The whistle is about to blow on a new era in Kansas high school sports. 

This fall, girls flag football officially joins the Kansas State High School Activities Association lineup, bringing new opportunities for hundreds of student-athletes across the state. But as teams prepare to take the field for the inaugural sanctioned season, another roster is just as important — the one wearing black-and-white stripes. 

For longtime official Matt Renk, that need has never been more apparent. 

Renk, the Activities Director at Free State High School, has spent more than two decades officiating youth, middle school and high school athletics. While many officials are learning the nuances of girls flag football for the first time, Renk already has a head start after working club games before KSHSAA officially sanctioned the sport. 

He hopes more Kansans will follow him onto the field. 

"With flag football just beginning, one of the biggest reasons — selfishly, but no different than any other sport in Kansas — is we need officials," Renk said. "Officials are retiring or deciding this is not worth it. I'm not sure if fans, families and athletes realize how games will change when we can't find the people to be officials. It is a very rewarding endeavor, but also one that you must put the time in to learn." 

For Renk, officiating has been a rewarding part of his life long before he became a school administrator. 

"I started reffing basketball when I was in college," he said. "I took a break while my kids played sports, and working as a high school administrator limited my availability to officiate on a nightly basis. It was a great college job. It allowed me to stay engaged in sports after I was done playing. It also allowed me to meet some really great officials that helped me grow." 

He has worked basketball along with football for more than 20 years at various levels, but flag football has brought a fresh challenge. 

"I got started last year, as a lot of high schools around the area were supported by the Kansas City Chiefs and started programs," Renk said. "I officiated flag football in college at K-State, but that game was a lot different from high school girls flag football. I really enjoyed reffing it this year and continued reffing it in the spring when Missouri high schools ran their season." 

Because the sport is still in its infancy, officials have had to learn alongside coaches and players. 

"It has been very enjoyable to be a part of this sport just starting out," Renk said. "It really was a lot of learning on the go alongside the coaches and the girls." 

Unlike traditional football, flag football requires officials to adjust how they evaluate contact on every play. 

"It's a big transition just because of the contact aspect of flag football and tackle football," Renk said. "You have to adjust your mindset because you are so used to the contact being a normal part of the sport on the football field, but with flag football it really is more about the speed and athletic ability to avoid contact. 

"There is still contact, and as a flag football official you really have to judge who created the contact and does it rise to the level of a foul being committed." 

The addition of girls flag football has created excitement across Kansas after the KSHSAA Board of Directors voted 61-1 in April to sanction the sport beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Kansas became the 18th state to officially sanction girls flag football after the sport experienced rapid growth at the club level. Twenty-eight Kansas high schools piloted programs last year, averaging 24 athletes per roster. 

The first sanctioned season will feature six to 10 regular-season games before culminating with a state tournament. 

With new teams comes a growing demand for qualified officials. 

"It's an exciting time for Kansas girls adding Flag Football as an activity in our state," said Scott Goodheart, KSHSAA Director of Officials. "With this, it's also an exciting time to add Flag Football officials throughout the state. With the new implementation of sports, we need to have some on-field learning opportunities." 

Goodheart said KSHSAA is encouraging prospective officials to get involved now, whether they have previous officiating experience or are looking to step onto the field for the first time. 

For Renk, officiating has always been about far more than enforcing rules. 

"One of the best things about officiating is the relationships that you build with your fellow officials and the coaches that you work with," he said. "Being a part of seeing athletes grow is also something, as an official that has been doing it a long time, is a neat aspect of the position." 

As Kansas prepares to crown its first girls flag football state champions this fall, the success of the newest sanctioned sport won't depend solely on the athletes making plays or the coaches drawing up game plans. 

It will also depend on enough people answering the whistle. 

KSHSAA will offer in-person Rules Meetings and Football Clinics for new officials on Aug. 8 at Maize South High School and Aug. 15 at Olathe West High School, both beginning at 8 a.m.  

Individuals can also begin the registration process to become a KSHSAA official by clicking this link.