In response to Youth Sports Guidelines released Monday by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Sac-Joaquin Section on Friday offered its own plan of attack.
In a letter to principals and athletic directors and sent via e-mail to the media, SJS commissioner Mike Garrison noted the new guidelines give schools a "pathway to getting back to the fields and courts of play."
However, the "guidelines as presented by the CDPH are not what was recommended by the CIF Sports Medicine Advisory Committee." That request was to have all sports conducted in the red tier.
"The CIF will continue to advocate with the CDPH with the hopes for a little more leniency to allow more of our sports to be played," Garrison wrote. "We are asking for the chance to be able to play all of our sports, and I assure you that we will continue to advocate for that cause."
On Monday, Public Health categorized sports in California's four colored tiers from purple (most restrictive) to red and orange to yellow (least
restrictive).
Football and volleyball, by the guidelines, fall in the orange tier while baseball and
softball land in red tier. Golf, cross county, and swimming and diving
sit in the purple tier. Basketball and wrestling are yellow-based
sports, according to the new guidelines.
Public Health also halted competition until Jan. 25 at the earliest.
With all that information, the SJS, one of 10 sections throughout the state and second largest in regards to number of schools, laid out its own plan.
"We are of the belief that the chance to play more sports contests outweighs the possibility for a postseason," Garrison wrote. "With the guarantee that Season 1 will be starting late, the SJS will forego a traditional postseason to allow all our schools a chance to participate in more contests."
Here are the alterations SJS made to already altered Season 1:
• Due to the current travel restrictions, combined with the late start, the full-length Season 1 postseason for football/water polo/girls volleyball is canceled. The dates reserved for the state and regional playoffs will be used for a potential "bowl game" matchup.
The Section postseason dates are now part of the regular season.
The new regular season end-date for girls volleyball and water polo is March 13 and April 10 for football.
The "bowl game" dates are March 20 (girls volleyball and water polo) and April 16-17 (football). The status of the "bowl games" will be evaluated by the Section office on Jan. 25.
• The status of the cross country postseason will be evaluated in mid/late January.
• Due to the current travel restrictions, league opponents may not be able to play each other. Season 1 teams should schedule contests they're able to play following the travel guidelines. Some leagues may be able to contest a full season, and that is recommended if possible. State guidelines call for teams to play only inside their county or a direct neighboring county.
Other updates from the section.
• No changes for Season 2 at this time are anticipated, Garrison wrote.
• The CIF is advocating on behalf of our student-athletes with the California Department of Public Health.
"We are hopeful some of the guidelines will be relaxed when reevaluated on or around Jan. 4. Until then, we don't anticipate any further information," Garrison wrote.
• As to the question of shuffling seasons to allow for more sports to be played.
"We do not see this as a viable option at this time, because we don't know exactly when our schools will be able to contest sports again. We do not want to jeopardize a spring sport after our spring sports were canceled for the 2019-20 season," he wrote.
On Monday, CIF Executive Director Ron Nocetti told MaxPreps that he's also hoping Public Health would allow more sports to be played once sports resume.
"We understand why we're not playing today," he said. "But once we're allowed
to resume, we're going to advocate for as many of our sports to be
played in the red and purple tiers."
CIF schools have earned that trust, Nocetti said.
"We've
followed the rules," he said. "Not every organization can say that. We
still see (other organizations) not following rules and we wonder, 'how
can that be happening when it says no sports can be playing at this
time?' I think our schools have followed the rules and should be given
the chance to at least try.
"If they (Public Health)
tell us, 'Hey look, we've seen an issue here so we're telling you to
stop," I know our schools would stop that day."
