Football Committee

The Football Committee (“Committee”) is a standing committee established by the Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (“DIAA”) pursuant to 14 Del. C. § 304(2). Created at 14 Del. C. ch. 3, DIAA preserves and promotes the educational significance of interscholastic athletics; ensures that interscholastic sports remains compatible with the educational mission of the member schools; provides for fair competition between member schools; promotes sportsmanship and ethical behavior; establishes and enforces standards of conduct for athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, and spectators; protects the physical well-being of athletes; and promotes healthy adolescent lifestyles.

The Committee is charged with:

  • working with the DIAA office staff to perform tasks related to running the state tournament, including:
    • establishing written procedures for determining tournament berths and selecting tournament sites,
    • determining state tournament berths, and
    • inspecting member schools’ venues and determining viability for competition;
  • working with the Officials’ Committee to evaluate an officials’ association during its probationary period; and
  • working with the Officials’ Committee to make a recommendation to the Board at the end of an officials’ association’s probationary period.

The Board’s Chairperson shall appoint an individual to serve as the Committee’s Chairperson who shall serve for an indefinite period of time. However, the Board’s Chairperson, with the advice and consent of DIAA’s Executive Director, may remove the Committee’s Chairperson.

The Committee’s Chairperson, with the advice and consent of DIAA’s Executive Director, shall appoint individuals to serve on the Committee. Committee members shall be geographically representative and may include administrators, athletic directors, coaches, local school board members, officials, and members of the public. Individuals appointed to serve on the Committee shall serve for an indefinite period of time. However, the Committee’s Chairperson, with the advice and consent of DIAA’s Executive Director, may remove individuals from the Committee.

The Committee shall conduct itself in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, the Administrative Procedures Act, and the Department of Education’s rules and regulations.

Approved by the Board of Directors on 09/14/2017.

Committee Members

First Name Last Name Classification Affiliation Title Committee Position County Term Expires
Jeff Baxton First State Military Academy Coach Member SC 2026
Andrew Bero DIAA State Interpreter (Football) Member NC
Matt Carre Blue Hen McKean HS Athletic Director Member NC 2026
Dave Collins Hodgson V-Tech Athletic Director/Coach Member NC 2024
Dean Culver 2A-D1 Delmarva Football Officials Assoc. Official Member KC
Kevin Smith 3A-D2 Cape Henlopen Board of Directors/Athletic Director Secretary SC 2024
Eric Torbert Capital School District Public Member Chair KC 2024
Blair Newman 1A-D2 First State Military Academy Athletic Director Member KC 2024
John Patterson NDFOA Official Member NC 2024
Daniel Ritter 2A-D2 Howard HS Athletic Director and Coach Vice-Chair NC 2025
Jody Russell 2A-D1 Newark HS Coach Member NC 2024
Lamar Gunn Dream Association Official Member KC Pending
Mark Quillen Sussex Tech Athletic Director Member SC 2024
John Wilson DIFCA St. Georges Tech HS Coach/DIFCA Member NC 2025
Vacant
Vacant
Vacant