Girls flag football will be officially recognized as a sport for high school girls in Colorado this fall, following a successful two-year pilot program. This decision was made after the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) voted 57-9 to add girls flag football as an officially sanctioned sport, making Colorado the 11th state in the country to do so. It will become the 18th CHSAA-sanctioned sport for girls in the state and the 33rd sport overall.
The pilot seasons of girls flag football were funded and managed by the Denver Broncos and the Denver Broncos Foundation. Cherry Creek was one of the first three school districts in the state to offer girls flag football as a pilot program in 2022, alongside Denver Public Schools and Jefferson County Public Schools. The program experienced significant growth in participation and popularity during the pilot seasons, leading to its official recognition as a sport. Athletic directors across the three school districts have hailed the initiative as a resounding success, with participation growing by 161 percent in the past year.
Director of Athletics and Activities for Cherry Creek School District Larry Bull expressed excitement about the decision, noting that the first year of the pilot program was a huge success. He said that he is proud of his district’s leadership role in bringing this sport to Colorado high schools and is excited to continue supporting it as it becomes an official part of fall sports lineup.
Broncos Owner and Denver Broncos Foundation Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner called
