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WIAA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY PASSES SEVEN AMENDMENTS; SANCTIONS GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL AND ADJUSTS TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY

RENTON, Wash. (April 21, 2025) – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Representative Assembly voted to pass seven amendments—effective August 1, 2025—the Association announced Monday, April 21.

“I am incredibly thankful for the membership’s hard work throughout this amendment cycle, and the WIAA is excited to welcome a new activity to the Association. We’re thankful to the Seattle Seahawks and James Neil for their leadership in helping bring Girls Flag Football to this point, and we look forward to continuing that partnership as the sport grows statewide,” Executive Director Mick Hoffman said. “This process has highlighted the leadership and dedication of athletic administrators from across the state, who have spent months engaging in thoughtful discussions and collaboration. Their commitment ensured the amendment process was both inclusive and effective, and we’re proud to move forward with changes that reflect the voices of our member schools.”

ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
The Representative Assembly is comprised of 53 school administrators—35 from high schools and 18 from middle-level schools—representing each of the six WIAA districts. The Assembly votes on proposed amendments, with voting delegates typically casting proxy votes aligned with the opinions of their league and WIAA District.

To pass, an amendment requires 60 percent approval from voting members. Specifically, 32 votes are needed for a high school/middle-level amendment to pass, 21 votes for a high school-only amendment, and 11 votes for a middle-level-only amendment.

VOTING RESULTS
A total of 16 amendments were proposed this year. Of those, seven were approved and will go into effect in the 2025–26 school year.

Additionally, two WIAA Executive Board positions were up for vote. Jeff Lowell (Bellevue School District, WIAA District 2) and Russ Waterman (Eastmont High School, WIAA District 5) were re-elected to their seats on the Executive Board.

For the first time since 1999, the WIAA has sanctioned a new sport: Girls Flag Football. With the sport officially sanctioned as of August 1, female student athletes will have a new opportunity, if their school offers the program, to take part in a healthy, organized activity and competition.

The membership also approved a significant change to transfer eligibility rules. After establishing initial eligibility at a high school, students may now transfer one time during their four-year high school career, but only within designated transfer windows. This is not a “transfer portal” and does not resemble the NCAA’s current model. Under the new rule, a student-athlete who transfers will be ineligible for varsity competition for 40% of the maximum number of allowable contests for sports played the previous year, as defined by each sport’s specific rules, in the school year following the transfer. This amendment is the result of a 22-person committee, established in January 2024, which evaluated how WIAA eligibility policies align with Washington State education goals and objectives, and whether existing policies disproportionately impact students.

Despite the failure of ML/HS #7 and ML/HS #8, the Association’s message remains clear: The WIAA remains committed to following Washington state law and will continue to do so moving forward. If state law changes in the future, the WIAA Executive Board holds the authority to revise policies accordingly—and now has input from the membership on how to proceed in that event, while remaining in compliance with state law.

To read the full language of each amendment, click the link below.

MEDIA CONTACT
Sean Bessette, Director of Communications