Tennessee Titans Cheer TSSAA’s Move to Sanction Girls Flag Football

Following a decision made on Tuesday by Tennessee’s main high school sports organization, girls flag football programs may soon be available at more high schools across the state.

The legislative council of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, the state’s governing body of high school sports, voted unanimously to designate girls flag football as a “emerging sport” for 2024-2025, which means that 15% of TSSAA members are either currently participating in the sport or have committed to participating once sanctioned.

A sanctioned emerging sport will be treated similarly to all other sanctioned sports, with the exception that no state championship will be provided. The TSSAA will divide participating schools into districts, regions, and/or sections for the postseason invitational.

Emerging sports will have a one-year trial period before a state championship is added. Sports can remain in the “emerging” category indefinitely until a state championship is introduced. Once a state championship is added, it will not be deleted, even if participation drops.

The TSSAA Board of Control is in charge of approving a state championship after the trial period and ensuring adequate participation and geographic representation throughout the state.

Tennessee is the eighth state to approve girls’ flag football.

The Tennessee Titans issued a statement on Tuesday supporting the TSSAA’s decision. In 2022, the NFL team assisted with the formation of the state’s first interscholastic females flag football league, which will be held at nine Williamson County public schools.

“We are so grateful to TSSAA for today’s decision and their support of our girl’s flag football programs over the past several years,” said Titans President and CEO Burke Nihill. “Girls flag football has evolved as one of the most competitive and entertaining sports offered at the high school level.

It has already had an impact on the lives of a great number of young athletes, and the rise of collegiate options within the sport has contributed to this. We look forward to seeing its popularity spread throughout the state when it becomes an officially sanctioned sport.”