The WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) has announced that girls flag football is officially a school sport beginning on Aug. 1 at all schools that offer the sport.

In a 22-13 vote April 21, the WIAA Representative Assembly officially sanctioned girls flag football as a WIAA recognized sport by a single vote, the first since 1999.

“I am incredibly thankful for the membership’s hard work throughout this amendment cycle, and the WIAA is excited to welcome a new activity to the association. We’re thankful to the Seattle Seahawks and James Neil for their leadership in helping bring girls flag football to this point, and we look forward to continuing that partnership as the sport grows statewide,” Executive Director Mick Hoffman said in a press release.

Girls flag football was offered at every school in the NPSL and KingCo Leagues this past year after all Renton School District schools held back in year one.

Girls flag football was one of 16 rule changes that were voted on by the representative assembly.

Another hot topic in the amateur sports world is the transfer portal.

The WIAA also voted to pass an “opportunity for students to transfer schools after initially establishing their athletic eligibility at the start of their ninth grade year.”

This rule change gives high school athletes a chance to transfer schools for athletics one time, but give a specific window for when players can transfer which is once the school year ends. Students that transfer inside the transfer window are subject to missing 40% of whatever contests are left in that season or can to prove a hardship to be fully eligible. Students that transfer outside the window need to prove a hardship or will sit out the enitre season.

This new rule gives kids a chance to essentially a chance to sit out a short part of their season, one time to change schools. The second time and outside the window, the athlete had to prove a hardship.

Both transgender bans failed to pass during this cycle and will have to wait. A proposed amendment (ML/HS #7) limited girls sports to only biological females. This amendment missed the cut by a single vote because it was proposed as a middle level and high school amendment. It needed 32 votes to pass, but it received 31.

The second amendment (ML/HS #8) would have made athletic programs offered separately for boys, girls and an open division for all students interested.

The WIAA noted that if the rules did pass, they would be violating state law and would not be implemented.

“The Association’s message remains clear: The WIAA remains committed to following Washington state law and will continue to do so moving forward. If state law changes in the future, the WIAA Executive Board holds the authority to revise policies accordingly — and now has input from the membership on how to proceed in that event, while remaining in compliance with state law,” the WIAA said in the press release.

Auburn quarterback Fele Gasetoto keeps her eyes downfield. Ben Ray / The Reporter