Tennessee girls’ flag football has achieved a significant milestone, officially becoming a sanctioned sport following the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Board of Control’s unanimous decision during their June 10 meeting.
According to The Tennessean’s Tyler Palmateer, this approval means that the sport will crown its first official state champion in the 2025-26 season. Additionally, the TSSAA Legislative Council agreed to schedule Tennessee girls flag football competitions in the spring, which may require some teams to adjust their schedules since many have traditionally played games in the fall.
Prior to this decision, the TSSAA had already recognized girls’ flag football as an emerging sport, reflecting its rapid growth in popularity. The sport’s increasing participation prompted the governing body to fully sanction its competitions, marking a new chapter for high school girls’ sports, in Tennessee.
To support the sport’s development, the Tennessee Titans launched a six-week inaugural season with Williamson County Schools, in 2022. The following year, Metro Nashville Public Schools launched their pilot program, and, last spring, Tennessee hosted its first state invitational for girls’ flag football.
Last season, over 127 girls participated in flag football across the state of Tennessee, all competing within a single division divided into 16 districts. Participation varied across districts this year, from just four teams in District 11 to as many as 19 in District 16. However, the sport’s expansion led to the formation of junior varsity teams, with tryouts at some schools attracting more than 75 girls attempting to earn spots on their respective varsity teams.
White County High School has been a pioneer in girls’ flag football, fielding a team—the Warriorettes—for the past two spring seasons. Under the leadership of head coach Mark Frasier in their first year, and now with coach Roger Mason at the helm this year, the Warriorettes have gained recognition for their success. CallieAnna Griggs and Kennedy Billings-Sullivan both received, and accepted, offers from Cumberland University to continue their careers at the next level.
Warriorette head coach, Roger Mason, is excited about the future of the sport at White County High School and said he hopes to see more girls embracing the sport. He’s encouraged by the TSSAA’s latest decision while also having said that he is happy to see more opportunities for female athletes and thinks that Griggs and Billings-Sullivan won’t be the last Warriorettes to use the sport as an avenue to get a post-secondary education.
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