Flag football has become a growing sport among girl athletes.

For many girls currently interested in playing football, it is intimidating to try out and attempt to play with their male counterparts. For many who are interested, they are scared and worried about the tackling aspect and risk of concussions.

Currently the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA), has a fairly even distribution of boys’ sports to girls’ sports with football the exclusion. AIA oversees 13 of the same sports for both girls and boys.

That is all about to change after a recent vote at an AIA Executive Board meeting. Girls flag football was approved as a sanction sport, bypassing the “emerging” sport status.

At the present time, some schools will begin to play girls flag football in the spring as a club sport. However, starting Fall 2023, girls flag football will be integrated into the AIA’s  list sanctioned sport. The sport will hold their first state championship game, which will be scheduled the same weekend as the 2A and 3A boys football championship games.

Initially, there will only be varsity teams to start. As the interest increases overtime, the AIA feels that the sport will evolve into accommodating  freshman and junior varsity teams as well.

The AIA is anticipating between 30 and 40 schools will be playing in the fall. The teams will have a set eight-week schedule with each school playing 14 games, prior to the state playoffs.

This expansion of sports offering is a good stepping stone to the possibility of some of the universities picking it up  and giving these girls scholarship to play at the college level.