In response to a growing demand from its member state associations, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will begin drafting official playing rules for high school flag football. These rules will take effect starting with the 2025-26 season.
The NFHS Board of Directors has approved the formation of the first NFHS Flag Football Rules Committee, which will convene in January 2025 to create the official national rules. The inaugural NFHS Flag Football Rules Book is expected to be available by May 2025.
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The 11-member committee will be led by Tyler Cerimeli, the Director of Athletics and Officials with the Arizona Interscholastic Association. The committee will also include eight section representatives, along with members of the NFHS Officials Association and NFHS Coaches Association. Bob Colgate, the NFHS Director of Sports and Sports Medicine, will act as the NFHS staff liaison.
“The NFHS is excited about this new sports opportunity – particularly for girls,” stated Dr. Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the NFHS. “Flag is a sport of inclusivity. It can be played in any season (weather dependent), is fast-paced and offers an opportunity for young people to play and others to coach or officiate in the exciting sport of football.”
While the NFHS Flag Football Rules Book will cater to both boys and girls, the significant growth in the girls’ game in recent years has accelerated the need for national playing rules. Currently, 12 state associations have sanctioned girls flag football, and another 19 states are running pilot programs.
The states that have sanctioned girls flag football include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Tennessee. Among these, seven states offer the sport in the fall, four in the spring, and one in the winter.
States participating in pilot programs include Connecticut, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Participation in girls flag football has surged, with the number of participants more than doubling from 20,875 in 2022-23 to 42,955 in 2023-24, representing a 105 percent increase.
Florida leads in participation with over 360 schools and almost 10,000 participants. Georgia has also seen substantial growth, with over 6,200 participants. The Georgia High School Association, supported by the Atlanta Falcons, held its third state championship in December 2023.
Nevada initiated its girls flag football championship in 2017, with continued interest leading to over 1,600 participants and three classes of championships. Alabama’s High School Athletic Association held its first state championship in December 2023, with nearly 2,000 girls participating.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association held its first championship in November 2023, with 54 schools participating and more expected in 2024. New York’s state association held its first girls flag championship in June 2024, involving about 4,100 girls. Illinois and California will sanction the sport for the first time in 2024, with Illinois planning its first state championship in October.
Flag football will become the 18th sport for which the NFHS writes national playing rules, joining other sports such as football, basketball, and lacrosse. “The popularity of flag football – for boys and girls – has been growing at the youth levels for the past 10 years,” Niehoff added. “In 2023, about 500,000 girls ages 6-17 played flag football – a 63 percent increase since 2019.”
With more universities offering flag football for girls and its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, the NFHS is optimistic about the continued growth of the sport. “The NFHS looks forward to being involved with the continued growth of flag football in schools nationwide,” Niehoff concluded.
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