There are 23 states listed on the National Federation of High Schools site (2008) that offer high school gymnastics. They are:  Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New England, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

The number of high school gymnastics teams in each state varies each season.  In Maryland only Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties offer high school gymnastics, in Kansas there are 13 teams while Indiana has 80-90 teams, Illinois has about 68, and Georgia has forty-four schools that have high school gymnastics.  Each state is different.

One reason for the decline of schools participating in high school gymnastics is the lack of quality coaches.  Many coaches coach athletes from multiple schools.  In 5 to 10 years we may not have high school gymnastics in some states.  Another reason cited for the decline of the number of high school gymnastics teams can be attributed to the friction between high school coaches in need of experienced gymnasts and some club owners who frown on high school gymnastics.  If high school and club coaches cannot learn to share talented athletes, high school girls' gymnastics could die.

High school gymnastics and club gymnastics offer different experiences. High school gymnastics is less demanding because it is a 3-month season, with girls of various skill levels striving for team success and, of course, to improve their event scores.  Northern Virginia high school coaches say it is not too much to ask of the clubs to allow the most talented athletes to participate for their school from mid-November until late February. Most coaches there are willing to allow the elite gymnasts to bounce between club and school practices, and they say the girls' involvement with high school gymnastics helps expand the sport, staves off burnout and attracts media coverage not afforded to club gymnastics.  “Some nights our gym is deserted because they're all at high school practices or meets, which makes it frustrating for our coaching staff," Comiskey said. "But ultimately we're doing what we think is best for kids."  Stonewall Jackson senior All-Met, Kelsey Deitz, said she and several friends switched gyms years ago when their Manassas club prohibited them from competing in high school, a move that she is glad she made. "It made me part of my school instead of just being 25 hours a week at club and no one ever sees me," Deitz said. "Both of my coaches have to be understanding and work with me a little bit. You have to give and take a little bit”.

Other club owners say it's best for some athletes to avoid high school gymnastics.  Oakton sophomore, Morgan Perpall, a club gymnast since she was 3, finished seventh in the all-around competition at last season's Northern Region high school championship but this winter is competing only at Chantilly Academy Gymnastics. She said she wanted to compete at both the high school and club levels, but her club coach would not let her. Initially disappointed, Perpall now believes that decision best serves her long-term interests.  “I want to compete in college, and I know that I have to do well at club to do it in college, and high school is not as important," Perpall said.

Sergio Galvez, manager and part-owner of Capital Gymnastics National Training Center in Burke, said he supports high school gymnastics and even has high school teams that work out at his facility. But he thinks the future of high school gymnastics hinges on schools' attracting and developing non-club gymnasts. Galvez believes the club gymnasts who compete in high school discourage some less-experienced gymnasts from trying out.  The kids in club with us are not kids who all of a sudden decided they wanted to do the sport," Galvez said. "If they're at that level in high school, it means they've been training all their lives."