In the fall of 2023, girls flag football will officially become a sport for high school girls in Colorado, 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.
Cherry Creek School District 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.
The Denver Broncos and Denver Broncos Foundation funded and managed the pilot seasons of girls flag football, which were held between 2022 and 2023. Broncos Owner and Denver Broncos Foundation Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner called the official recognition of girls flag football a historic moment for Colorado and for girls in the state. She emphasized the empowerment, inclusion, and teamwork that the sport provides, creating a powerful sense of belonging and community for