By MATT PIKE
Starting this fall, girls flag football will be an official sport in Kansas after the Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors voted today to add the sport as an official KSHSAA-sanctioned activity, making Kansas the 18th state to sanction the sport.
“This is a great day for the KSHSAA as our leadership board took decisive action by approving the expansion of program offerings to include girls flag football,” Executive Director Bill Faflick said in a news release. “We appreciate the leadership of the Board of Directors, who faithfully serve and reflect the desires of membership in these important decisions. The KSHSAA also appreciates the support of the Kansas City Chiefs and other stakeholders who helped bring girls flag football to Kansas.”
The Greater Wichita Athletic League submitted the proposal, and it was brought forward by Board of Directors members Sara Richardson and Chris Asmussen.
Girls flag football now joins more than two dozen sports and activities that KSHSAA member schools offer students. The sport has been offered at the club level since 2021, and 28 Kansas high schools piloted girls flag football programs last year, averaging 24 athletes per roster. High school teams may play 6 to 10 regular-season games, with the season concluding with a KSHSAA state tournament. Each middle school team is limited to a maximum of six games during one season.
Flag football has its own rulebook under the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Mark Lentz, KSHSAA assistant executive director, has served on the NFHS rules writing committee, and Jeremy Holaday, assistant executive director, will sit in Lentz’s place after his retirement on July 1st.
Additional details regarding competitive classifications, state tournament format and implementation guidelines will be communicated to member schools in the coming months.
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