14 Del. Admin. Code § 1024-8.0 - School and Team Competition
8.1 Sponsoring Interscholastic Teams: Interscholastic competition is defined as any athletic contest between students representing two or more schools. Members of school clubs who participate in non-competitive, recreational activities or compete unattached are not considered to be engaged in interscholastic competition. Students are considered to be engaged in interscholastic competition representing a school if the school does any of the following:
8.1.1 Partially or wholly subsidizes the activity (providing equipment, uniforms, transportation, entry fees, etc.).
8.1.2 Controls and administers the funds, regardless of their source, needed to conduct the activity.
8.1.3 Permits students to compete under the name of the school.
8.1.4 Publicizes or promotes the activity through announcements, bulletins, or school sponsored publications in excess of what is customarily done for "outside" organizations.
8.1.5 Presents or displays individual or team awards.
8.2 Schools may sponsor teams for interscholastic competition in a sport provided the following criteria are met:
8.2.1 The governing body of the participating district or nonpublic school approves participation in the sport. The Administrative Head shall notify the Executive Director in writing of the school's intent to sponsor a team in a new sport.
8.2.2 The governing body of the participating district or nonpublic school controls the funds needed to support the proposed team, regardless of their source, in the same manner as existing teams (coaches' salaries, purchase and repair of equipment, medical supervision, transportation, preparation and maintenance of practice and game facilities, awards, etc.). Requests from outside sources to make financial contributions or to donate equipment or services must be submitted in writing and must include an acknowledgment that the equipment becomes the property of the school. The contribution or donation must be approved in writing by the Administrative Head.
8.2.3 The participating schools agree to comply with all applicable DIAA rules and regulations.
8.3 Levels of Participation - High School
8.3.1 Level 1 or developmental sport, less than 12 participating schools at the varsity level. DIAA rules and regulations shall not be in effect.
8.3.2 Level 2 or recognized sport, 12 or more participating schools at the varsity level.
8.3.2.1 Participating schools must petition the Board for official recognition of the sport. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, if 10 or more participating schools offer a Unified sport at the varsity level, the schools may petition the Board for official recognition of that Unified sport.
8.3.2.2 At the time of official recognition, DIAA shall provide rules publications to the participating schools, designate an approved officials' association, conduct an annual or biannual rules clinic for coaches and officials, establish a maximum game schedule, and form a committee to promote the continued development of the sport and prepare for a future state championship. All DIAA rules and regulations shall then be in effect.
8.3.3 Level 3 or championship sport 16 or more participating schools at the varsity level. Upon petition by the sport committee and adoption of a tournament proposal, DIAA shall establish a state championship. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, DIAA may establish a state championship for Unified Sports that have a minimum of 12 participating schools at the varsity level.
8.3.4 Withdrawal of level 2 or level 3 status. If, for two consecutive years, less than the required number of schools participate in a sport, DIAA may withdraw official recognition or suspend the state tournament/meet for a period of time as determined by the Board.
8.4 Levels of Participation - Middle School
8.4.1 Level 1 or developmental sport, less than seven participating schools. DIAA rules and regulations shall not be in effect.
8.4.2 Level 2 or recognized sport, seven or more participating schools.
8.4.2.1 Participating schools must petition the Board for official recognition of the sport.
8.4.2.2 At the time of official recognition, DIAA shall provide rules publications to the participating schools, designate an approved official's association, conduct an annual or biannual rules clinic for coaches and officials, and establish a maximum game schedule. DIAA rules and regulations shall then be in effect.
8.4.3 Withdrawal of level 2 status: If, for two consecutive years, less than the required number of schools participate in a sport, DIAA may withdraw official recognition for a period of time as determined by the Board.
8.5 Membership on Coed Teams
8.5.1 If a school sponsors a boys' team and a girls' team in a particular sport, boys shall participate on the boys' team and girls shall participate on the girls' team even if the teams compete during different seasons. Sports are considered to be the same when one set of NFHS Rules govern both genders. If a school sponsors only a boys' team in a particular sport, girls shall be permitted to participate on the boys' team but if a school sponsors only a girls' team in a particular sport, boys shall not be permitted to participate on the girls' team. Notwithstanding the restrictions herein, a transgender student, defined as a student whose gender identity differs from the student's assigned sex at birth, may be eligible to participate on a team other than their assigned sex at birth in accordance with a Member School policy that meets the minimum standards designated by the Board.
8.5.2 Coed teams at the high school level shall participate only in the boys' state championship tournament or meet.
8.5.3 Subsections 8.5.1 and 8.5.2 do not apply to Unified Sports teams, which are coed by design.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
8.1 Sponsoring Interscholastic Teams: Interscholastic competition is defined as any athletic contest between students representing two or more schools. Members of school clubs who participate in non-competitive, recreational activities or compete unattached are not considered to be engaged in interscholastic competition. Students are considered to be engaged in interscholastic competition representing a school if the school does any of the following:
8.1.1 Partially or wholly subsidizes the activity (providing equipment, uniforms, transportation, entry fees, etc.).
8.1.2 Controls and administers the funds, regardless of their source, needed to conduct the activity.
8.1.3 Permits students to compete under the name of the school.
8.1.4 Publicizes or promotes the activity through announcements, bulletins, or school sponsored publications in excess of what is customarily done for "outside" organizations.
8.1.5 Presents or displays individual or team awards.
8.2 Schools may sponsor teams for interscholastic competition in a sport provided the following criteria are met:
8.2.1 The governing body of the participating district or nonpublic school approves participation in the sport. The Administrative Head shall notify the Executive Director in writing of the school's intent to sponsor a team in a new sport.
8.2.2 The governing body of the participating district or nonpublic school controls the funds needed to support the proposed team, regardless of their source, in the same manner as existing teams (coaches' salaries, purchase and repair of equipment, medical supervision , transportation, preparation and maintenance of practice and game facilities, awards, etc.). Requests from outside sources to make financial contributions or to donate equipment or services must be submitted in writing and must include an acknowledgment that the equipment becomes the property of the school. The contribution or donation must be approved in writing by the Administrative Head.
8.2.3 The participating schools agree to comply with all applicable DIAA rules and regulations.
8.3 Levels of Participation - High School
8.3.1 Level 1 or developmental sport, less than 12 participating schools at the varsity level. DIAA rules and regulations shall not be in effect.
8.3.2 Level 2 or recognized sport, 12 or more participating schools at the varsity level.
8.3.2.1 Participating schools must petition the Board for official recognition of the sport. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, if 10 or more participating schools offer a Unified sport at the varsity level, the schools may petition the Board for official recognition of that Unified sport.
8.3.2.2 At the time of official recognition, DIAA shall provide rules publications to the participating schools, designate an approved officials' association, conduct an annual or biannual rules clinic for coaches and officials, establish a maximum game schedule, and form a committee to promote the continued development of the sport and prepare for a future state championship. All DIAA rules and regulations shall then be in effect.
8.3.3 Level 3 or championship sport 16 or more participating schools at the varsity level. Upon petition by the sport committee and adoption of a tournament proposal, DIAA shall establish a state championship. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, DIAA may establish a state championship for Unified Sports that have a minimum of 12 participating schools at the varsity level.
8.3.4 Withdrawal of level 2 or level 3 status. If, for two consecutive years, less than the required number of schools participate in a sport, DIAA may withdraw official recognition or suspend the state tournament/meet for a period of time as determined by the Board .
8.4 Levels of Participation - Middle School
8.4.1 Level 1 or developmental sport, less than seven participating schools. DIAA rules and regulations shall not be in effect.
8.4.2 Level 2 or recognized sport, seven or more participating schools.
8.4.2.1 Participating schools must petition the Board for official recognition of the sport.
8.4.2.2 At the time of official recognition, DIAA shall provide rules publications to the participating schools, designate an approved official's association, conduct an annual or biannual rules clinic for coaches and officials, and establish a maximum game schedule. DIAA rules and regulations shall then be in effect.
8.4.3 Withdrawal of level 2 status: If, for two consecutive years, less than the required number of schools participate in a sport, DIAA may withdraw official recognition for a period of time as determined by the Board .
8.5 Membership on Coed Teams
8.5.1 If a school sponsors a boys' team and a girls' team in a particular sport, boys shall participate on the boys' team and girls shall participate on the girls' team even if the teams compete during different seasons. Sports are considered to be the same when one set of NFHS Rules govern both genders. If a school sponsors only a boys' team in a particular sport, girls shall be permitted to participate on the boys' team but if a school sponsors only a girls' team in a particular sport, boys shall not be permitted to participate on the girls' team. Notwithstanding the restrictions herein, a transgender student, defined as a student whose gender identity differs from the student's assigned sex at birth, may be eligible to participate on a team other than their assigned sex at birth in accordance with a Member School policy that meets the minimum standards designated by the Board .
8.5.2 Coed teams at the high school level shall participate only in the boys' state championship tournament or meet.
8.5.3 Subsections 8.5.1 and 8.5.2 do not apply to Unified Sports teams, which are coed by design.