The 23 Otago schools have a 66% participation rate in school sports, compared with the national average of 51%.
This was revealed in a New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council survey that must be completed by every school each year.
The seven schools in the Wairarapa lead the survey with 71% and are followed by Otago (66%), Aoraki (64%), Taranaki (63%), Hawkes Bay (57%), Wellington (56%) and Southland (55%).
Near the bottom of the class are Waikato (52%), Canterbury (51%) and Auckland Central (51%).
Canterbury has a low participation rate despite schools closing early for sport on Wednesday afternoons.
National participation rates have trended down this century. In 2000 59% of secondary school pupils enjoyed school sport.
It is now 51%.
There was 68% participation in Otago in 2000, but this dropped to 60% by 2006.
The trend has been upward over the past four years, with 62% in 2007 and 2008, 65% in 2009 and 66% last year.
Des Smith was appointed Otago regional sports director for secondary schools in November 2006.
He is a former deputy rector at Otago Boys' and a former manager of the Otago rugby team.
"The principals of Otago schools want their pupils to have a well-rounded education and see sport as an important part of that," Mr Smith said.
All Otago schools now have a sports co-ordinator.
"We are lucky to have a number of teachers who are prepared to give up their time to support students in their sport," Mr Smith said.
"There are also an increasing number of community people who come into schools to assist with sports delivery."
A significant innovation introduced by Mr Smith was the formation of sports councils in each school.
Some well-known Dunedin people chairing sports councils include former Otago rugby representative and sports psychologist Ken Hodge (Bayfield), Roy Shanks, the father of former world champion cyclist Alison Shanks (Queen's) and Tiny Carruthers (Columba).
