Girls flag football becomes sanctioned high school sport in Washington
For the first time since 1999, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has sanctioned a new sport. Girls flag football is now an officially recognized high school sport in Washington, following a vote by the WIAA’s representative assembly last week.
“I am incredibly thankful for the membership’s hard work throughout this amendment cycle, and the WIAA is excited to welcome a new activity to the Association,” WIAA executive director Mick Hoffman stated in a release. “We’re thankful to the Seattle Seahawks and (Tacoma Public Schools district athletic director) James Neil for their leadership in helping bring Girls Flag Football to this point, and we look forward to continuing that partnership as the sport grows statewide.”
The vote needed 60 percent approval to pass; it received 22 “yes” votes and 12 “no” votes.
Girls flag football has been offered for several years at schools in Washington — mostly prominently in the Seattle-Tacoma area — and has grown in popularity, with 83 schools around the state fielding teams last winter.
In Pierce County alone, 20 high schools fielded girls flag football teams last year, from large Class 4A schools like Puyallup and Emerald Ridge, Tacoma schools Silas, Mount Tahoma, Lincoln, Stadium to Foss and smaller schools.
There were 180 girls who played flag football at the five Tacoma public schools last winter, with Lincoln fielding the largest roster. The sport was on last year’s ballot but narrowly failed before being approved this spring. Tacoma Public Schools athletic director James Neil spearheaded the amendment.
“I’m elated,” Neil told The News Tribune by phone on Monday. “I think for me, it’s the culmination of a bunch of work. There’s a lot of people and groups I owe thanks to.”
Neil was disappointed the measure failed last year but quickly got back to work, addressing concerns from some members who voted “no” last time around. Particularly, there was concern from the east side of the state, where it wouldn’t be realistic to offer the flag football as a winter sport.
“We had some concerted conversations with areas of the state, just helping them understand the layout of it,” Neil said. “A lot of them didn’t know it was an alternate season sport. The championships will be in the spring, so you could run it in either the fall, (winter) or spring.”
The sport has received support from the NFL and locally by the Seattle Seahawks.
“The Seahawks are thrilled with the announcement by the WIAA,” Chuck Arnold, President of the Seahawks and First & Goal Inc., said in a prepared statement. “This is a historic moment for our state and an exciting milestone for all the girls flag athletes in our region who now have the opportunity to play at the highest level.”
The Seattle Seahawks have spent more than $500,000 in grant funding to help launch girls’ flag football teams across Washington.
This story was originally published April 21, 2025 at 11:35 AM.
