Kansas High School Sanctions Girls Flag Football Varsity Sport Amid Booming Participation
✨ Coach, Parents & Player Tips
Coach’s Clipboard: Pair your players up in a “human sled”—one athlete leans into a low, athletic stance while their partner holds their ankles, then they shuffle 10 yards before switching—this sneaky drill cranks up leg power, core stability, and guarantees plenty of wobble-induced laughter.
Postgame Parents: Grab some sidewalk chalk and have your kid mark how high they can reach on a vertical jump—reset the line each week so they get to watch those gains climb sky-high (and giggle at the inevitable chalk explosion).
Players Snap: Rotate a “Culture Captain” each week who picks the post-practice hype song and leads the pre-game chant—giving everyone a turn keeps the vibe electric and ownership sky-high.
🔎 Feature Story
🏅 Girls flag football the next sanctioned high school sport in Kansas
The Kansas State High School Activities Association voted 61-1 to officially sanction girls high school flag football as a varsity sport starting next fall, reflecting booming interest with at least 29 club teams statewide last season. This landmark decision aims to reach the 24-school threshold for a state championship, expanding athletic opportunities and solidifying flag football’s footprint in Kansas high school sports.
“It’s provided opportunities for these girls who otherwise probably wouldn’t play anything,” Lawrence Free State coach Adam Barmann said.
🌍 Regional Roundup
Wisconsin: Marian University will host the inaugural Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Women’s Flag Football Tournament on April 25 at Smith Field, featuring four regional colleges and live video and stats online.
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Wisconsin (Appleton): Lawrence University announced it will add women’s flag football as its 12th varsity sport in 2027-28, launching a national search for a head coach to lead Spring 2028 competition and leveraging existing athletic facilities.
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Kansas: The Saints girls’ flag football team, one of the first grassroots squads in the state, is petitioning the Kansas State High School Activities Association for official sanctioning after inspiring growth to 29 teams statewide.
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Ohio (University Heights): John Carroll University will launch a women’s flag football program in Spring 2027 under its NAIA football umbrella, appointing veteran coach Felicia Teeter to lead the new team.
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⭐ Player Spotlight
Brooke Harty – quarterback, John Carroll Catholic. As a first-year signal-caller and defensive standout, she led the Rams with eight flags pulled and sparked the only scoring drive in their 7-0 win to secure a second straight Class 1A-District 10 title.
“Coach just told us to get it in the end zone, no matter what,” said Harty. “I saw a hole and went in. Then Cami did the rest on the conversion.”
📈 Flag Growth Focus
🔥 First NACC Women’s Flag Football Tournament
Marian University will host the inaugural Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Women’s Flag Football Tournament on April 25, featuring Marian, Aurora, Benedictine, and Rockford Universities in its first championship event. Lakeland University and Wisconsin Lutheran College have also added women’s flag programs, boosting the NCAA Emerging Sports roster to over 40 institutions led by 23 Division III teams. This milestone reflects growth driven by the NFL Flag program and the sport’s 2028 Olympic debut.
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🔥 Lawrence University Adds Women’s Flag Football
Lawrence University will launch women’s flag football as its 12th varsity sport for the 2027-28 season, leveraging existing football facilities and aligning with the NCAA Emerging Sports program and the sport’s 2028 Olympic debut. A national search for a head coach begins this fall to recruit athletes for spring 2028 competition while boosting student-athlete opportunities and enrollment appeal. This move underscores collegiate commitment to expanding inclusive, cost-effective athletic programs.
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🔥 John Carroll University Launches Women’s Flag Football
John Carroll University will introduce a women’s flag football team in spring 2027 under its Blue Streaks program, appointing running backs coach Felicia Teeter as inaugural head coach to develop the NAIA squad’s full schedule. The addition leverages JCU’s NFL pipeline legacy and taps Teeter’s experience building women’s flag programs at Bethel and Pratt Community College. This expansion broadens opportunities for women athletes and strengthens one of the fastest-growing collegiate sports.
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⚡ FlagSnap Daily Blitz
Lindsey Wilson College’s women’s flag football team clinched a spot in the inaugural NAIA East Flag Football Championship later this week.
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The final NAIA Women’s Flag Football Top 10 poll remained unchanged as conference tournaments began, with Warner (Fla.) at 18-0 and Ottawa (Kan.) at No. 4.
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The inaugural NAIA Women’s Flag Football Invitational will take place May 6–9 in Bradenton, Fla., featuring the season’s top 10 teams.
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Baker (Kan.) rose to No. 6 in the final NAIA women’s flag football poll and will enter the KCAC tournament as the No. 2 seed.
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The Kansas State High School Activities Association approved annual athletic activity moratoriums from the Thursday before Easter through Easter Sunday, all Wednesdays (Sept.–Apr.) and all Sundays beginning in 2026–27.
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Ponte Vedra defeated Bartram Trail 26–6 to secure the FHSAA District 3-3A girls flag football title in St. Johns County on April 23.
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🏁 Final Whistle
“Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.”
— Vince Lombardi
