“While everything we do at the NFHS has — at minimum — an indirect impact on high school students, the NFHS Learning Center has been able to directly bring value to more than 1.4 million students in improving their interscholastic experience through coursework,” Schuster said. “Not only have we been able to leave an impact on today’s students, but we are also working to prepare the next generation of parents, coaches, administrators and officials.”

In addition to students, the Learning Center has served — and continues to serve — nearly two million coaches, hundreds of thousands of parents and tens of thousands of administrators and officials.

“Years ago, we were excited and humbled by impacting tens of thousands through the NFHS Learning Center,” Schuster said. “Now, we have had the opportunity to impact millions of people in the midst of participating in or facilitating interscholastic activities.”

In 2010, Concussion in Sports was the first course to be made available at no cost. To date, the course has been accessed more than six million times, making up more than 40 percent of the Learning Center’s deliveries.

During the early portion of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFHS Learning Center adapted to quickly turn around and provide a COVID-19 course for coaches and administrators, which has been accessed more than 300,000 times.

On as-needed basis, select state associations use the platform to host modified courses with state components tailored to states’ needs such as complying with state statutes or by working with the NFHS to put together preseason rules clinic courses for coaches, administrators and officials.

For more information on the NFHS Learning Center, visit www.NFHSLearn.com.

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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.9 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
bhoward@nfhs.org

Chris Boone, 317-972-6900
Assistant Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
cboone@nfhs.org

Cody Porter, 317-972-6900
Manager of Media Relations
National Federation of State High School Associations
cporter@nfhs.org

Nate Perry, 317-972-6900
Coordinator of Media Relations
National Federation of State High School Associations
nperry@nfhs.org