Athletes can again play more than one high school sport in same season, CIF officials say

Athletes who want to play two high school sports in the same season got some good news Wednesday from officials with the CIF State Office.

CIF is reinstating a rule that it had earlier allowing high school athletes to compete in more than one sport in the same season and in club sports, according to Thom Simmons, assistant commissioner of the CIF Southern Section. The revised rule was put in after the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Football is the one exception regarding club sports. Athletes cannot compete in high school football and high school club football at the same time, under the CIF rule. Athletes who already competed in club football already do not lose eligbility with the CIF, officials said.

Currently, cross country is the only CIF sport allowed to compete in the purple tier, which is what Southern California is in. Other sports are grouped in more restrictive tiers and counties would have to drop into those tiers for competition to begin.

But if those sports are eventually allowed to compete, girls could compete in softball and soccer at the same time, or other combinations of sports and also play club sports. Boys athletes would have options too and could play football and baseball or football and basketball at the same time, or a number of other combinations and club sports (except for football).

“…..effective immediately, the CIF is  reinstating its waiver of Bylaws 600-605. The only exception is the sport of football,” the state office release said. “In  consultation with the CIF Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and given the California law (California Education Code 35179.5) regarding full-contact practice limitations and other  safety regulations resulting from Assembly Bill 2127 (Cooley), Assembly Bill 1 (Cooper), and CIF Bylaws, students will not be allowed to participate on a high school football team  and a club football team at the same time. No student is in violation of this Bylaw until they  participate in a high school football game and subsequently participate in a club football  game.”

State officials said they made the decision after consulting with the California Department of Public Health regarding cohorting in their updated youth sports guidelines released on Dec. 14, 2020. 

“….we  have confirmed that their specific language regarding cohorting and multi-team participation  is not a mandate, but a recommendation,” state officials said.

RETURN TO PLAY GUIDELINES:

CIF State proposal:

Season 1 sports (January – April): Traditional competitive cheer, cross country, field hockey, football, gymnastics, skiing/snowboarding, girls volleyball and water polo.

Season 2 sports (March – June): Badminton, baseball, basketball, competitive sport cheer, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and
diving, tennis, track and field, boys volleyball and wrestling.

Tiers by California Department of Public Health:

Purple (Widespread): Sports allowed cross country, golf, skiing/
snowboarding, swimming and diving, tennis, and
track and field.

Red (Substantial): Sports allowed baseball, field hockey,
girls lacrosse and softball.

Moderate (Orange): Sports allowed badminton, football,
gymnastics, boys lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and
water polo.

Minimal (Yellow): Sports allowed basketball,
competitive cheerleading and wrestling.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com