Since football emerged in the late 1800s, it has been perceived as a men’s sport due to its physicality and roughness, but in recent years, women have pushed for greater inclusion and recognition. Many high schools, including Prep, began adding girls’ flag football to their winter sports offerings, promoting equality in athletics. Finally, on April 21, 2025, it became an official Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) sport.
Girls’ flag football truly began gaining popularity in the early 2020s, as high schools began to consider it for their winter sports options. Additionally, the Seattle Seahawks promoted the sport, causing a gain in popularity and recognition. It is one of the fastest-growing sports, with a 63% increase in participation from 2019 to 2024.
Seattle Prep also added flag football as a club option in the 2023 -24 season. When the WIAA made it an official Washington sport, it was not only a joyful moment for Washington girls’ flag football teams, but an elated feeling for all women, as there began to be more gender equality in sports.
Charlotte Larson ‘26, a member of the flag football team, said, “[The announcement] was really exciting to hear. It was really cool that the WIAA is acknowledging it, and it’s very empowering to see as a woman.”
The acceptance of girls’ flag football as an official sport is not only a revolution in the football world, but a promising future for more gender equality in sports typically dominated by men. Megan Lauinger ‘26, a player on the flag football team, said, “We’ve always seen how the boys get to play football. So many fans go to the games, and football is just a big part of the Prep culture. Having flag football as an official sport puts us on equal footing with the boys.”
As more promotion of girls’ sports begins, it is hoped that there will be more excitement and support around women’s sports.
Although women’s sports have grown significantly, many professional female athletes still receive far less media coverage and public recognition as male athletes, even when their performance is equally strong or even superior. Eva Cray ’26, a member of the flag football team, said, “I feel like [girls’ flag football] could change the future by showing how well women can compete, and now that flag football has become an official sport, it will help show how hard people work. Having women’s flag football is a good way to contribute women’s power into the sports world.”
As girls’ flag football begins for the first time this year as an official sport, it marks the beginning of a revolution of women’s equality in sports. In the first official season of girls’ flag football at Prep, it is hoped that the support of the sport will inspire those playing on the team as much as it inspires women at Prep and beyond.
