WIAA approves girls flag football as sanctioned sport

Teams will begin play in 2025-26 season

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association approved girls flag football to become a sanctioned sport starting in the 2025-26 season, the first time since 1999 a new sport has been introduced.

The vote passed 22-13. An amendment requires 60% approval from voting members. Many schools in Kitsap have fielded club flag football teams the last two years, such as South Kitsap, North Kitsap, Bainbridge, Bremerton, Kingston and Olympic.

The WIAA also approved changes to transfer eligibility rules. After establishing initial eligibility at a high school, students may now transfer one time during their four-year high school career, but only within designated transfer windows. Under the new rule, a student-athlete who transfers will be ineligible for varsity competition for 40% of the maximum number of allowable contests for sports played the previous year, as defined by each sport’s specific rules, in the school year following the transfer.