CIF still focused on Jan. 25 return
No reassessment issued from CDPH
When the California Department of Public Health released its long-awaited youth sports guidelines in mid-December, it stated that while nothing would start before Jan. 25, it would reassess the situation by Jan. 4.
Well, Jan. 4 came and went without a reassessment — at least a public one — by the CDPH.
The Bay Area News Group reached out Monday to the California Interscholastic Federation, the state’s governing body for high school athletics, to see if there was an update.
There was not.
“It’s my understanding the return-to-play date remains January 25 unless changed by CDPH, so that’s what we’re going with at this time,” a CIF spokesperson said.
An email to the CDPH was not immediately returned.
So at this point, Jan. 25 remains the target.
One Bay Area football coach has gotten organized in hopes of having a season for his kids before the school year ends.
Serra’s Patrick Walsh started the Golden State HS Football Coaches Community in an effort to persuade health officials to ease some restrictions and provide protocols for a football season.
Walsh’s goal is for the CDPH to move high-contact outdoor sports such as football from the orange (moderate) tier to the red (substantial) tier in the youth sports guidelines.
“Just give us a chance, just give us a chance,” Walsh said last week. “Other states have given their high schools a chance, and we haven’t had that. And that’s maddening for us.”