why are high school athletes called boys and girls?

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I think this has to do with autism since it seems like a misnomer. When I am listening to the news during the sports segment I hear the high school athletes referred to as boys and girls. Then in the same segment, they refer to the college athletes as men and women. This seems odd to me for many reasons. Some of those high school players are over 18. There are many college players under 18. Therefore, one group cannot be referred to as adults and the other children. They are either both adults or both children. The only difference I can see is most high schools are public education and therefore funded by taxes. Does being referred to as an adult come with a price tag now?

Because high school people, traditionally, are under 18, though kids reach 18 within the last six months of 12th grade.

There are a few people who are under 18 when they start college--but not many.

It has to do with the status of high school vis-a-vis college.

Because male high school students are boys and female high school students are girls. This remains the case until such time as an individual reaches the Age of Majority, which is 18. Afterward, they are legal adults, and thus entitled to being called "men" and "women".

"Almost 18" doesn't count.

I think sometimes for some people it may be just a certain way of speaking.

I tend to say "guys" and "girls" regardless of age. Why? Heck if I know. Just a tendency I picked up from who knows where. Possibly from books I read, alot of my ways of speaking come from books.

Honestly, as long as someone isnt using terms like "boys" or "girls" in an insulting manner, I dont think it matters much.

In the UK you officially finish school at 16, even if you stay on after 16, schoolchildren are officially aged between 4 and 16.

College students often start college at 16, but when I was in college all college students were referred to as adults, even though lots of us were under 18.