Despite the efforts of the students, the Girls Flag Football and Boys Volleyball teams are not Kansas State High School Activities Association sanctioned sports and are not official school sports in the 2025-2026 school year. Free State recently added these teams as club sports, while the Boys Volleyball season passed last spring the Girls Flag Football season started this fall.

KSHSAA executive director Bill Faflick said these teams will be more of a priority of KSHSAA if it gets enough participation.

“Sometimes it takes time to navigate the approval process, and during that time, schools may choose to operate as a school club-team and may even compete against other schools in the area,” Faflick said, “Our schools are limited with budgets, schedules and the human capital it would require to conduct another activity. Budgets are stretched, but so are coaching staff and administrative teams which provide local oversight for activities.”

Even though both sports are still in the early stages of being implemented, Junior Sarai Preston, who is a starter on the girls flag football team, wants to spread awareness about girls flag football and women’s sports.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL flag organization are helping back the Girls Flag Football Team, but most of the funding for jerseys and gear comes from fundraising or out of pocket from teachers. However, the Boys Volleyball Team is not receiving the same support. Sophomore Brady Morgan, who played Boys Volleyball last season, said that they had to pay for their own transportation but they still believed that it was worth it.

“I’ve gotten to meet a bunch of great guys, and I formed friendships between my teammates,” Morgan said, “At our very last tournament, all of us just fought for a good spot at the end. We eventually got third, but I remember all of us trying really hard and working to win.”