1.0 Content
In accordance with 14 Del.C. §303(b), this regulation sets forth requirements for certified, emergency, and volunteer coaches at the middle and high school levels. Additional requirements for coaches are set forth in other interscholastic athletic regulations, including 14 DE Admin. Code 1023 Sportsmanship, 14 DE Admin. Code 1035 In-Season Athletic Activities and Contact, and 14 DE Admin. Code 1040 Out-of-Season and Summer Athletic Activities and Contact.
2.0 Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning:
"Board" means the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Directors established pursuant to 14 Del.C. Ch. 3.
"Competition" means a contest between schools in which student athletes compete.
"Department" means the Delaware Department of Education.
"Member School" means a full or associate member school of the DIAA.
"School Day" or "School Days" means actual school attendance days during the regular academic school year including a partial day that students are in attendance at school for instructional purposes as adopted by the district or governing body of the school not to include weekends, holidays, summer school, etc.
"Unified Sports" means a co-ed program that combines an approximately equal number of students with and without autism or intellectual disabilities on a sports team for training and interscholastic competition.
3.0 Certified Coaches
3.1 Only those professional employees certified by the Department and whose salary is paid by the State or local board of education, or in the case of charter and nonpublic schools by a similar governing body, if acceptable as a coach by the governing body, shall coach, assist in coaching, or direct member school teams in any district. The terms of employment shall be for the regular school year and the professional assignment shall be no less than half of the School Day, exclusive of coaching duties.
3.2 All middle school head coaches and high school varsity head coaches (or the junior varsity head coach, if the school does not sponsor a varsity team) shall be required to attend the DIAA rules clinic for their sport or, if applicable, pass an open book rules examination supplied by the DIAA office. A Member School shall be assessed a $50.00 fine and the coach shall be placed on probation if the coach fails to attend the DIAA rules clinic or pass the open book rules examination in the coach's respective sport. Failure to comply for a second consecutive year shall result in the school being assessed a $50.00 fine and the coach being suspended for up to five contests as determined by the Board.
3.3 Certified coaches at all levels of competition shall hold a current certification in adult CPR, AED, and first aid.
3.4 Certified coaches at all levels of competition shall complete the NFHS' "Concussion in Sports" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
3.5 Certified coaches of Unified Sports shall complete the NFHS' "Unified Sports®" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
4.0 Emergency Coaches
4.1 An emergency coach shall be defined as an individual who is either not certified by the Department, or is certified by the Department but is not employed for the regular school year or whose professional assignment is less than half of the School Day. An individual who meets the requirements of a certified coach but whose professional assignment is located in a different school or district than their coaching assignment shall not be considered an emergency coach.
4.2 Emergency coaches at all levels of competition shall hold a current certification in adult CPR, AED, and first aid.
4.3 Emergency coaches at all levels of competition shall complete the NFHS' "Concussion in Sports" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
4.4 Emergency coaches of Unified Sports shall complete the NFHS' "Unified Sports®" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
4.5 Emergency coaches may be employed provided the local governing body adheres to the following procedures:
4.5.1 The employing board of education must attempt to locate an acceptable, certified professional staff member by advertising the coaching vacancy in the district for as many days as are required by the district's collective bargaining agreement.
4.5.2 If an acceptable, certified professional staff member is not available, an individual who is acceptable to the employing board of education may be hired as an emergency coach.
4.5.3 Any individual employed as a coach under the emergency provision must comply with the following regulations:
4.5.3.1 Emergency coaches must be officially appointed by the local board of education. The Superintendent or designee may temporarily appoint an individual if a coaching vacancy arises and the sport season begins during the interim between meetings of the local board of education.
4.5.3.2 The emergency coaches' coaching salary must be paid exclusively by the local board of education.
5.0 Volunteer Coaches
5.1 In addition to the members of the school's regular coaching staff, the local governing body may supplement a school's coaching staff with volunteer coaches. Volunteer coaches are individuals who donate their services to a school, who have been approved by that school's local governing body, and who are supervised by a certified or emergency coach. A current list of approved volunteer coaches shall be on file in the school's administrative office before any coaching duties are assumed.
5.2 Volunteer coaches at all levels of competition shall hold a current certification in adult CPR, AED, and first aid.
5.3 Volunteer coaches at all levels of competition shall complete the NFHS' "Concussion in Sports" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
5.4 Volunteer coaches of Unified Sports shall complete the NFHS' "Unified Sports®" course online through NFHSlearn.com every two years.
6.0 Football Coaches
All football coaches (including certified, emergency, and volunteer coaches) at all levels of competition shall annually complete certified football training.
26 DE Reg. 206 (09/01/22)
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