The Directors Cup is awarded annually to the top New Mexico Activities Association member schools in each classification based upon success in activities, athletics, and sportsmanship. Points are awarded in each category based on the following criteria:

Points are awarded for participation/success in a total of 22 sports programs. These are Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Volleyball, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Cheer, Dance, Boys Powerlifting, Girls Powerlifting, Boys Swimming & Diving, Girls Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Baseball, Boys Golf, Girls Golf, Softball, Boys Tennis, Girls Tennis, Boys Track & Field, and Girls Track & Field.

*Points are awarded for participation in 13 activity programs and for participation/success in 11 activity programs. Points for participation only include the activities of Speech & Debate, BPA, DECA, Educators Rising, English Expo, FCCLA, HOSA, Skills USA, TSA, FFA, Science Fair, Science Olympiad, and Student Council. Points for participation/success include the activities of Athletic Training Challenge, Bowling, Chess, Choir, Concert Band, Esports, JROTC, Marching Band,  Mock Trial, One Act Play, and Scholastic Publications.

Points are awarded based on the percentage of boys and girls participants that compete in multiple sports for each school. The percentage is calculated by taking the total number of multi-sport athletes against the total number of sport participants. There will be separate points for both the boys percentage and girls percentage.

Schools with coach ejections in all three sports seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring) are INELIGIBLE for Director’s Cup recognition. School’s that are issued “Strike Two” are also deemed INELIGIBLE for Director’s Cup recognition. Each player ejection, and first coach ejection in a sports season will result in a deduction of 100 points from a school’s total. Any subsequent coach ejection in a sports season will result in a deduction of 200 points each. A school will also be assessed a 250-point deduction for each “Strike One” issued to a school.  Note that in the sport of Soccer, only the following red card fouls will count as a 100-point deduction and also applied towards a student-athletes ejection total: Violent Conduct; Taunting; Serious Foul Play; Spitting at an opponent, teammate, or game official; Using insulting, offensive or abusive language or gesture; Violent/Malicious Conduct. Schools can also earn 350 points for good sportsmanship by having no ejections/strikes in a school year.

• Deductions to a School’s Point Total
  • 100 points for player ejection
  • 100 points for first coach ejection in a sports season
  • 200 points for subsequent coach ejections in a sports season
  • 250 points for each “Strike One” issued to a school
• Disqualifications of a School for Director’s Cup recognition
  • Coach ejections in all three sports seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring)
  • “Strike Two” issued to a school
• Points Earned to a School’s Point Total
  • 350 points for no ejections/strikes in a school year

There is not an application process for Director’s Cup awards. The NMAA will tabulate points after the conclusion of each sports season and will post this information on this page. Schools are encouraged to double check point totals and inform the NMAA staff of potential errors. Schools will still be recognized during the following year’s New Mexico Sports Summer Conference Banquet held in July. Although deductions for ejections will be applied throughout the school year, ineligible schools will not be identified until after the spring season.