The start of the high school sports season in California will be delayed until December or January, the California Interscholastic Federation announced Monday.
By launching a new sports calendar, the state’s governing body for high school sports could be giving the state’s more than 800,000 athletes the best opportunity to have a sports season in the 2020-21 school year. With a summer surge in coronavirus, most California public and private schools plan to start the academic year with online classes.
“This is the best possible plan we have with what is happening to give students the opportunity to participate,” said Vicky Lagos, commissioner of the City of Los Angeles Section. “There will be problems in terms of multiple sports facilities and athletes, but this is the best scenario for most people. I am confident that schools and coaches will work it out with each other. My opinion of the coaches is that they want the opportunity to participate and be with the children. “
Each of the 10 sections will launch their own schedules built around the CIF calendar.
High school soccer practice was scheduled to start on August 3, with games on August 21. Women’s volleyball, cross country, boys’ water polo, girls’ golf, girls’ tennis and field hockey are also victims of fall sports forced to lag behind. .
According to the new CIF calendar, the section’s last football game is scheduled for April 10, with one week for regional bowl games on April 17. The last game in the volleyball section will be on March 13. The last basketball game in the sections will be June 12, followed by the state playoffs ending June 19. The baseball and softball championships will conclude on June 19 and 26.
The CIF will allow athletes to participate in club teams at the same time as their high school seasons in a temporary suspension of CIF rules. Local districts may have a stricter rule.
Directors and athletic directors are expected to meet with their coaches this week to come up with a plan. The schedules will be reviewed. Commitments will be needed within the athletic departments to solve problems related to the use of the facilities and how to help athletes who want to play more than one sport. Safety protocols have yet to be worked out to clear the way for practices and games.
The Southern Section will allow summer rules during the off-season, which means it will be up to the directors and county health departments to decide if teams can exercise. If conditions improve, schools will use the fall as if it were summer, with seven-on-seven tournaments, basketball games, baseball games, and track meet before it officially begins in January.
“I’ve been trying to make the best of the situation and control what I can control,” said Chance Tucker, the defensive defender for Encino Crespi, who has been conditioning with his teammates while waiting for the CIF decision. “I feel like everyone will need to adapt just like they did when this whole quarantine happened, and it really is up to them to stay on top of themselves.”
Many Southern Section schools are expected to allow teams to use the facilities when local health departments grant approval. It remains to be seen when the Los Angeles Unified School District will allow coaches to begin instructing athletes.
The facilities closed on March 16, and Supt. Austin Beutner has said he wants to screen students and staff before reopening the facility. LAUSD begins classes online on August 18.
