Colorado high school basketball getting shot clock starting in 2026

A shot clock is officially coming to Colorado high school basketball.

The proposal for a 35-second shot clock passed by a 40-30 vote (five abstained) at CHSAA's Legislative Council session on Tuesday.

The rule will go into effect for all boys and girls varsity games starting in the 2026-27 season.

"It's long overdue," 20-year Fossil Ridge boys coach Matt Johannsen said. "I'm excited to see it in action."

"It's great for girls and boys basketball and will create a much more exciting product," added longtime Colorado coach Bruce Dick.

The vote for a shot clock had originally failed at a January meeting, but this proposal was tweaked to be varsity-only, garnering more support.

Coaches throughout the state have largely supported a shot clock measure for years, but costs and manpower concerns often made it less palatable on the administrative side, especially for smaller schools.

The proposal indicated that, "Depending upon current electrical structure of each gym, (costs) could range from $3,000-$10,000" per school.

However, the pros include no more "stall ball" (as coaches call it), a better pace of play and player development for the next level, according to coaches.

The shot clock will also "reward good defense" and force teams with a small lead to "execute late in games."

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, Colorado is now the 28th state to utilize a shot clock for high school hoops.

It wasn't the only change approved for high school basketball.

Classes 5A and 6A will expand to 40-team playoff brackets, up from the 32-team format used the past two seasons since Class 6A was created before the 2022-23 season.

Also approved: Class 2A and 3A district tournaments will be eliminated, and a seeded regional format will be used instead. Class 4A will also extend its season by a week, also moving to the seeded regional structure.

CHSAA sanctions girls flag football

Girls flag football, welcome to Colorado high school sports.

The sport was officially sanctioned Tuesday by the Legislative Council by a vote of 57-9 (five voters abstained).

It will begin in August for the fall 2024 season, with two classifications. It will be CHSAA's 27th sanctioned sport and Colorado is the 11th state to sanction the sport.

Play will be during the fall sports calendar, starting in late August and running through at least October.

Girls flag football saw major growth in two years as a pilot program in Colorado, reaching nearly 1,300 participants from over 50 schools last fall.

The field size for the CHSAA-sanctioned sport will differ from the pilot — 80-by-40-yards instead of 60-by-30 — although select jamboree events and sub-varsity games may still use smaller fields.

The Denver Broncos primarily funded the pilot program via Denver Broncos Charities and will continue to be invested in the sport.

The team released a statement saying the Broncos will "continue to support girls flag football through strategic grantmaking, seasonal programming, coaching clinics, athlete and coach recognition, and youth health and wellness initiatives.”

Flag football is on the rise beyond Colorado, too. It's become a scholarship sport at several colleges and will be part of the Olympics, starting at the 2028 Los Angeles Games with 5-on-5 action.

CHSAA's format will be 7-on-7, as it was for the pilot program.

According to Poudre School District officials, PSD will wait one year before sponsoring a team but tentatively plans to have a district squad begin play in fall 2025.

PSD athletic director Brandon Carclucci cited factors like the quick turnaround from approval until this August, approval from the PSD board and administrative details to iron out as reasons for the one-year wait.

There are still some statewide details to iron out as well. A CHSAA girls flag football committee is expected to be created this week, and postseason formats still need to be determined, along with championship host sites.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado high school basketball getting shot clock for varsity games