The momentum from a fast start for girls flag football in Colorado has brought it all the way to being an officially sanctioned sport by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
At CHSAA’s Legislative Council meeting Tuesday in Lone Tree, a proposal to end the sport’s pilot status and add it to the list of sanctioned sports — beginning in the upcoming fall season — earned approval from 86 percent of the voters (57 of the 66 votes cast were for approval).
Women’s flag football is now a scholarship sport at the college level, which has helped further strengthen its case for inclusion as a sanctioned sport, which it has become in 10 other states. Locally, Vista PEAK Prep graduate Leilani Caamal earned a scholarship to play at Ottawa University in Kansas, while others may follow.
Jamboree events have been held over the past two years and have been quite popular for Aurora high schools, as nearly every school has fielded at least one team. According to CHSAA numbers, 50 schools across 10 districts in the state offered flag football, which further adds to the number of options for female athletes.
“Colorado is a national leader in terms of girls’ participation in sports and activities,” CHSAA Board of Directors Ryan West said at meeting of CHSAA’s Board of Directors Monday (story, here). “This vote in favor of sanctioning girls flag football only furthers the Board’s commitment to equitable participation on behalf of our female athletes in Colorado.”
The addition of flag football bumps the number of fall sanctioned sports to 11, as it joins football, girls volleyball, boys soccer, boys and girls cross country, boys tennis, field hockey, boys golf, gymnastics and Unified bowling in addition to spirit.
— Sports Editor Courtney Oakes