This checklist has been designed to assist all athletic directors with important dates, events, and reminders throughout the calendar year. It was created to serve only as a guide for athletic directors throughout the school year. It does not attempt to cover all responsibilities and information from NCHSAA, NIAAA, or NFHS. Athletic Directors are encouraged to refer to handbooks, websites, and emails for pertinent information throughout the school year.

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July

• Inform principals, superintendents, and coaches to register and create an account through DragonFly, if applicable.
• Complete the required course After School Safety before July 31 and import the course certificate into DragonFly
• Make sure Fall schedules are entered in DragonFly – Home Games Only
• Make sure the school and coach’s information is correct in DragonFly
• Make sure all head coaches are indicated in DragonFly
• Make sure administration and coaches are in DragonFly on the public and admin side
• Complete student registration and have all required documents with signatures and dates for the fall semester sports season
• Plan and conduct NCHSAA mandatory parent meeting for Fall sports
• Remind coaches of the NCCA coaching clinic, rules clinic sessions, and the option of virtual rules clinics. Clinic attendance must be completed BEFORE they coach in the first contest.
  • Failure of head coaches to attend the rules clinic will result in a penalty (forfeiture of the game)
• Check on the status of coaches completing the coaches’ education requirements
  • NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching (must be completed before coaching in the first contest),
  • NFHS Concussion Courses (required of all coaches and must be completed before first practice),
  • CPR/AED certification with hands-on for all coaches and Crash Course in Concussion Video
• Conduct pre-season meetings with fall sports’ coaching staff—including volunteers, part-time, and non-faculty— (can be done one time to include all coaches for each sport)
  • Detail specific sports information, expectations, and any new NCHSAA rules
  • View Pre-Season Video – mandatory for coaches, encouraged for students and parents.
  • Emphasize deadlines, review sport-specific sections of the handbook as well as the eligibility section
  • Discuss the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Law and the implementation process for each sports season
  • Parents, students, coaches, etc., must review signs and symptoms of concussion and then sign a form indicating compliance; this must be done before the first practice
  • Review Sportsmanship and penalties for coaches and players
  • Review your school’s Sportsmanship policies
  • Review the penalty section of the NCHSAA handbook
  • Review the coach’s expectations and the NCHSAA Code of Conduct

• Receive and distribute NFHS rule books for fall sports
• Check the NCHSAA website and weekly memo for important information on the upcoming school year
• Attend NC Coaches Association Clinic in Greensboro
• Attend the Athletic Director’s breakfast at Coaches Clinic in Greensboro
• Attend NCHSAA New School/Athletic Director Orientation (If applicable)
  • Note: Required for new schools and recommended for new athletic directors
• Read and get familiar with the new handbook and updated information
• Schedule Fall sports coach’s and parent meetings
• Remind coaches of Fall dead periods
• Review and rehearse EAP

August

• Remind head coaches to complete the NFHS rules clinics for their respective sports,
  • Must be completed before the first playing date
• Check the rules’ clinic attendance list to make sure coaches have completed it before the first playing date
• Remind coaches of the dead period for the month of August
• Reminder:  Fall Eligibility Summary due by September 1st; must include principal verification
• Check eligibility of FALL sports athletes
  • Complete and submit fall sports’ master eligibility sheets before 1st contest
  • Send eligibility sheets to conference presidents and/or share them with conference schools
• If a student does not live in your attendance zone but is playing sports, please indicate on the eligibility sheet how they are eligible (LEA approval, transfer, etc.).

• Monitor heat and humidity factors when helping coaches establish practice schedules
• Update school information on the online platform
• Inform NCHSAA if adding or eliminating sports
• Make plans to attend NCHSAA Regional Meetings in September; check sites and dates on the NCHSAA website.  Make sure your principal is informed of meetings

September

• Submit Fall Eligibility Summary: Due by September 1st (online)
• Inform coaches of the dead period end date
• Attend the NCHSAA regional meeting. Check the NCHSAA website and weekly memo for dates
• Plan and set pre-season coaches meetings and parent meetings for winter sports
• Remind winter sports coaches of the coach’s education requirements
• Remind Fall coaches to make sure online scores are up to date and correct.
• Submit winter sports schedules on DragonFly by September 30th  (Home Games Only)
• Check the NCHSAA website for information on NCHSAA education-based athletic grant
• Check the NCHSAA website and weekly memo for deadline dates for student-athlete scholarship opportunities

October

• Pay NWCA wrestling subscription (allows access to OPC system for weight management)
• Submit the name of the person who will conduct skinfold measurements and hydration testing for wrestling to Janna Fonseca (janna@nchsaa.org)
• Submit agenda items for Winter Board of Directors Meeting: Deadline November 1
• Check on the status of coaches completing the coaches’ education requirements—NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching (must be completed before coaching in the first contest), NFHS Concussion Courses (required of all coaches and must be completed prior to first practice), CPR/AED certification is current for all coaches, and TeachAids Crash Course in Concussion Video
• Remind coaches of the NCHSAA dead period for October – November
• Remind winter sports coaches of NFHS rules clinics
• Check the calendar for entry deadlines for women’s golf, women’s tennis, and cross country
• Remind coaches of reporting deadlines for Volleyball and Football and make sure all information is correct on the online reporting platform
• Early to mid-month, make sure coaches have entered and updated information on the NCHSAA reporting platform for preparation for playoffs (conference president will submit end-of-year standing for teams; qualifiers will come from information provided through MaxPreps)
• Submit to the NCHSAA all appropriate information, e.g., team photo, rosters, etc., for teams qualifying for the playoffs (if applicable)
• Submit financial forms and payments after hosting NCHSAA fall playoff contests (if applicable)
• Check the NCHSAA Foundation website for information on the education-based athletic grants (NCHSAAFoundation.org)
• Check the NCHSAA website and Tuesday memo for deadline dates for student-athlete scholarship opportunities
• Conduct pre-season meetings with winter sports’ coaching staff before the first official practice—including volunteers, part-time, and non-faculty (can be done one time to include all coaches for each sport)
  • Detail specific sports information, expectations, and any new NCHSAA rules
  • View Pre-Season Video – mandatory for coaches, encouraged for students and parents
  • Emphasize deadlines, review sport-specific sections of the NCHSAA handbook as well as the eligibility section
  • Discuss the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Law and the implementation process for each sports season
  • Parents, students, coaches, etc., must review signs and symptoms of concussion and then sign a form indicating compliance; this must be done before the first practice
  • Review Sportsmanship and penalties for coaches and players
  • Review your school’s Sportsmanship policies
  • Review the penalty section of the NCHSAA handbook
  • Review the coach’s expectations and the NCHSAA Code of Conduct
  • Review and rehearse the EAP Plan

November

• Inform coaches of dead period dates
• Submission deadline for  agenda items for the Winter Board of Directors Meeting: November 1
• Check NCHSAA rules clinic attendance by coaches
• Reminder: Winter Eligibility Summary deadline:  December 1st; must include principal verification
• Reminder: NCHSAA Membership Dues Payment deadline: December 1
• Monitor the skin-fold and hydration process for wrestlers
• Check eligibility of Winter sports athletes
  • Complete fall sports eligibility sheets before 1st contest
  • Send eligibility sheets to conference presidents and/or share them with conference schools
  • If a student does not live in your attendance zone but is playing sports, please indicate how they are eligible on the eligibility sheet. (LEA approval, transfer, etc..)

• Complete and submit financial forms and payments after hosting fall sports playoff contests (if applicable)
• Check winter sports schedules for accuracy (if applicable)

December

• December 1st –deadline for NCHSAA membership dues
• Submit Winter Eligibility Summary by December 1st; must include principal verification
• Inform coaches of the upcoming dead period for the last 5 days of 1st Semester

January

• Check winter sports eligibility for the second semester
• Plan and schedule the mandatory parent meeting for spring sports
• Conduct pre-season meetings with fall sports’ coaching staff—including volunteers, part-time, and non-faculty— (can be done one time to include all coaches for each sport)
  • Detail specific sports information, expectations, and any new NCHSAA rules
  • View Pre-Season Video – mandatory for coaches, encouraged for students and parents
  • Emphasize deadlines, review sport-specific sections of the handbook as well as the eligibility section
  • Discuss the Gfeller-Waller Concussion Law and the implementation process for each sports season
  • Parents, students, coaches, etc., must review signs and symptoms of concussion and then sign a form indicating compliance; this must be done prior to the first practice
  • Review Sportsmanship and penalties for coaches and players
  • Review your school’s Sportsmanship policies
  • Review the penalty section of the NCHSAA handbook
  • Review the coach’s expectations and the NCHSAA Code of Conduct

• Inform coaches of the dead period for the last 5 days of the semester
• Inform indoor track and field coaches of the reporting deadline
• Remind coaches of the online rule clinic deadline (if rules clinic sessions were not attended at the NCCA clinic)
• Check to see if wrestling information is up to date in Track Wrestling
• Check the calendar for entry deadlines for swimming & diving, indoor track, and wrestling
• Remind coaches of reporting deadlines for the winter sport of basketball
• Mid-month, make sure coaches have updated the information in preparation for playoffs (conference president will submit end-of-year standing for teams; qualifiers will come from information entered MaxPreps; seeding will be based on records in MaxPreps)
• Submit financial forms and payments after hosting NCHSAA playoff contests (if applicable)
• Submit spring sports schedules in DragonFly by January 15th
• Check gym availability to host regional dual team wrestling tournament (if applicable)
• Make plans to attend the NCADA Conference in Wilmington

February

• Inform coaches of dead period rules during February and March
• Check and remind coaches of reporting deadlines for basketball
• Mid-month, make sure coaches have updated information in preparation for playoffs (conference president will submit end-of-year standing for teams; qualifiers will come from information entered into MaxPreps
• Submit all appropriate information, e.g., team photos, rosters, etc., for teams qualifying for the playoffs. 
• Conduct NCHSAA mandatory parent meeting for spring sports
• Check eligibility of spring sports athletes
  • Use checklists for eligibility, especially with “red flag” situations, such as transfer students
  • Complete spring sports eligibility sheets before 1st contest
  • If a student does not live in your attendance zone but is playing sports, please indicate how they are eligible on the eligibility sheet. (LEA approval, transfer, etc..)

March

• Inform coaches of the dead period end date
• Submit the Eligibility Summary by March 15th; must include principal verification
• Check the NCHSAA website for deadline dates for scholarship opportunities for student-athletes
• Check the NCHSAA website for the deadline date to submit the Toby Webb Coach of the Year award
• Check the NCHSAA website for the deadline date for submitting fall and winter scholar-athlete information
• Submit financial forms and payments after hosting NCHSAA playoff contests (if applicable)
• Attend the NC Athletic Director’s Conference in Wilmington
• Submit nominations for NCHSAA Male and Female Athlete of the Year

April

• Mid-month, make sure coaches have updated information in preparation for playoffs (conference president will submit end-of-year standing for teams; qualifiers will come from information entered MaxPreps; seeding based on records in MaxPreps)
• Check the calendar for entry deadlines for track & field, men’s tennis, and men’s golf
• Check the calendar for reporting deadlines for lacrosse, soccer, softball, and baseball
• Check the schedule for Student Services’ Program opportunities and deadline dates
• Check deadlines and submit all appropriate information, e.g. team photos, team rosters, etc., for teams qualifying for the playoffs for spring sports

May

• Check for the date for the NCHSAA annual convention
• Submit fall sports schedules in DragonFly by May 15th
• Early to mid-month, make sure coaches have updated the information in preparation for playoffs (conference president will submit end-of-year standing for teams; qualifiers will come from information entered into MaxPreps; seeding based on records in MaxPreps)
• Submit financial forms and payments to NCHSAA for playoff games (if applicable)
• Inform coaches of the dead period for the last 10 days of the 2nd semester

June

• Inform coaches of summer dead period dates
• Reconcile payment of all outstanding payments
• Make plans to attend the NCCA coaching clinic in Greensboro
• Inform and Remind coaches of the NCCA coaching clinic in Greensboro