Whatcom and Skagit counties have a rich history of high school tackle football, with teams winning a combined 13 state titles since 2000. Although tackle football has deep roots, girls flag football is becoming the new craze in the Northwest Conference.
Girls flag football began forming in 2023 in King and Pierce counties and continues to grow: Bellingham, Ferndale, Sehome and Squalicum are fielding teams for the first time. The four schools created a league and will be playing an eight-week season, finishing with a four-team playoff at Ferndale High on Feb. 26.
“It is growing as a girls sport across the nation and we want to bring that opportunity to our girls here at our three high schools,” said James Hayes, director of athletics and activities for Bellingham Public Schools. “We want other schools to see and jump on it. We want to see it grow throughout the conference.”
The inaugural game took place Wednesday, Jan. 15 at Ferndale High as Bellingham defeated the Golden Eagles 22-14. Sehome also played against Squalicum at Squalicum High School.
“It was really cool,” said Bellingham senior Kira Carlson. ”I was super excited to play this sport since it is new to our school and state. I am glad to be on the first flag football team for Bellingham.”
Carlson, Ella Dowling and Piper Cohen scored touchdowns for the Bayhawks, while Ferndale’s Hadley Pike scored the first touchdown in Northwest Conference history and Josie McClellan followed with another touchdown for the Golden Eagles.
Gallery: Inaugural girls flag football game kicks off with Ferndale, Bellingham
“It felt great to actually be on the field and have the opportunity to play,” Pike said. “My brothers and my dad played football and I had an offseason between volleyball and softball so I wanted to do it.”
The rules are similar to tackle football, but the field is 30 yards wide and 60 yards long. Five players are eligible to run a route downfield, no handoffs are allowed inside the opponents’ 5-yard line and the ball is dead once it hits the ground or a flag is pulled. Extra points are similar to two-point conversions. There are no kickoffs or field goals, and there are two 20-minute halves. It is a non-contact sport where a “tackle” is pulling a player’s flag, and teams begin on their own 5-yard line and can convert a first down by reaching midfield.
Since some of these girls have never played a sport, flag football gives them the ability to learn new skills that can help them on and off the field.
“I hope they learn to be a competitor,” Ferndale coach Donny Hastings said. “We have a lot of girls who can come out here and enjoy the high school experience playing athletics. Sports provide a natural friend group for them too.”
Hayes believes flag football will provide several opportunities for student-athletes to grow as people, including leadership, teamwork and being in a safe environment. He also believes it will be an even playing field since most of the players have not played flag football competitively.
The four schools have been capable of providing the new sport for girls after receiving a $12,000 grant from the Seattle Seahawks. The funds went toward covering uniforms and supplies for the season. In October 2023, the Seahawks pushed the initiative of adding girls flag football in Washington by giving $117,000 worth of grants to 30 teams in King and Pierce counties.
“Tacoma and Seattle are in their third season so it is our turn to grow this game,” Bellingham coach Logan Altizer said. “We didn’t know what to expect but we had an amazing time doing it and there is no place I’d rather be.”
Proposed amendment to sanction sport
Girls flag football is also a proposed amendment for the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association. It failed last year with a vote of 27 against and 26 for. Coaches and players are still confident the sport will become the newest sanctioned sport in the state since girls bowling was added 1999.
“Our two teams combined had about 40 girls that wouldn’t be playing a sport in the winter,” Hastings said. “As educators, you try to get kids involved any way possible. It’s an Olympic sport, so it is a matter of time and it is pretty inexpensive.”
If flag football becomes a sanctioned sport, a few minor tweaks may occur next season. Currently, students can play a winter sport like basketball and still compete in flag football. However, the WIAA does not allow students to compete in two sanctioned sports at the same time, meaning girls would have to choose between flag football, basketball, bowling, wrestling or gymnastics.
Also, the schedule could change to a few certain timeframes depending on the weather patterns in western and eastern Washington. The proposed schedules for the 2025–26 season could be March to May, August to October, or November to March.
“I hope the WIAA gets behind this,” Hayes said. “(Students) would need to unfortunately choose because it would be pretty hard with practice time and games. I think we will get some girls who didn’t turn out for other sports or if they didn’t make the basketball team.”
Even though the next step of girls flag football is uncertain, the current athletes are excited to be a part of sports history in Whatcom County.
“It is super fun,” Carlson said. “I love being out here and I am super grateful for this experience and looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
