The Colorado High School Activities Association’s Legislative Council recently approved the addition of CHSAA’s 33rd sanctioned sport, girls flag football, at the DCSD Legacy Campus in Lone Tree. This fall, girls flag football will become the 18th sanctioned high school sport for girls in Colorado. Additionally, the council decided to implement a shot clock for boys and girls basketball at the varsity level starting from the 2026-27 season.
District Athletic Director for Cherry Creek Schools, Larry Bull, expressed his excitement for the addition of girls flag football, stating that it’s a great accomplishment for female athletes in the state. The support from the state for these young female athletes is something to be celebrated.
Another major development from the meeting was the decision to introduce a shot clock for boys and girls basketball at the varsity level. This change is seen as a positive step forward for basketball in Colorado, with Chaparral Athletic Director Rob Johnson stating that it will improve the game, athletes, and coaches.
In addition to these changes, CHSAA also announced that the high school ice hockey season will start one week earlier from now on. This change will allow for consistent venues for the Frozen Four playoff semi-final and state championship games. There will also be a date shift for spring sports in the 2025 and 2026 seasons to avoid running championships into Memorial Day Weekend.
Furthermore, the skiing state championships will now be split between Alpine and Nordic competitions. CHSAA will also provide a concussion course refresher for returning coaches and clear instructions for completing athlete transfer paperwork. These changes aim to enhance the high school sports experience for both athletes and coaches in Colorado.