Athletic Directors and Coaches

Rules Clinics for Coaches

All DIAA Sports Rule Clinics are offered through the NFHSLearn platform. Coaches can also access the link through their Dragonfly account. These IN-PERSON rules clinics are mandatory for all head coaches and officials. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certification.

Rules Clinic Sport  Date Time Location
Football Saturday, August 2, 2025 8:00 AM Odessa High School
Unified Flag Football Saturday, August 2, 2025 8:00 AM Odessa High School
Soccer Tuesday, August 5, 2025 5:30 PM Smyrna High School
Volleyball Wednesday, August 6, 2025 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Field Hockey Tuesday, August 12, 2025 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Cross Country Wednesday, August 13, 2025 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center

 

The Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on August 11, 2025 through NFHS Learn. Participation in DIAA rules clinics is mandatory for all head coaches. Attendance at the in-person clinic is expected, with the virtual make-up option reserved only for serious scheduling conflicts.

DEADLINE – Fall Rules Clinics Completion Deadline – September 14, 2025

All DIAA Sports Rule Clinics are offered through the NFHSLearn platform. Coaches can also access the link through their Dragonfly account. These IN-PERSON rules clinics are mandatory for all head coaches and officials. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certification.

Rules Clinic Sport  Date Time Location
Wrestling Thursday, October 16, 2025 6:00 PM Smyrna High School
Basketball Monday, October 20, 2025 6:00 PM Smyrna High School
Unified Basketball Monday, October 20, 2025 6:00 PM Smyrna High School
Swimming & Diving Tuesday, October 21, 2025 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center

 

A Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on October 27th through The NFHS Learn. Participation in DIAA rules clinics is mandatory for all head coaches. Attendance at the in-person clinic is expected, with the virtual make-up option reserved only for serious scheduling conflicts.

DEADLINE – Winter Rules Clinics Completion Deadline – Friday, December 5, 2025

All DIAA Sports Rule Clinics are offered through the NFHSLearn platform. Coaches can also access the link through their Dragonfly account. These IN-PERSON rules clinics are mandatory for all head coaches and officials. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certification.

Rules Clinic Sport  Date Time Location
Softball Wednesday, January 21, 2026 6:00 PM Caesar Rodney High School
Girls Soccer Thursday, January 22, 2026 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Girls Lacrosse Monday, January 26, 2026 postponed John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Boys Lacrosse Tuesday, January 27, 2026 postponed John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Baseball Tuesday, January 27, 2026 postponed Smyrna High School
Track & Field Wednesday, January 28, 2026 postponed John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Unified Track & Field Wednesday, January 28, 2026 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Boys Volleyball Thursday, January 29, 2026 7:00 PM Video Conference
Golf Thursday, January 29, 2026 6:00 PM  John W. Collette Education Resource Center 
Tennis Friday, February 6, 2026 4:30 PM  DuPont Country Club 

Schedule for the tennis clinic:

  • 4:30 pm registration
  • 5:00pm rules clinic, followed by an on-court demonstration.

All tennis coaches must register for the rules clinic at Dupont Country Club. Coaches can register HERE.

 

A Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on Monday, February 2, 2026 through The NFHS Learn. Participation in DIAA rules clinics is mandatory for all head coaches. Attendance at the in-person clinic is expected, with the virtual make-up option reserved only for serious scheduling conflicts.

DEADLINE – Spring Sports Rules Clinics Completion Deadline – Friday, March 27, 2026

Competition Dates and Schedules

Dead Periods

On July 11, 2025, updates to DIAA Regulation 1040 – Out-of-Season and Summer Athletic Activities and Contact were officially finalized. These updates include several changes, most notably the addition of a pre-season dead period, which was not part of the previous regulation and may impact summer playoff participation for sports such as basketball and volleyball.

We strongly encourage all athletic directors to review the full regulation to understand the complete scope of revisions. Regulation 1040 Final Changes – July 2025

1040 FAQs

  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is July 28 – August 4.
  • IN-SEASON FALL DEAD PERIOD – For football schools (any school that has a football team, even if you are choosing NOT to start on August 4). The dead period is from August 4 to September 1 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • If your school does not have football, your dead period for Winter and Spring Sports is from August 11 to September 8.
  • WINTER PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is November 3 – November 10.
  • IN-SEASON WINTER DEAD PERIOD – For all schools – dead period for Fall and Spring Sports is November 10 to December 8.
  • SPRING PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is February 23 – March 2.
  • IN-SEASON SPRING DEAD PERIOD – For all schools – Fall and Winter Sports dead period is March 2 to March 30.

 

  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For football schools – dead period for ALL SPORTS is August 6 – August 13.
  • FALL IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For football schools – The dead period is from August 13 to September 10 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • FALL PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For schools WITHOUT football – dead period for ALL SPORTS is August 10 – August 17.
  • FALL IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – For schools WITHOUT football- The dead period is from August 17 to September 14 for Winter and Spring Sports.
  • WINTER PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is November 2 – November 9.
  • WINTER IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for Fall and Spring Sports is November 9 to December 7.
  • SPRING PRE-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for ALL SPORTS is February 22 – March 1.
  • SPRING IN-SEASON DEAD PERIOD – dead period for Fall and Winter Sports is March 1 to March 29.

 

Emergency Action Plans (EAPs)

RankOne Resources

https://rankone.com/

  • Parents lick on Red Parents Click Here button
  • Coaches & Admins lick on Grey Employee School Login button

Parent & Coaches Instructions are available on the DIAA Website. Please share the link with parents & coaches if they need assistance with creating an account and completing required forms.

It is recommended for parents, coaches, and administrators to download the RankOne Unified App.

Athletic Directors – RankOne Log In

Starting in Fall 2026, four key areas will transition to RankOne to streamline processes and improve compliance across member schools. These include:

  • Eligibility Rosters
  • Transfer Tracking Forms
  • Coaches Compliance
  • Medical Consent Forms & Pre-Participation Exams (PPEs).
    • Schools will have the flexibility to either collect and upload required medical documents directly through RankOne or have administrators verify that all medical requirements have been completed and received through other channels.

At minimum, parents/guardians will be required to create a RankOne account and complete the DIAA Eligibility Form as the first step in the participation process. It is a yes or no question and will prompt transfer students to complete the required paperwork. Schools are strongly encouraged to have families complete all available electronic forms within RankOne, including emergency contact information, so coaches have immediate access when needed.

Schools may continue collecting the medical forms outside of RankOne—via paper or another platform. In these cases, school administrators must manually verify that all DIAA requirements have been met by checking off the appropriate items in the system. Once all requirements are confirmed, the student-athlete will be marked “green,” indicating they are fully eligible for participation under DIAA guidelines.

This athlete management database is designed to simplify workflows, enhance oversight, and ensure a more efficient experience for schools, coaches, and families.

Instruction Documents – Editable to customize for your parents and coaches

Recordings of RankOne Webinars:

Safety Resources

Updated NFHS rules now clarify that decisions regarding lightning and thunder interruptions are a shared responsibility, no longer resting solely with game officials. Rule 4-4-1 has been revised to place authority with “responsible authorities,” emphasizing the role of host site management in coordinating weather-related decisions in alignment with Appendix E guidelines.

The latest NFHS Lightning and Thunder Guidelines (October 2024) reinforce key safety protocols, including:

  • Immediate Suspension & Evacuation: If lightning is seen or thunder is heard, all participants and spectators must evacuate to a designated, fully enclosed safe structure (e.g., building with plumbing/wiring or fully enclosed vehicle).
  • 30-Minute Rule: A 30-minute countdown starts after the last flash of lightning or clap of thunder is observed.
  • Reset Procedure: Any subsequent thunder or lightning after the start of the 30-minute count resets the timer, requiring a new 30-minute delay.
  • Technology Use: While technology like apps or detectors can aid in identifying strikes within a 10-mile radius, human observation of thunder/lightning takes precedence.
  • Safety Responsibilities: Event organizers, coaches, and officials should be trained in safety protocols and proactively monitor local weather conditions

Officials and host site administrators and athletic trainers are expected to work collaboratively, remain weather-aware, and review emergency procedures prior to the start of the contest to ensure a coordinated and safe response.

Resources from the NFHS and Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC)

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a framework in dealing with the administrative, technical and emotional burden surrounding a catastrophic or near catastrophic event (critical events).

NFHS Post Event Toolkit

Tournament Information

Athletic Directors should log in to the AD Portal to review, download and submit important tournament information.

Transfer Law & Transfer Tracking Form

All transfer students must complete a DIAA Transfer Tracking Form if they want to participate in athletics. Please allow up to 10 calendar days for review and approval after submission.

Students should not be included on eligibility rosters until written approval is received from the DIAA office.

Timing for completion: A student and their family, in conjunction with the receiving school, shall initiate this transfer form after the student has been officially enrolled in their school and is no longer enrolled at their previous school. The receiving school administration shall forward this form to the DIAA office upon completion and without undue delay.

Additional Information

Prior to allowing any eighth-grader to participate in your athletic programs at the high school level, your school must submit a letter of request with supporting documentation to the DIAA Board of Directors for approval each year to be compliant with Regulation 1009, 2.4.5.

Athletic Directors must send a formal letter of request, along with supporting documentation, to DIAA Executive Director, David Baylor.

Please note the deadline for requests: Requests must be submitted by May 31 in order to be considered for approval at the June DIAA Board of Directors meeting for the following school year.

Requests submitted after that date will not be considered.

Previously Posted Information

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