The OSAA delegate assembly on Monday voted to approve boys volleyball as an emerging activity.

The sport has been growing in the state in recent years. In the spring, boys volleyball completed a season with 32 high school teams, surpassing the threshold of 25 to be considered as an emerging activity.

Monday's vote means that the OSAA staff will work closely with boys volleyball organizers in assessing the sport's viability to be sanctioned by the OSAA. To become fully sanctioned, it would need at least 50 schools to field teams.

“We'll probably put a committee together to work with them and figure out the details and minutiae around it,” OSAA executive director Peter Weber said. “We'll see if the growth and interest is there.”

The evaluation period is likely to be two years. About half of the state associations have sanctioned boys volleyball and a handful of others have recognized its as an emerging activity.

Boys volleyball organizers made a presentation at Monday's meeting that included testimony from four players.

“They did a real nice job talking about the passion for having that opportunity,” Weber said. “The numbers seem to be growing throughout the country.”

Among the questions to consider for boys volleyball is whether spring is the most feasible season for it. It is the busiest season for OSAA activities, but also the best time for gym access.

Boys volleyball is the first sport to be recognized as an emerging activity since the OSAA adopted the policy a few years ago. A vote to recognize skiing did not pass.

Organizers of water polo and girls flag football also have shown interest in being recognized as an emerging activity. Oregon High School Water Polo made a presentation late in Monday's meeting and agreed to return with more information in April.