Membership of parent-teacher associations, sports groups, political parties and organisations such as the Boy Scouts or Rotary are all in sharp decline.

BBC: A tale of two schools

Sports have bureaucratic structures: national and international associations, which have police powers to insure standardization, and which organize competitions and tournaments in order to produce No. 1 teams and world champions.

NEWYORKER: Glory Days

According to data gathered by the National Federation of High School Associations, more kids are playing high school sports than ever, and more people are watching them play than ever.

FORBES: One Idea For Improving School Sports: Kill Them

The National Federation of State High School Associations, which oversees the state entities that oversee most of prep sports in America, is now making available to advertisers the green, green grass (or synthetic turf) of high school football fields.

FORBES: Your High School's Football Field Just Became Ad Space

State high school athletic associations have struggled to adapt as school choice and the increased professionalization of youth sports has attacked their models based on kids playing games on the side as part of their rigidly drawn districts.

FORBES: Florida Legislature Might Blow Up High School Sports As We Know Them

The sports minister denied interfering in the daily running of the NFA, which would go against Fifa regulations that protect football associations from governmental interference.

BBC: SPORT | Football | African Cup of Nations | Chukwu wins vote of confidence