CHSAA approves girls flag football, adds shot clock for varsity basketball
What an eventful day for Colorado prep sports.
After months of debate, CHSAA’s Legislative Council on April 23 voted 57-9 in favor of sanctioning girls flag football starting in fall 2024. Five voters abstained from the decision.
The Legislative Council also voted 40-30 in favor of adding a shot clock in the 2026-27 season for varsity basketball.
The shot clock addition comes after months of discussions regarding the pros and cons of the system.
When the Legislative Council met in January, a measure to add a shot clock failed 43-28.
The basketball committee met in February and changed verbiage in the proposal to exclude C-team and junior varsity and only use the clock in varsity contests.
During Tuesday’s meeting, many supporters reacted in celebration of the move, which some felt was long overdue.
“Finally! This is going to do wonders for (Colorado) student-athletes and their viability at the next level,” Jesse Bender, an assistant men’s basketball coach at SUNY Canton, said on X, the app formerly known as Twitter.
When clock usage begins in 2026-27, it will include boys and girls basketball and will be a 35-second shot clock.
The shot clock will also remain in play in overtime.
For girls flag football, many expressed their satisfaction with the decision during the meeting and said they’re prepared to adjust on the fly to any changes necessary to keep the sport afloat.
“There’s an old expression that early feedback is better than late criticism,” said Michael Hughes, Lakewood High School athletic director. “We know there are some bumps and there are some hiccups with this. But … speaking as an athletic director at Lakewood High School, this has been one of the best things that has happened to our school in my seven years there.
“Girls (sports) participation had been declining but this has lifted our school up.”
Girls flag football began a pilot program in 2022 compiled of mostly Denver schools.
This year, CHSAA added six more to the cohort including four Pikes Peak-area schools with Colorado Springs Christian, Coronado, Ellicott and Vanguard each having teams, bringing the total to 50 teams.
After two years, more than 1,300 girls have participated in the sport and girls flag football, from the inaugural season to this year, participation grew 161 percent.
“They want to play girls flag football and there’s not a good enough reason for us to stand in their way,” said Kylie Russell, Adams 12 district athletic director. “… Let those of us who want to offer girls flag football for our athletes figure out the hard stuff and pave the way.”
CHSAA approves girls flag football, adds shot clock for varsity basketball
What an eventful day for Colorado prep sports.
After months of debate, CHSAA’s Legislative Council on April 23 voted 57-9 in favor of sanctioning girls flag football starting in fall 2024. Five voters abstained from the decision.
The Legislative Council also voted 40-30 in favor of adding a shot clock in the 2026-27 season for varsity basketball.
The shot clock addition comes after months of discussions regarding the pros and cons of the system.
When the Legislative Council met in January, a measure to add a shot clock failed 43-28.
The basketball committee met in February and changed verbiage in the proposal to exclude C-team and junior varsity and only use the clock in varsity contests.
During Tuesday’s meeting, many supporters reacted in celebration of the move, which some felt was long overdue.
“Finally! This is going to do wonders for (Colorado) student-athletes and their viability at the next level,” Jesse Bender, an assistant men’s basketball coach at SUNY Canton, said on X, the app formerly known as Twitter.
When clock usage begins in 2026-27, it will include boys and girls basketball and will be a 35-second shot clock.
The shot clock will also remain in play in overtime.
For girls flag football, many expressed their satisfaction with the decision during the meeting and said they’re prepared to adjust on the fly to any changes necessary to keep the sport afloat.
“There’s an old expression that early feedback is better than late criticism,” said Michael Hughes, Lakewood High School athletic director. “We know there are some bumps and there are some hiccups with this. But … speaking as an athletic director at Lakewood High School, this has been one of the best things that has happened to our school in my seven years there.
“Girls (sports) participation had been declining but this has lifted our school up.”
Girls flag football began a pilot program in 2022 compiled of mostly Denver schools.
This year, CHSAA added six more to the cohort including four Pikes Peak-area schools with Colorado Springs Christian, Coronado, Ellicott and Vanguard each having teams, bringing the total to 50 teams.
After two years, more than 1,300 girls have participated in the sport and girls flag football, from the inaugural season to this year, participation grew 161 percent.
“They want to play girls flag football and there’s not a good enough reason for us to stand in their way,” said Kylie Russell, Adams 12 district athletic director. “… Let those of us who want to offer girls flag football for our athletes figure out the hard stuff and pave the way.”