Girls high school flag football surges in popularity across the Central Coast
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Just like across the United States, the sport of girls high school flag football is surging in popularity and participation throughout the Central Coast.
"A lot of people think that just because we're girls that we can't play football, but girls can do all the things boys can do, just on a different level,” said Melia Felix, a Nipomo High School flag football player.
According to statistics from National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 100,000 girls participated in flag football nationwide in 2025 — nearly a 50% increase from the previous year and a 550% increase from four years earlier.
In California, nearly 25,000 girls this year are playing flag football, which is officially recognized by the state's governing athletic body, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
Girls flag football has grown so quickly it's now the state’s sixth most popular high school sport, trailing only soccer, volleyball, track and field, softball and basketball.
Central Coast flag football players said the sport's action and competitive nature are helping fuel its popularity.
"I think it's just the fast pace and competitiveness that is attracting all of us," said Nipomo High School player Mariah Valdivia. "The girls don't really get to play this kind of sport like football, so I'm excited.”
With seven players on each side competing on an 80-yard field, flag football features quick transitions between offense and defense and nearly nonstop action.
For Lompoc player Ava Adams, the atmosphere surrounding the game is a major part of its appeal.
"It's so exhilarating to watch and the energy is insane,” Adams said. "I think it's just like a football game. The energy is just up there and the energy is amazing."
Claudia Terrones, Lompoc High School's athletic director, said flag football provides girls with an opportunity to compete in a sport traditionally associated with boys.
"I love sports here at Lompoc High and all the sports we have to offer, but flag is something that I feel gives them that equality to the boys on the field on Friday nights,” Terrones said. I grew up at St. Joseph High School and we had what was called powderpuff. I think the powderpuff days are over and the cleats are in and the flags are on, and it's just super exciting, and that girls can be competitive just like the guys."
Although flag football is officially a non-contact sport, players say the competition can be surprisingly physical and intense.
"A lot of people think just because we're not tackling, we're pulling flags, that it's not as competitive, it's not as physical,” Felix said. "But I can assure you there's still a lot of physicality and it's just as competitive."
For high schools in the Tri-County area, the sport officially got underway in the CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS) five years ago.
In its first year during the 2022-23 season, there were 20 teams and 410 players participating in the CIF-SS.
Four seasons later, there are currently 359 schools with thousands of players taking part in the current CIF-SS 2026 season.
South Santa Barbara County schools, as well as Lompoc started programs one year later in 2023.
In the three years since, the number of programs has continued to expand throughout Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County.
This year alone, programs at Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay, Mission Prep and Templeton all started up and are now playing their inaugural season.
Today, only three of the area's 16 large schools that participate in the Central Coast Athletic Association (CCAA), St. Joseph, Atascadero and Orcutt Academy, remain without a girls flag football program.
Teams in the CCAA participate in the CIF-Central Section (CIF-CS), which has seen its member schools add teams a little slower rate than the CIF-SS.
For the current 2026 season, there are 27 teams playing flag football, including 13 on the Central Coast in the CCAA.
"It definitely means a lot knowing that other schools are finally seeing how fun it is and how competitive it is,” said Lompoc player Madison Caballero. "I hope to see more schools joining soon."
With the recent growth across the area and beyond, comes a new level of competition.
This year, there are enough teams participating in the CIF-CS for the organization to offer a postseason championship.
For players such as Caballero, it's a milestone for a sport that has grown quickly on the Central Coast.
"I feel like it means a lot," Caballero said. "We've worked very hard to get to this position to where we finally have CIF. We were one of the first teams to introduce this to everyone on the Central Coast, and we definitely want to go out there and win."
Terrones, who was a driving force in starting the program at Lompoc and has long advocated for other schools to do the same, emphasized the importance of having a CIF postseason and championship and what it brings to the sport.
"I feel like the girls now feel like they're playing for something," said Terrones. "In the beginning it was for more for pride in like equality, I guess. And so now that we can actually play for something like league titles we have, you know, but it has always been a thing where you want to go more than just the league. And now that we have a CIF championship for this coming season, it just makes it even more impactful of the sport and that you're playing for something,
As more schools add teams and participation continues to grow, players believe the future of girls flag football is only getting brighter.
"I am so excited,” Valdivia said. "As there's more teams, as there's more JV, as there's more varsity and just schools playing in general, I think it's going to grow a lot more competitive and schools are just going to get into it way more."
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