CIF State office puts full practices, game dates on hold

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The CIF State office today confirmed what our Nov. 18 news report indicated – that high school sports competition would not take place before the end of the calendar year.

The State office’s news release stated that in addition to putting all “full practice” and competition start dates on hold, all regional and state championship events for fall sports are cancelled.

Athletes at Paloma Valley and Heritage high schools have been continuing with Phase 1 conditioning workouts, meaning they still haven’t been allowed to use equipment or take part in any sort of actual practice. Paloma Valley athletic director Ryan Sharp said he would wait until after a Wednesday meeting with Perris Union High School District officials before commenting on the situation.

Here is the complete news release from the CIF State office:

SACRAMENTO — Due to the continued surge in COVID-19 infections, the California Department of Public Health has postponed the issuance of its updated youth sports guidance. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not expect the CDPH will issue any guidance allowing for schools to return to full practice and competition until after January 1, 2021, at the earliest. Thus, all full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.

Therefore, to provide the 10 CIF Sections, our 1,605 member schools, and more than 800,000 student-athletes the best opportunity to compete in Season 1 Sports, once allowed by the CDPH and local county offices of public health, the CIF State Office is removing all Regional and State Championship events from the Season 1 Sports calendar.

By canceling Regional and State Championship events, more student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate in a longer season, rather than a truncated season with Regional and State postseason play for a limited number of schools. Additionally, boys volleyball will be moved to Season 2 [spring] to avoid the loss of a second full season, and an updated Season 2 calendar to include boys volleyball will be posted in January.

The CIF is confident this decision is a necessary and reasonable action for our member schools, student-athletes, and school communities in light of the current statewide crisis. This revision to the CIF State 2020-21 Season 1 Sports calendar offers our Sections and Leagues the flexibility and needed time to plan for the return to practice and competition once updated guidance is provided by the CDPH.