High school football will return when schools return
EL CENTRO — A burning question that has been on the mind of every player, parent and football fan is, when will high school football in the Imperial Valley return?
The answer: once schools are allowed to reopen.
No schools will return to on-site instruction, or other student activities, unless and until the county Public Health Officer determines it is safe to do so in accordance with the County Roadmap to Recovery stages, the Imperial County Office of Education announced Friday.
While discussion can be heard of local schools returning in August and providing a modified type of instruction, ICOE has yet to announce any confirmed date of when schools will officially reopen.
Once school districts are permitted to return to onsite instruction and other student activities, they must follow federal, state and local guidance related to school reopening — which heavily focuses on social distancing.
As the sport of football is all about physical contact, this leaves a big question mark regarding when, or if, Friday Night Lights will return during the 2020-21 school year.
Adding to the uncertainty is the public release of football schedules for the 2020 season.
Schedules for the upcoming season have been posted on www.maxpreps.com and on social media; however, only a shortened version, rather than a complete 11-week line up, has been posted for some local schools.
Vincent Memorial, Southwest, Central Union and Holtville high school have publicly posted full schedules.
Shortened schedules (anywhere between seven to nine games) have been posted to MaxPreps for Calexico, Imperial, Brawley and Calipatria high schools.
One factor that comes into play is that local teams compete against schools in other counties — such as San Diego, Palm Springs, Yuma and even Mexicali — which may be in a different reopening stage from COVID-19.
Additionally, if Imperial Valley schools do need to travel to these out-of-county schools, they’ll need transportation.
As the student-athletes will still need to remain 6 feet apart during the bus ride per COVID-19 guidelines, additional buses will need to be rented to transport them.
And as the pandemic figures to impact school funding in the state, designating funding to pay for the additional buses — let alone charter buses — will be another obstacle that local schools will have to face.
When it does come time for local teams to hit the field and begin practicing, it won’t look the same as in years past.
The California Interscholastic Federation has already issued guidelines for 2020 fall sports returning to physical activity/ training — which aren’t intended to supersede state and local county directives.
“Physical contact such as high- fives, fist/ chest bumps and hugs should not be allowed,” the guidelines stated.
Per the CIF’s guidelines, all coaches and students should be screened daily for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 prior to participating.
Any person with symptoms reported should not be allowed to participate, the guidelines stated.
The guidelines also stated that all students must bring their own water bottle, and water bottles must not be shared. This rules out the traditional routine of team managers filling up water bottles and distributing them to players during practice and games.
In terms of face coverings, the guidelines state that cloth face coverings should be considered acceptable, and that even coaches should be wearing face coverings.
“It is recommended that coaches, officials and other contest personnel wear cloth face coverings at all times and especially when physical distancing is not possible,” the guidelines stated. “Artificial noisemakers such as an air horn, electronic whistle or a timer system with an alarm can be used to signal in place of a traditional whistle.”
The guidelines, which are available for viewing on the CIF’s website, www. cifstate. org, will force local schools to rethink how practices and games are held.
Even the simple act of throwing a pass has to be reconsidered.
“There should be no shared athletic equipment ( towels, clothing, shoes, or sports specific equipment) between students,” the guidelines stated.
These guidelines however, remain just that — guidelines — as local county guidelines must ultimately be followed.
Joe Evangelist, president of the CIF- SDS Southeastern Conference (which includes the Imperial Valley), explained that CIF already has a master calendar set out for all sports — fall, winter and spring — in the 2020-21 school year.
With all the schedules being set, “it’s just a matter of time,” Evangelist noted.
On Tuesday, CIF held a conference Zoom meeting, which Evangelist attended, where it was decided that fall sports can begin according to a set calendar. That calendar will be re-evaluated on a later date.
That calendar determines football can start July 30, while girls’ volleyball can start Aug. 1. Tennis, cross country and girls’ golf can start Aug. 5.
This calendar will be re-evaluated on July 20, when a meeting will be held to determine whether that schedule should remain in effect based on reports from its 10 different sections.
If CIF determines that it is still unsafe healthwise to continue with the schedule, then an alternative schedule will be established on a later date.
If an alternative schedule is established, it could consist of a shortened season, such as having only six or seven games.
However, even if CIF decides that football will still start July 30, or if it decides that football will start on a later date, the Public Health Officer will ultimately decide when football will start in Imperial County.
“It’s not a CIF decision,” Evangelist said. “It’s up to the school district and working with the county health department as to when schools will be allowed to have students on campus for athletic activities.”
If an Imperial County team does show up on another team’s schedule and the Imperial County team isn’t allowed to play, then it would be considered a no contest.