DIFCA Pre-Season Guidelines

1
DIFCA Pre-Season Guidelines
DEFINITIONS Prior to participation in any
preseason practice activities, all
student-athletes are required to undergo a
Pre-Participation Medical Examination (PPE)
administered by a physician (MD, DO), or as
required by state law. The Acclimatization Period
is defined as the first 14 calendar days of
pre-season practice for all student-athletes.
This period shall begin once equipment is used.
All student-athletes, including those who arrive
to pre-season practice after the first day of
practice are required to follow the guidelines of
the Acclimatization period. During the
Acclimatization period, student-athletes will not
be allowed to practice on Sundays. A Practice is
defined as the time a participant engages in
physical activity. Each practice shall be no more
than 2.5 hours in length. Warm-up, stretching,
and cool-down activities are to be included as
part of practice time. All conditioning and/or
weight room activities shall be considered
practice. A Walk-Through shall be defined as a
teaching opportunity with no protective equipment
(i.e. helmets, shoulder pads, catchers gear,
shin guards, lacrosse sticks) or equipment
related to a given sport (i.e. footballs,
blocking sleds, pitching machine, soccer balls,
marker cones). The time engaged in a walk-through
should not be more than an hour in length. This
time does not include conditioning or weight room
activities. Classroom time , where the athlete is
indoors in a properly conditioned environment ,
and receiving instructions (not physical
activity) only, shall not be considered part of
walk-through time but shall be considered part of
total football time. A Recovery Period is
defined as the time between the end of one
practice or walk-through and the beginning of the
next Practice or walk-through. During this time,
no physical or outdoor football activity will be
permitted (speed, strength, conditioning,
agility, walk-through).
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DIFCA con.

• Pre Season Schedule
• The first three days of preseason practice shall
  consist of helmets only. Teams will be allowed
  one practice and one walk-through only.
  Absolutely no contact allowed during this period.
• If a practice session is interrupted by inclement
  weather or heat restrictions, the session may be
  divided for the good of the student-athletes
  welfare as long as the total practice time does
  not exceed 2.5 hours for that session.
• During days 4 5 of preseason full equipment may
  be worn. The daily schedule shall not exceed SIX
  and one-half hours of total football instruction
  in one day and no more than FIVE hours of walk-
  through and physical activity (i.e. Practice,
  weights, conditioning ) within those six and
  one-half hours. This leaves at least 1.5 hours
  for any indoor, non-physical activity (i.e.
  classroom, video). Each practice will be no more
  than 2.5 hours in length. There will be no live
  contact. Technique work on sleds, dummies and
  padded shields is allowed.
• Recovery time shall equal practice/walk-through
  time, i.e. Practice 1.5 hours Recovery period
  1.5 hours. Recovery period length equals practice
  length.
• Starting with Day 6 and lasting until school
  starts live contact will be permitted. The
  practice schedule will remain the same as stated
  in 3.
• Teams will not be permitted to practice on
  Sundays. This will be a day of Recovery for the
  athletes.
• On days when a live scrimmage is scheduled there
  will be no other live practices permitted. A
  walk-through will be permitted on these days.
• On days when two practices are conducted, neither
  practice shall exceed 2.5 hours in length.
  Warm-up, stretching and cool-down activities are
  included as part of the practice time. 2.5 hour
  practices shall be separated with at least 2.5
  hours of recovery time between the end of the
  first practice and the very beginning of the
  second. Student-athletes shall not participate in
  more than five hours of physical practice time
  and six and one-half hours of total football
  time on these days, as previously stated in 3.
• All coaches must and will continue to follow
  general guidelines for heat restrictions.
• It is highly recommended that each school provide
  air-conditioned environments for weight training,
  classroom instruction, and rest time.
• DIFCA will continue to work with
  DIAA and NFHS to strive to meet the standards for
  safety for our student-athletes.

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EXAMPLE DAY 4

• 8-10am outdoor practice
• 10-12 Recovery/ Lunch
• 12-1 Weight lifting
• 1-230 Class Room Instruction
• 230- 3 Recovery (1-3) / Break
• 3-5 outdoor practice