2025-2026 DIAA Dale Farmer State Champions in Sportsmanship Winners Announced
Dover, DE – August 18, 2026– The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) is proud to recognize eight member schools as recipients of the 2025-26 Dale Farmer State Champions in Sportsmanship Award, honoring their commitment to promoting sportsmanship, ethics and integrity throughout their athletic programs and school communities.
The annual award recognizes schools that demonstrate a comprehensive, school-wide commitment to creating positive athletic environments and reinforcing the values of respect, integrity, character and fair play among student-athletes, coaches, administrators and spectators.
The 2025-26 Dale Farmer award is being awarded to the following schools:
| Brandywine High School (9) |
| Caesar Rodney High School (15) |
| Charter School of Wilmington (12) |
| Concord High School (16) |
| Newark Charter School (9) |
| Sanford School (14) |
| William Penn High School (27) |
| Polytech High School (2) |
*The number listed beside each school denotes the total number of times the school has won the award.
“Sportsmanship is at the heart of what interscholastic athletics should represent,” said DIAA Executive Director David Baylor. “Our mission of ‘Education through Athletics’ extends well beyond competition. It is about developing character, respect and leadership in our student-athletes. The Dale Farmer Award recognizes schools that have made those values an important part of their athletic programs and school communities. We are proud to celebrate this year’s recipients for their continued commitment to sportsmanship.”
Throughout the award’s 28-year history, 38 different DIAA member schools have earned the honor at least once.
To be considered for the award, schools submit a comprehensive portfolio highlighting their sportsmanship initiatives and efforts throughout the school year. The DIAA Sportsmanship Committee evaluates each submission against established award criteria, with an emphasis on programs and practices that demonstrate a sustained commitment to sportsmanship, ethics and integrity.
“Good sportsmanship helps create an environment where students can compete, grow and learn valuable lessons that extend far beyond athletics,” said Dr. James Connor, DIAA Sportsmanship Committee Chair. “This year’s recipients showed that sportsmanship is not simply something promoted on game day—it is something intentionally taught, reinforced and modeled throughout the school community. Congratulations to each of our deserving recipients.”
The Dale Farmer State Champions in Sportsmanship Award is named in recognition and memory of Dale Farmer, the first executive director of the Delaware Secondary School Athletic Association (DSSAA) and the 2016 recipient of the DIAA Lifetime Achievement Award.