By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
The Kansas State High School Activities Association Board of Directors (KSHSAA) has officially sanctioned Girls Flag Football to become an official sport across high schools in the state.
On April 23, 2026 the board of directors voted 61-1 for the sport to be sanctioned in Kansas high schools. According to KSHSAA starting in the 2026-27 school year, Kansas girls will compete for a KSHSAA state championship in flag football.
The Greater Wichita Athletic League submitted the proposal, and it was brought forward by Board of Directors members Sara Richardson and Chris Asmussen.
Flag Football has its own rulebook under the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Mark Lentz, KSHSAA assistant executive director, has served on the NFHS rules writing committee, and Jeremy Holaday, assistant executive director, will sit in Lentz’s place after his retirement on July 1.
Additional details regarding competitive classifications, state tournament format and implementation guidelines will be communicated to member schools in the coming months.
This follows after the Kansas City Chiefs released the Let Her Play Campaign, which celebrates the sport’s rapid growth and the expanding opportunities it is creating for student-athletes across the region.
In the campaign, a petition was made for Kansans to sign and show their support in girls flag potentially becoming an official KSHSAA sport.
In total, more than 11,000 individuals signed the petition, according to the Chiefs.
“Today’s vote will make it possible for so many girls across the state of Kansas to play flag football,” said Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. “We’re incredibly grateful to the fans, families, educators, school leaders, and communities across Kansas who raised their voices and showed up in support of these athletes. This outcome reflects a collective effort, and we’re proud to stand alongside everyone who helped make it clear that girls Flag Football deserves a place in Kansas high schools.”
“This is a great day for the KSHSAA as our leadership board took decisive action by approving the expansion of program offerings to include girls flag football,” Executive Director Bill Faflick said. “We appreciate the leadership of the Board of Directors, who faithfully serve and reflect the desires of membership in these important decisions. The KSHSAA also appreciates the support of the Kansas City Chiefs and other stakeholders who helped bring girls flag football to Kansas.”
Girls flag football operates as a 48-minute running game clock with 12-minute quarters, 1 minute break between quarters and 5–20 minute halftimes.
High school teams may play 6 to 10 regular-season games, with the season concluding with a KSHSAA state tournament. Each middle school team is limited to a maximum of six games during one season.
Usually a girls flag game would take around an hour and fifteen minutes, which can fit around three games the same time as one regular men’s tackle football game.
Sheila Sickau, Senior Marketing Manager for the Chiefs states the sport would take place in the Fall.
Kansas is now the 18th state to sanction girls flag football.
Sanctioning Girls Flag Football will allow schools statewide to establish officially recognized programs, implement standardized rules and governance, and compete for state championships – creating a sustainable pathway from youth participation through high school athletics and beyond.
The Chiefs will continue their commitment to growing Flag Football through youth programming, school partnerships, coaching education, and community initiatives across both Kansas and Missouri. The organization is also actively supporting the growth of girls Flag Football across the region, with the sport currently at emerging status in Missouri and a planned launch of programming in Nebraska beginning this fall.
More information and available resources can be found at chiefs.com/hsflag.