UIL Mulls Over Decision To Sanction Girls Flag Football

The girls want to play too. 

Yesterday, the UIL’s Legislative Council met to discuss numerous proposals, including adding girls flag football at the varsity level. According to the council agenda, the UIL listened to speaker Timothy Rising’s comments on adding the sport as a sanctioned sport. 

The proposal comes after numerous states on the west coast introduced the program to their respective school districts. Even (Kyler Murray HIGH School) flipped the coin at the 50-yard line between two local Arizona high schools. 

Girls flag football has been gaining steam across the Lone Star State over the past years, specifically a 14-team league in Fort Worth ISD. Currently, seven states have sanctioned girls flag football; Alabama will become the eighth starting next year. At the collegiate level, 19 NAIA colleges have female flag football programs. 

Last February, in the state’s capital, McNeil senior Trinity Hutchins signed her letter of intent to play for Life University in Marietta, Georgia. Though McNeil doesn’t currently have a program, the school still recognized her accomplishment in a signing ceremony. Over the past few years, Hutchins starred on the Texas Fury — an all-girls travel team based in Austin. 

Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country— for both men and women. At the adult level, the U.S. Women’s Flag National Team is inspiring girls both domestically and internationally. The NFL has been getting in on the action too; both the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys have their own respective girls flag football programs. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz