Breaking Barriers: Girls Flag Football Now Permanent High School Sport in Colorado

The Colorado High School Activities Association has recently voted to make girls flag football a permanent high school sport in the state. This decision follows a successful pilot program that lasted for several years and saw more than 50 schools sign up to participate, many of them located in the Denver metro area.

Colorado is now the 11th state in the country to officially sanction girls flag football as a high school sport, and CHSAA Commissioner Mike Krueger expressed his excitement about the decision. He said that it promotes athleticism and provides more opportunities for female athletes to participate in sports, which is seen as a step towards fostering leadership, confidence, and equality both on and off the field.

The opportunities for female athletes are expanding with more than a dozen NAIA colleges offering scholarships for girls flag football, and DII and DIII colleges are likely to follow suit in the near future. Additionally, the sport is set to be included as an Olympic event at the 2028 games in Los Angeles. The Denver Broncos played a significant role in advocating for girls flag football in Colorado schools by providing financial assistance to schools that adopted the sport. Other organizations like Nike and USA Football also contributed by ensuring that teams had the necessary equipment and uniforms.

Carrie Walton Penner, one of the owners of the Denver Broncos and chair of the Denver Broncos Foundation Board, commented on this historic moment for Colorado and its impact on young girls in the state. She emphasized that beyond empowerment and teamwork, girls flag football creates a strong sense of belonging and community for future leaders. Jesse Sarles, who manages content and operations for CBSColorado.com, covers news and sports in and around Denver.

In conclusion, this decision by CHSAA marks an important milestone towards promoting gender equality through sports in Colorado high schools. With more opportunities available for female athletes both at college level and internationally through Olympics participation, this move will undoubtedly have a positive impact on their growth as individuals while also encouraging them to pursue active lifestyle choices from an early age.