DIAA executive director hosts talk at Cape High

Cape High hosted Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association Executive Director David Baylor for a talk Dec. 4, about new name, image and likeness rules; amateur status; and transfer rules for high school athletes. 

Also present were DIAA Compliance Coordinator Joe Papili and Cape High staff members, along with about 20 attendees.

Baylor discussed Senate Bill 281, which governs the waiver process and ineligibility period for students in grades 9 through 12 who transfer to DIAA schools and who intend to participate in interscholastic sports.

The new law, created by a DIAA task force, was signed into law in early August this year. It aims to make the waiver process more equitable for students and also to reduce the number of students transferring schools solely for athletic reasons. 

Any questions that students or families may have regarding transfers should be brought directly to the student’s school athletic director, not to the DIAA, Baylor said.

NIL rules at the high school level were also discussed. 

According to Regulation 1030.3.4, which the DIAA approved in a 10-0 vote and was published as final this fall, Delaware student-athletes may earn compensation for the use of their name, image and likeness, provided that the following three conditions are met:

• The compensation is not contingent on specific athletic performance or achievements

• The compensation is not offered as an incentive to enroll or remain at a particular school

• The compensation is not provided by the school or any individuals acting on behalf of the school (e.g., athletic directors, coaches, teachers, boosters).

The law prohibits schools from getting involved in student-athlete NIL deals. It also bars students from using their school’s name, mascot, colors, logos or any other school-related likeness in NIL deals and from using school facilities for NIL deal promotions.

Baylor and Papili ended by answering questions and speaking about the importance of student-athletes’ personal brands and the ways they present themselves on social media, and how that can affect their chances of being recruited to play sports in college.