CHSAA's Legislative Council voted on Tuesday
The Colorado High School Activities Association voted to approve shot clocks for girls flag football and varsity high school basketball.
At its April meeting, the Colorado High School Activities Association approved adding girls flag football as a state-sanctioned sport and adding a shot clock to girls' and boys' high school varsity basketball.
Girls flag football, which begins competition this fall and crowns its first state champion, becomes the 33rd sport sanctioned by the CHSAA.
“It's great to see what Front Range has accomplished with flag football,” Durango High School Athletic Director Ryan Knorr said. “They had an experimental season, which was very positive, and the more experience they can give the young women to come in and get things going, the better.”
57 of 71 voters approved women's flag football. Nine members of the Legislative Council voted “no” and five abstained.
Knorr believes Durango has the players to play flag football. He also said he doesn't know how feasible it is for the Demons to have a flag football team at this point, since Western Slope High School does not have a girls' flag football program. Still, he's looking forward to what's in store for the Denver metro area.
Colorado's introduction of a shot clock in high school basketball has been controversial.
The Legislative Council voted against it in January. But on Tuesday, the City Council approved a 35-second shot clock for high school girls' and boys' varsity basketball games. There were 40 votes in favor of the shot clock and 31 votes against.
The shot clock is scheduled to be introduced in the 2026-27 season.
“I'm all for it,” Durango men's basketball coach Alain Batiste said in January. “I think some coaches don't buy into this because they have a guard that handles the basketball, because they know they can protect the basketball when they get to two or three minutes. That's the only rebound. I agree with that. The game is moving fast. They want to play fast.”
Most La Plata County high school basketball coaches agreed in January when asked about adding a shot clock. Many coaches were concerned about the economics of setting up a shot clock and paying someone to run it.
Noah said he thought that would happen after meeting with other athletic directors. He also said the timeline is realistic and gives the school the time it needs to see what technology and equipment updates Durango High School needs to the shot clock.
“For me, that's exciting,” Knorr said. “It will speed up some things and change the philosophy on how the game is played.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com