Sussex school officials named to new DIAA board

Sussex County school administrators are among a group appointed to lead a newly reorganized Delaware high school sports governing body, which has been given power to set its own rules and more efficiently respond to the needs of student-athletes.

Cape Henlopen High School Principal Kristin DeGregory and Delmar High School Athletic Director Chad Jones were named to the 17-member Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association board of directors that oversees sports at 61 high schools and 55 middle schools that in total have 1,102 teams with nearly 30,000 participants. Other Sussex County members on the board are Kathleen Kenney, an athletic trainer at Laurel High School, and Trisha Stiles, a counselor at Woodbridge High School.

“The newly appointed board reflects a diverse and experienced group committed to advancing interscholastic athletics and supporting student-athletes throughout Delaware,” according to a news release issued Dec. 17 by the governor’s office.

“The board will focus on key initiatives including program development, student-athlete leadership, sportsmanship, competition and enhancing the overall experience of interscholastic athletics for students, schools and the community,” the release said.

The membership includes school officials, experts on sports medicine, a mental or behavioral health specialist, an athletic trainer and three public members. Its two non-voting members are the director of athletics or its representatives from the University of Delaware and Delaware State University.

Jones noted Dec. 18 that the new board begins its work at a time of significant change in both the organization and the rules that govern high school sports in the state.

Just this year, state laws were passed allowing high school athletes to be paid for use of their name, image or likeness, and a transfer rule created a waiver process so student-athletes can avoid having to temporarily sit out of participating in sports after switching schools.

“There are so many issues,” Jones said. “It’s trying to evolve and stay ahead of things.”

The waiver process was initiated at the start of the school year without any problems, said DeGregory, who has been an educator for 27 years, the last four as principal at Cape Henlopen High School.

“We’ve transitioned to the new system very well,” she said. “We’re happy there is the new process and it has gone smoothly for us and our athletic director, Kevin Smith.”

Jones, who has worked as a teacher and coach in Delmar for 28 years and athletic director for the past four, said before new rules were enacted, the process of receiving a transfer waiver could be lengthy and complicated. The new rules should expedite the process, he said.

DeGregory and Jones both said the decrease in the number of board members and increase in the staff for the DIAA should improve operations. Jones said there were times when a lack of a quorum delayed decisions by the board.

The leaders of the House and Senate each appoint a member to the DIAA board, although they have not yet done so. The others are chosen by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Seven of the 15 members had not been announced or finalized as of Dec. 26.

After receiving recommendations from a task force, the state enacted legislation to restructure DIAA, giving it more autonomy but keeping it within the jurisdiction of the state Department of Education. There had been calls to make the association an independent body.

The executive director was given authority to make final decisions on school transfer requests, subject to an appeal of a three-member panel comprising board members. This eliminates duplicative steps in allowing a student to play sports.

The executive director must issue a decision within 15 days of a request, and a student may appeal that decision to an appeal panel within 15 days of receiving it. The appeal must be decided within 30 days of receiving it. The panel cannot hold a hearing or question the student seeking an appeal. It must base its decision solely on documents the executive director had used to make a decision.

Three pieces of legislation were enacted this year to restructure the DIAA.

Gov. John Carney signed legislation Aug. 2, to change the executive director from an education associate-level position in the Department of Education to a director-level position in the department.

The same day, the association was given authority to create its own regulations. Previously, changes had to originate from the Department of Education secretary, and the state board of education approved them.  

The board of directors composition was updated and modernized through legislation signed by the governor Sept. 30.

The reconstituted board met for the first time Dec. 16, and its first meeting with an agenda is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, in Dover, DeGregory said.

“I was excited by the initial conversations we had, though brief,” she said. “It seems like a great group to support the student-athletes of Delaware.”