TOPEKA (KSNT) – Girls’ flag football is officially a sanctioned high school sport in the state of Kansas.
The KSHSAA Board of Directors passed the vote at their meeting on Thursday, April 23. The vote passed 61 to 1 — 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,” said Executive Director Bill Faflick in a 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.”
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Interest in girls’ flag football has grown rapidly nationwide and is fueled by support from the NFL and the sport’s inclusion in future Olympic competition. Lara Krug, a parent and chief marketing officer for the Kansas City Chiefs, said the vote addresses long-standing gaps in opportunities for girls.
“For so many years, there’s been so many young girls who have been maybe fans of the game or wanted to play, but never felt like there was a way to do that,” Krug said.
Wichita Northwest High School student Alola Reilly said the decision marks a turning point after years of playing flag football with boys and feeling sidelined.
“At the end of the day, I would pick up the flags, and I’d hand them out, and just like, I was their water girl,” Reilly said. “And I would want to play, and I was aggressive, and it was just really sad being picked last because I was a girl.”
Reilly, a multi-sport athlete, said increased recognition of the sport helped validate her passion for the game.
“I think now, seeing that it’s out there, seeing that it’s going to the Olympics and that you can play nationally is just really cool,” she said. “It’s like proving that everybody that’s ever told a girl ‘No,’ that they’re wrong.”
Krug said the vote also carries personal meaning for her family.
“I think for me as a mom, to have the opportunity for both my children in whatever they choose is what I’ve always wanted,” she said.
With the vote now final, schools across Kansas can begin preparing to launch girls’ flag football programs in the near future, as schools will be able to compete for a state championship in the sport. The regular season will hold 6 to 10 regular-season games.
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