SETTLEMENT CLEARS PATH FOR SPORTS TO RESUME
COVID tests will be required for youth, high school athletes
All youth and high school sports in California, including those played indoors, will be able to resume when a county reaches an adjusted COVID-19 case rate of 14 or lower per 100,000, under terms of a lawsuit settlement announced Thursday morning.
High-contact outdoor sports such as football and water polo and all indoor sports will be subject to testing, with schools held to the same testing standards as college teams.
Counties that reach fewer than 7 coronavirus cases per 100,000 will not have to test. San Diego County’s current case rate is 10.8 per 100,000. Just 20 of the state’s 58 counties had case rates under 7 this week.
The lawsuit was filed last month in San Diego Superior Court by Nicholas Gardinera and Cameron Woolsey, football players from Scripps Ranch High and Mission Hills High, against the county of San Diego, the California De
partment of Public Health and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Attorneys for the students secured a temporary restraining order two weeks ago, allowing prep sports to resume in San Diego County. The announcement of a statewide settlement was made at a news conference at Torrey Highlands Park, one day before a hearing for a permanent injunction was to be heard by Superior Court Judge Earl Maas in Vista. (The hearing will still be held for procedural formalities, said Stephen Grebing, the attorney for the players.)
“This will open things up for youth sports — high school and youth leagues — around the state to resume play,” said Scripps Ranch football coach Marlon Gardinera, who is Nicholas Gardinera’s father.
“And not just football, but indoor sports, too. So basketball, volleyball and wrestling athletes can have a season, too.”
Football practice has resumed in San Diego and many other counties around the state. First games/scrimmages in San Diego are scheduled for March 12. Other sports such as cross country and tennis have begun their seasons.
While announcing the return of some outdoor sports two weeks ago, Newsom
said the state would bear the cost of testing for football, water polo and rugby. That left some highcontact outdoor sports as well as indoor sports such
as basketball, volleyball and wrestling facing uncertain futures.
Scott Giusti, athletic director for San Diego Unified School District, and CIF
San Diego Commissioner Joe Heinz said they are awaiting new guidelines for youth sports from the California Department of Public Health.
Heinz said the section is still operating under the restraining order from two weeks ago and is waiting for the settlement to become official, which could happen at today’s hearing.
The CIF State Office issued the following statement:
“It is our understanding that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will be updating its Youth Sports Guidance based on a settlement agreement reached in a litigation matter pending in San Diego County. It is further our understanding that the settlement agreement is not yet available for review. We are therefore reserving comment on the terms of the agreement until it is finalized. Until such time, it is our understanding that the current CDPH Youth Sports Guidance remains in effect pending the publication of any updated CDPH guidance.”
Heinz said he’s concerned about “unintended inequity” in testing with schools ordered to follow college protocols. “Private schools could probably afford it, but what about public schools?” he said.
San Diego Unified, the largest school district in the county with 16 high schools that field teams, is working with UC San Diego, developing a testing plan, Giusti said.
“We’re fortunate that our district leadership was on this very early,” he said. “So we’re in better shape than some, but to test all sports still could present a logistical nightmare.”