WJFL wants opt-out decision by Sept. 8
Things are still in a bit of a holding pattern when it comes to knowing for sure which local teams are in and which are out when it comes to the upcoming high school football season.
With New Jersey scholastic athletics currently in a so-called “dead period” as students get acclimated to returning to school, official practice is not set to begin until Sept. 14. Regular season play will then begin the first weekend of October.
To date on the Mercer County front only the Trenton and West Windsor teams have declared they will not play football this year. How many — if any — also opt out will be known by early next week.
“Some schools are still deciding on fall sports,” said Steinert Athletic Director Steve Gazdek, who is the CVC representative for the West Jersey Football League. “We are giving those schools until Sept. 8 (to make an official commitment). A final schedule will then be completed.”
A schedule for CVC teams was released in August consisting of games against local opponents only — as opposed to playing all teams in your own WJFL division.
When West Windsor and Trenton announced they were out, this meant alterations already would have to me made to the schedule. Obviously, if any other school pulls out there will be even more.
Also on the football front, the NJSIAA this week released revised guidelines on transfers and the number of fans who will be allowed to attend games.
For this fall season, students are now allowed to transfer for athletic reasons if the school they are currently attending cancels or postpones its season.
Any students who transferred by the end of August are good to go when practice begins on Sept. 14. Any student who transfers after Sept. 1 will be required to sit out for half of the fall season or 30 days, whichever is shorter.
On the subject of fans attending games, the current outdoor gathering limit is New Jersey is no more than 500 people. For football the 500 total does not include players or other individuals such as coaches, referees and trainers.