Coach & Athletic Director

Pitchers will now join catchers as the only players in high school softball permitted to receive one-way electronic communication from the dugout beginning with the 2027 season. Pitchers will now join catchers as the only players in high school softball permitted to receive one-way electronic communication from the dugout.

Branden Lippy, athletic director at Lampeter-Strasburg High School in Pennsylvania, has worked in athletics administration at the college and high school levels and emphasizes the importance of education-based athletics. (Photo courtesy of Lampeter-Strasburg High School) Branden Lippy spent her whole life around sports, and growing up with teachers as parents — and a dad who was a longtime high school football coach — she saw what her life could look like and never wavered.

Effective communication helps athletic directors deliver clear and effective messages to diverse audiences, improve clarity and strengthen engagement. During a session dealing with effective communication at a professional conference, an older gentleman in the audience was overheard commenting to his friend: “I don’t know what I am doing in this presentation. After all, I’ve been talking since around the age of 2 or 3.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has approved a 90-second possession clock for high school girls lacrosse beginning with the 2027 season, one of 10 changes approved by the NFHS Girls Lacrosse Rules committee at its June meeting in Indianapolis. The NFHS approved the use of a 90-second possession clock for high school girls lacrosse starting with the 2027 season.

The percentage of women head coaches in NCAA Division I sports has decreased by 0.2% to 47.5%, the first decrease in the last 13 years, according to a June report from the University of Minnesota’s Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport. Coach & A.D. archive photo The university, in partnership with WeCoach, released its annual “Women in College Coaching Report Card” on June 24, marking the 54th anniversary of Title IX.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed legislation that will establish a new oversight commission for high school athletics and activities in the state, ending what some reports have described as a yearslong push by some lawmakers to add independent oversight to the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) appeals process. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a bill into law that will create a state-level commission to oversee high school sports and activities.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has released new guidelines on preventing and treating exertional heat illness (EHI) on the football field and in the workplace. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has released new guidelines on preventing and treating exertional heat illness on the football field, particularly for linemen.

Sports performance analysis and video technology company Hudl has acquired TeamUp, a gamified athletic fundraising platform that helps high school and college sports programs raise money through team events. The deal marks Hudl’s 19 th acquisition to its portfolio of sports technologies. Hudl has acquired gamified fundraising platform TeamUp, marking its 19th acquisition.

High school baseball teams will be given the option to use an 18-inch first base or double first base beginning next year. The larger base is presented as an alternative to the previously mandated double first base, which also goes into effect in 2027.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has partnered with officiating education platform RefReps to upgrade its NFHS Digital 2.0 platform designed to make rules publications, case books, guides and officials resources easier to access. The NFHS has partnered with RefReps to update its NFHS Digital 2.0 platform.