The future of flag football for girls in Washington state

The Seattle Seahawks are backing an effort to make girls flag football a sanctioned sport in Washington.

Why it matters: The push to recognize and support the sport is growing as interest in women's sports skyrockets nationally .

• Money is pouring into women's sports, including through new deals and partnerships , and there's been a recent shift in media to broaden coverage of women's sports.

State of play: Late last month, the Emerald Ridge High School girls flag football team appeared onstage with Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett when he announced the NFL team's third-round pick.

• The Jaguars were chosen by the Seahawks to be the faces of the sport after they won the Western Washington Championship in their first season, per The Seattle Times .
• The Seahawks have now donated more than $324,000 in grant funding since 2021 to launch girls flag football teams, per the Seahawks .
• There are now more than 80 high schools across the state scheduled to offer girls flag football during the 2024–2025 school year, the team says.

What they're saying: "My girls have been great trailblazers, but it's not just about them," Emerald Ridge coach Ayanna Arceneaux told Axios.

• "It's important to all the young girls growing up, a golden movement for change, and a chance for girls to ignore the stereotypes and stigmas, and enjoy the sport."

What's next: The 53 members of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Representative Assembly are slated to vote soon on whether girls flag football will become sanctioned.

• If approved, Washington could become the 12th state to sanction girls flag football as a high school sport.

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