Will high school sports start on time in the fall? Here is what the CIF is saying
The California Interscholastic Federation on Friday said it will make a determination on July 20 whether to restart high school sports in the fall as scheduled.
The state’s 10 section commissioners met for three days this week to discuss when to restart sports.
“We continue to monitor the directives and guidelines released from the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Education and State/Local County Health Departments and Agencies as these directives and guidelines are followed by our member schools/school districts when they are planning when and how to reopen school this fall,” the CIF said in a statement.
The CIF didn’t outline which fall sports could be moved if need be after evaluating the state’s health guidelines.
CIF has other plans if fall sports can’t continue on time and will release more information in late July.
High school sports were halted in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic that swept the U.S.
Junior colleges set deadline
Plans are being made for the restart of junior college sports in California.
While it’s still unclear when those sports will begin, the California Community Community College Athletic Association has three scenarios in place after its board of directors unanimously approved a plan Friday to allow the state’s community colleges a return to sports for the 2020-21 academic year while being directed by health guidelines from the state.
A final recommendation is expected by July 17, the CCCAA said.
The three plans are conventional, contact/non contact and contingency.
Conventional: Cross country, women’s golf, soccer, women’s volleyball, water polo and wrestling begin Sept. 11 and football begins Sept. 26. Only 75% of the maximum number of games will be allowed. The season, including any regional championships, will end by Nov. 25.
Other sports, such as badminton, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, men’s golf, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and men’s volleyball, will start competing on March 1 and end May 22.
Contact/Non-Contact: Football will get bumped to Feb. 13.
Only cross country, women’s golf, swimming and diving, and women’s volleyball will begin competition in mid-September and conclude by Nov. 25. Just 70% of the games will be played.
Other sports like basketball, soccer, water polo and wrestling would begin on Feb. 13 and conclude April 17 while all other sports will start competing on April 10 and end by June 23.
Volleyball, however, will move to the spring and start competition on Feb. 13, if it is deemed to be unsafe to compete in the fall.
Contingency: Cross country and women’s golf will be the only sports staying in the fall. Other sports will go to the spring with the regular season reduced to 70% of maximum.
Basketball, football, soccer, women’s volleyball, water polo and wrestling will start the season in early February and finish by April 17 while the remaining sports will start on April 10 and end by June 23.
