‘Very inspiring’: Girls flag football becomes sanctioned sport at Hawaii high schools

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is joining 11 other states to implement girls flag football as a sanctioned sport.

Flag football has grown astronomically, from youth teams, to collegiate programs, and now it’s an Olympic sport debuting in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Starting this coming school year, it will be offered at all 44 public Hawaii high schools as a spring sport, an achievement years in the making.

“The first thing we look at is student interest, is the interest there for student athletes to participate and through informal surveys we found out that girls flag football was the top three,” said HIDOE Gender Equity and Athletics Specialist Dana Takahara-Dias.

This marks the first time the DOE is adding a girls prep sport since water polo was brought into the mix in 2001.

“It’s incredible to think that out of 51 state associations, and the District of Columbia, a small state like ours offers the seventh most sports in the country,” said HHSAA Executive Director Chris Chun.

Hawaii schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi added: “It’s important to me on multiple levels that our schools are a place that every student feels valued, empowered and free from bias.”

Now that the stage is set, the girls are ready to play ball.

“I think it’s very inspiring to know that I’m inspiring and encouraging younger girls ... that are coming into high school like all over the state,” said McKinley high school senior Trishelle Domingo.

The lieutenant governor wants to make sure everyone is on an even playing field.

“No recruiting out of your district, let’s give everyone a fair chance we don’t want all these folks at one school,” said Lt. Gov Sylvia Luke.

While officials are still working out the schedule, the plan is to have games start late February with 12 teams making the state tournament held mid-April.

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