WILSONVILLE, Ore. – The Delegate Assembly of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) voted in girls flag football as an OSAA-sanctioned activity at the assembly’s Oct. 12 meeting, Monday.
Oregon is the 25th state to sanction girls flag football as an activity. Oregon joins fellow western states Arizona, California, Nevada and Washington to sanction girls flag football.
Girls flag football will begin its inaugural season as a sanctioned activity in Spring of 2027 following two years as an emerging activity. It is the second sport the OSAA has added through its emerging activity process – boys volleyball was added in 2025-26.
The OSAA has sanctioned two girls activities in the last four years after girls wrestling was added by the Delegate Assembly ahead of the 2023-24 association year.
Girls flag football has seen a sharp rise in participation rates and will feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The National Football League (NFL), USA Football and Nike, among others, have been part of the effort to grow the activity across the country.
Locally in Oregon, the Seattle Seahawks have aided in the growth of girls flag football through providing support to the culminating event the last three seasons, donating $30,000 to expand opportunities across the state, and provided equipment to help schools launch their flag football programs. The Seahawks also invested in youth development across Oregon.
“The Seahawks are proud to support the growth of girls flag football across our region and help create more opportunities for young women to compete and experience the game,” said Mario Bailey, Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Community Engagement and Legends. “We are thrilled to celebrate Oregon as the latest state to sanction the sport, an important milestone that will build a stronger future for girls flag football throughout the Pacific Northwest.”
Nike has also pledged to provide a set of home and away jerseys for all Oregon varsity teams that compete in the inaugural season, as well as any school which adds girls flag football over the first three seasons as a sanctioned activity.
Fifty-seven varsity teams competed last spring with a participation total above 1,400. Liberty High School hosted the activity’s culminating event in which Tualatin defeated South Salem (32-26) to claim the culminating event title. David Douglas (third), Central Christian (fourth), Amity (fifth) and Gresham (sixth) also trophied. Tualatin went on to win the 2026 Best of the PNW Tournament, hosted by the Seahawks, in June.
A plan book and dates for the 2027 season will be released at a later date.
The emerging activity process allows the growth of meaningful interscholastic participation opportunities for students in athletics and activities that have the potential to meet the required number of schools participating to be considered for official sanctioning by the OSAA.
About the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA)
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) is a private, non-profit board-governed association comprised of 299 member high schools. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the OSAA annually sponsors 131 state championships in 28 sports and activities. For more information, visit www.osaa.org or follow @OSAASports on social media.
natel@osaa.org
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