The growing popularity of girls flag football in Oregon and beyond

Earlier this month, Oregon became the 25th state to sanction girls flag football as a high school sport, starting next spring. The sport has grown especially rapidly in the Beaver State since the Oregon School Activities Association voted just two years ago to designate girls flag football as an emerging activity. This past spring, nearly 60 girls high school flag football teams competed in the state, compared to 32 teams in 2024. 

Bubba Lemon is the head coach of the girls flag football team and the boys basketball team at Tualatin High School. In May, senior Briana Kaer and junior Hannah Wachter helped their Tualatin teammates defeat South Salem in overtime to clinch the state title. A month later, Tualatin defeated other top teams from Oregon and Washington to win the Best of the PNW tournament sponsored by the Seattle Seahawks. Kaer, Wachter and Lemon join us to discuss their love for this growing sport, which will make its debut at the Summer Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.

OPB's daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.