Is anyone familiar with the "rules" associated with being both the AD and head coach of a sport at a school? I have heard a person can do both for two seasons, but then I heard one, and I am not entirely sure if there are even guidelines for such a thing.
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I'm not seeing anything here that forbids it.
and nonathletic, shall be certified teachers regularly employed by the school board and
responsible to the school principal. They shall have not less than three regular periods of
classes or study hall duty per day.
Note: Interscholastic competition for girls and boys should be coached or directly
supervised by a woman or man, respectively, who is responsible to the school principal.
If a man coaches girls on a mixed team or coaches a girls team, it is strongly
recommended that a female supervisor be present at all games and practices. If
a woman coaches boys on a mixed team or coaches a boys team, it is strongly
recommended that a male supervisor be present at all games and practices.
27-2-2 Exceptions:
(1) Students in training at institutions of higher learning.
(2) Principals, assistant principals or other members of the school division's instructional
or administrative staff with duties comparable to those of teachers carrying three regular
periods of classes.
(3) Retired Virginia teachers or administrators as approved by the division superintendent.
(4) Persons approved by the Executive Director upon written certification from the
principal and division superintendent. Approval shall be contingent upon written notification
from the school principal that the non-faculty coach will be apprised of all VHSL eligibility
requirements for participants and any League policies pertaining to his/her sport prior to assuming
duties.
VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HANDBOOK
-39-
RULES AND REGULATIONS
(5) Instructional or administrative aides employed full-time within the same school division.
27-2-3 Interpretations:
(1) This rule bars special coaches or sponsors of an activity who are not employed
to serve in any other capacity or who are employed during the season in the activity only,
unless they are exempted under 27-2-2 (4) of this rule. It is not intended to bar assistants
for whose services no recompense is given, either directly or indirectly, from any source,
provided that such services are rendered only at practice sessions under the supervision of
a regular faculty member.
(2) Duties after school hours, such as athletic coaching, shall not be counted as one or
more of the three regular periods of classes or study hall duty required per day.
27-2-4 State Clinic Attendance Requirement-Any school sponsoring an interscholastic
activity in any of the following sports or academic areas shall require at least one member of
that activity's coaching staff to attend a VHSL sponsored rules clinic for that activity in each
year that one is offered: Baseball, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Cheer, Field Hockey,
Football, Girls Gymnastics, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Softball,
Boys Swim and Dive, Girls Swim and Dive, Boys Track, Girls Track, Boys Volleyball, Girls
Volleyball, Wrestling, Theatre, Forensics, Debate and Scholastic Bowl. Failure to attend will
result in a penalty as stated in 30-5-1.
27-2-5 Coaches Education Requirement-A VHSL-approved course in principles of
coaching and sport first aid is required of all first time athletic coaches at a VHSL member
school and those athletic coaches who are exempted through the VHSL Coaches Rule
27-2-2 (4). Coaches have three years in which to meet this requirement. Prior to the first
practice for all coaches of VHSL fall, winter and spring sports teams, these individuals must
take a recognized course providing both education and prevention regarding concussion as
it relates to high school activities.
Note: Examples of such courses include but are not limited to: "Concussion in
Sports. What You Need to Know" produced by the NFHS, ACTive Concussion Management
Course, "Athletic Concussion Training for Coaches" produced by the Oregon Center
for Applied Sciences and "Heads Up, Concussion in Youth Sports" produced by Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
27-2-6 State and Local Knowledge Requirement-All coaches are required to complete
a VHSL Component which familiarizes the coach with rules and regulations found in the VHSL
Handbook as well as those found at the local level. Coaches have three years in which to
meet this requirement.
27-2-7 Penalty-A school shall be fined $50 for each coach per sport who does not
complete this requirement in the prescribed time.
Thats alot to read, LOL.... basically what i have understood is, schools do not like for you to be both anymore, you most likely have to pick one or the other. You could be a middle school AD and be a high school coach, that is more commonly accepted. But not common place anymore to be both.
I did it again. I need to be more specific. It is at a college, not high school.
I don't think it's probably very common, but I'm gonna guess that there's likely no rule against being an AD and a coach at the college level
The main issue with a college coach also being the AD, is that of being your own boss. The AD has the ability to guide more resources toward his own team, at the expense of other teams, and polices himself and the team according to how he sees fit. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
If it's a small private school or juco, with a small department and only a few sports, it may be the only way to have a program and make budget. But if a DI head coach, particularly football, is the AD, then you can see where the problems might start. I think there are probably quite a few D3 football coaches who are also the AD.
