Next step for state is clear
CIF’s calendar needs update to give athletes a chance to play
California Interscholastic Federation officials and the governing body’s 10 section commissions met Tuesday afternoon to discuss the just-released state youth sports COVID-19 guidelines.
If they care about this school year’s senior class, and we know they do, their task is clear. Terminate the sports calendar announced over the summer and start over.
High-contact sports such as football move near the back of the calendar — instead of first — and sports such as track, swimming, golf and tennis that the California department of public health announced Monday can be held amid widespread COVID-19 levels (purple tier) move to the front.
It is not ideal and far from traditional. But nothing about 2020 is ideal and traditional.
Unless the CIF chooses to cancel specific sports, overhauling the calendar is the only option.
The new guidelines for youth (including high school and club) and adult recreational sports won’t allow inter-team competitions to begin until at least Jan. 25, unless state health officials amend that date when they reassess the disease transmission trends by Jan. 4.
CIF executive director Ron Nocetti said the calendar was not discussed at the meeting Tuesday because it’s possible the guidance could change.
“There were questions about things we could look at in the future,” he said. “But everyone is going to proceed pretty cautiously because it says clearly in the guidance that they’re going to reassess the start date on Jan. 4. People are a little hesitant to do things until we see if that
Jan. 25th date is going to hold.”
If case rates do not dramatically change, this much seems obvious: sports such as football, water polo and (indoor) volleyball will not be starting anytime in January.
But if given the OK, outdoor low-contact sports such as swimming and diving, track and field, golf and tennis should.
Outdoor moderate-contact sports such as softball, baseball, girls lacrosse, field hockey and gymnastics, which the guidelines say can be done at substantial coronavirus levels (red tier), would follow.
Then the backend would include high- contact outdoor sports such as football, soccer, water polo, boys lacrosse (orange tier) and then finally indoor high- contact sports ( basketball and wrestling).
The seasons will be short, probably no more than half the normal length, and playoffs most likely won’t be part of the
equation. But at this point — after all these kids, particularly the seniors, have gone through — nobody should be concerned about playoffs.
In a Q& A last week with high-profile Northern California football coaches Patrick Walsh of Serra and Justin Alumbaugh of De La Salle, they made it clear that they just want an opportunity for their kids to play.
“I don’t care whether we have playoffs or a state championship,” Alumbaugh said. “Patrick doesn’t care. If we’re given the opportunity, Patrick and I will play right now in a dirt lot. If we’re given that opportunity, the first game, every one of my kids is getting in because we don’t know there’s going to be a second one.”
“The kids have sacrificed,” added Walsh. “They’ve done what we’ve asked them to do. You know as adults, as leaders, as parents, we always say, ‘Hey, you need to sacrifice. You know, you’re a kid. You’re not an adult yet.’ Well, when is it their time?”
Reached Monday night, Alumbaugh said he has no problem if football is moved to the spring.
“I have no issue with that whatsoever,” he said. “I know the biggest concern comes into, ‘ What do you do with the following season?’ If you’re playing April, May, June, and you have a season that’s supposed to start up (in August), but let’s try and get these seniors and as many of these kids doing what they can as possible.
“If seasons got to be adjusted by a month here or there the following year, so be it.”
Nocetti said the purpose of the meeting Tuesday was to thoroughly go over the guidelines.
“Now I think the sections are looking at that information and putting together information to share with their member schools,” he said. “They’ll start to have conversations with their leadership about what this means for their sections moving forward.”
As I have reported previously, I don’t have to search far to see the effects this school year has had on seniors. My daughter, Sophia, is in the Class of 2021. She plays water polo and swims.
When I asked this morning if she’d be OK if swim season started before water polo, Sophia said, “It seems to me that’s the most logical choice. Whatever the best option for us to get a season, they should do it.”
Even if the CIF overhauls its calendar, there are no guarantees that higher- contact sports will be cleared to play before this school year’s final bell rings.
As sad as that would be, it’ll be even sadder if the CIF doesn’t do all it can now to give these kids hope that a season — no matter the sport — is still possible.