California high school sports – Syndication Server

New guidelines will allow high school football in California

High school football in California will be played this winter and spring.

After months of uncertainty, high school football in California will be played this winter and spring.

The California Department of Public Health released its youth sports update Friday following discussions with the CIF and local coaches as COVID-19 cases around the state decline. According to the Los Angeles Times, the new guidelines pave the way for high school football and water polo teams to begin practicing on Feb. 26.

High-contact sports such as football, rugby and water polo with participants over the age of 13 can be played in counties with an adjusted daily case rate of 14 or fewer per 100,000 population. Regular weekly testing for coaches and student-athletes is required. Los Angeles County currently has a case rate of 17.6 per 100,000, making its programs ineligible to compete until that number goes down.

Per the Los Angeles Times, either antigen or PCR testing will be required for participants in athletic competitions. The state is planning on working with schools to ensure testing is completed, connecting them with testing sites in their respective communities.

“I think it’s very much a positive way forward,” said Ron Nocetti, executive director of the CIF.

High school sports in California came to a halt last March amid the COVID-19 pandemic and competitive sports remained out of action for months despite other states holding competition due to state guidelines. The CIF voted in July to delay the 2020-21 fall sports season until December, but that was pushed back further as COVID-19 cases in California spiked.

CIF delays start of HS sports, cancels state championships for fall sports

Student-athletes in California are going to have to wait a little bit longer to begin their seasons.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced Tuesday that there will be no high school sports in December. Sports such as football were slate to begin practices in early December and begin competition in early January. However, practices will now begin in January 2021 at the earliest.

“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 CIF office said in a statement. “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 Jan. 1, 2021, at the earliest. Thus, all full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.”

The CIF also announced the cancelations of regional and state championships for fall sports, which creates a larger window for those sports to complete their full seasons. Boy’s volleyball season has been pushed entirely to the spring in order to ensure it does not lose another full season.

“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 post-season play for a limited number of schools,” the CIF state office said.

High school sports in California have been on hold since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

California high school athletes attend CIF rally with sports on hold

Let us play. That is the message California high school athletes made known outside the California Capitol in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon

Let us play. That is the message California high school athletes made known outside the California Capitol in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon.

Caelen Bonniksen, an 18-year-old three-sport athlete, created an Instagram page called “CIF_LetUsPlay” on Nov. 21. The purpose of the account? To share the concerns of paused high school sports seasons across California and to organize the rally that took place over the weekend. About 200 student-athletes, parents and coaches attended, armed with signs reading, “Let Us Play” and “Kids need sports.”

“We just want to be heard,” Bonniksen said, per the Sacramento Bee. “I know there are a lot of kids who want to play and who are missing a lot. Decisions are made every day in education based on students’ best needs, but we don’t have that table right now.”

In July, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) pushed back the start of high school sports across the state to January amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made in an effort to “keep ahead” of coronavirus and the CIF continues to maintain that it will not allow activities to begin until county health departments give them the green light. However, the patience of student-athletes and parents has worn thin.

“We all want a season,” said Richie Watts, a quarterback at Rocklin High School, located in a suburb just outside of Sacramento. “Sports is so much more than games. It’s about life. We’re all missing out.”

Bonniksen also brings a unique perspective to the table, as his father is the superintendent of the Placerville Union School District. Through conversations with his father, Bonniksen has come to understand why sports remain at a standstill. However, his message still remains a simple one.

Let us play.

“The CIF and our school districts want us to play sports,” Bonniksen said. “They support us being active. My dad says that there’s a fear of school districts being sued. We need a waiver that parents and athletes can sign, to protect the CIF and schools, to protect against lawsuits. It should be a family decision to play sports or not, if we can get that chance.”