Henderson County board approves girls flag football as official spring sport

The Henderson County School Board voted unanimously to approve girls flag football as an official spring sport under the TWWSAA umbrella, the board heard at its March 17 meeting.

Director of Schools Mr. Beichum introduced the proposal and said the district had been approached for more than a year about offering the sport. Countywide Athletic Director Coach Brian Hollinssworth told the board he and staff had met with student focus groups and regional schools to assess interest and logistics. "A lot of those on that financial page will not be reoccurring cost," Hollinssworth said, describing startup expenses such as uniforms and equipment. He estimated first-year startup costs at "roughly 16 to $20,000."

Coach Worthy, who worked on planning, said recurring costs would be lower. "The recurring cost is going to be somewhere around 6 $7,000," Worthy said; another board member later referenced about $10,000 accounting for stipends and officials. Board members raised whether flag football would compete with softball for athletes; Hollinssworth and Worthy said TWWSAA rules allow athletes to play both sports and that many participants are soccer players who have a spring season window.

A motion to approve the program was made and the board took a roll-call vote, recorded by the chair as seven yes votes; the chair declared the motion carried. The district said the sport would begin next school year if the board’s approval stands.

The board packet included a financial summary listing startup and recurring cost estimates; the packet also lists participating region schools. The district did not identify specific funding sources in the discussion and said recurring salary and stipend costs would be included in future budget preparations.

Board members asked staff to track costs and participation as the program starts; no amendment or additional funding vote was taken at the meeting.