CALIFORNIA — On Monday, July 20, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced that California high school sports will be pushed back until December or January due to the recent spike in positive coronavirus cases.
This news comes after California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed on July 17 that most California public and private schools will begin the academic year online. With classes online, the CIF has no choice but to push back the sports calendar as well.
“Throughout this fluid situation, it has always been the goal to give our student-athletes an opportunity to compete. I would like to thank all of our constituents for their support and compassion that they have shown one another through this pandemic,” Los Angeles City Section Commissioner Vicky Lagos said. “These decisions took a tremendous amount of creativity, resilience, forward thinking and dedication, all while keeping the health and safety of student-athletes and coaches at the forefront.”
Each CIF section is expected to release their own schedules built around the CIF calendar.
Because of this change, CIF officials have stated that sections may extend their summer period up until the first day of the fall regular sports calendar for the following year.
The CIF has also temporarily suspended the rule that prevented student athletes from participating in club sports teams at the same time as their high school team.
The new schedule for the 2020-2021 sports calendar has been posted, and is waiting approval by the CIF Los Angeles City Section’s executive committee on Wednesday. The proposed schedule is beneath.
