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 Thursday, August 6, 2026 1:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Unified Flag Football Thursday, August 6, 2026 1:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Soccer Tuesday, August 11, 2026 6:00 PM Smyrna High School
Volleyball Wednesday, August 12, 2026 6:00 PM Dover High School
Cross Country Thursday, August 13, 2026 6:00 PM Caesar Rodney High School
Field Hockey Tuesday, August 18, 2026 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center

The Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on August 19, 2026 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 – Monday, September 14, 2026

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 Wednesday, October 14, 2026 6:00 PM Smyrna High School
Swimming & Diving Thursday, October 15, 2026 6:00 PM John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Basketball Monday October 19, 2026 6:00 PM Caesar Rodney High School
Unified Basketball Monday, October 19, 2026 6:00 PM Caesar Rodney High School

A Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on October 26th 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 4, 2026

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 TBA   Caesar Rodney High School
Girls Soccer TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Girls Lacrosse TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Boys Lacrosse TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Baseball TBA   Smyrna High School
Track & Field TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Unified Track & Field TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center
Boys Volleyball TBA   Video Conference
Golf TBA   John W. Collette Education Resource Center 
Tennis TBA   DuPont Country Club 

 

A Virtual Make-Up Rules Clinic will be available on Monday, February 1, 2027 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 26, 2027

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

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.

RankOne User Guide
We’ve put together a user guide with step-by-step instructions covering a variety of common tasks and topics. I hope you find it helpful as you begin working in the system. https://online.flippingbook.com/view/834571772/

Additional Tutorials
RankOne Tutorial Videos are also available in your RankOne Account. You can access additional training materials by clicking “Tutorials” in the upper-right corner of your dashboard.

Instruction Documents – Editable to customize for your parents and coaches

Recordings of RankOne Webinars:

Coach compliance requirements in RankOne roll over annually on June 1. Beginning June 1, coaches may upload certifications and complete all required compliance forms for the upcoming school year.

Certification Requirements

  • CPR, First Aid, and Concussion certifications are valid for two (2) years.
  • Coaches do not need to upload these certifications annually unless they have expired.
  • RankOne automatically tracks certification expiration dates based on the completion date entered and calculates the two-year validity period. This is what ADs should check when they review a certification and make sure the date of certification is accurately noted.

Annual Requirements
The following items must be completed each year:

  • Rules Clinic – Required for Head Coaches only
  • Out-of-Season Acknowledgement – Required for all coaches

Assistant Coaches

  • Assistant coaches are exempt from the Rules Clinic requirement.
  • RankOne will automatically reflect this exemption and will not list the Rules Clinic as a required item for assistant coaches.

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.

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.

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, all DIAA Transfer Forms must be submitted through RankOne. Parents should create a RankOne account, claim their student, and complete the DIAA Eligibility Form. If the student is a transfer student, select “Yes” when prompted, and the required transfer form will automatically open for completion and submission to the school.

Returning students and incoming 9th graders who are not transfer students should select “No.” The form will then be marked complete.

A student and their family shall initiate this transfer form in the RankOne Parent Portal after the student has been officially enrolled in the new school and is no longer enrolled at the previous school.

The receiving school administration shall forward the completed form to the sending school for signature without undue delay. After submission to DIAA by the receiving school, please allow 7-10 days for review and confirmation of eligibility. Parents will be able to view eligibility status in their Rank One account.

No transfer student is eligible to compete in any athletic competition until an eligibility ruling has been sent from the DIAA office.

 

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

Post Views: 21,732
xxx
Post Views: 21,732