By Andy Walter

DOVER — Dr. Bradley Layfield has dealt with more than a few issues in Delaware athletics over the past decade.

Even before the COVID pandemic, the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association went through a handful of executive directors in a relatively short amount of time.

Layfield would like to think he and the DIAA board’s other members kept providing the state’s student-athletes a chance to compete safely and fairly.

“It’s been fun,” said Layfield. “I’ve learned an awful lot, I think. In working through the sunset process, with the governor’s office through the pandemic and all of that, it’s given me an opportunity to learn a lot more about the political process.”

On Thursday, Layfield led his final DIAA board meeting as the group’s chairman. The 42-year-old Sussex Central High principal is stepping down to concentrate on his bid for the new 4th Representative District.

He’s been a board member since 2013 and the chairman since ’16.
Doug Thompson, the vice chairman, will act as the DIAA board’s chairman until a vote can be taken on a full-term replacement. Thompson is a public member of the board from New Castle Country.

Layfield’s place on the board will also have to be filled by a public school administrator from Sussex County. Layfield said there’s a nominee for the position that is waiting approval from the governor’s office.

If nothing else, Layfield thinks he’s learned how to juggle a number of jobs at one time.

“I’ve been tested by my time in DIAA,” he said. “As a principal, I’m still going to be involved in our athletics. If possible, when they have their monthly meetings, I’ll probably still listen in.

“Part me will miss some of the day to day.”

Middletown not discussed yet

The DIAA decided before Thursday’s meeting that it wasn’t ready to discuss the Middletown High football situation yet.

The Class 3A state champion Cavaliers forfeited six regular-season games after self-reporting that they had used an ineligible player in those games.

The DIAA plans to now review the matter at its next board meeting. Layfield said there were still a number of questions to be answered before having the discussion.

“To be fair to Middletown, we wanted to give them time to prepare,” he said.

Now in his position as a former DIAA board member, Layfield said he didn’t foresee any extreme penalties being handed out to Middletown. It’s not out of the question that the Cavs could have to vacate their state crown, though.

“If I was still on the board, I would say, ‘Give us a plan on how you can prevent this from happening again,’ and leave it at that,” said Layfield.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at walter@iniusa.org.
Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.