CIF officials continue preparations for status update on fall, winter and spring sports

CIF state and Southern Section officials are continuing preparations to for a status report on fall, winter and spring sports for the 2020-2021 school year on Monday, July 20, according to CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod.

Wigod shared his thoughts Thursday with Orange County principals and athletic directors. High school sports have been shut down since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, although some districts have allowed for the start of athletic camps.

The announcement on July 20 is expected to address when fall sports, including football, will start. Wigod said in an interview with OC Sports Zone that all options are on the table for the start of the football season. High school football is scheduled to start Friday, Aug. 21, but there are indications that the season will be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are continuing to monitor the ever-changing situation involved with the COVID-19 pandemic in preparation for the announcement regarding the status of fall, winter and spring sports for the 2020-2021 school year on July 20,” Wigod said in a statement.

“As decision date approaches, I want you to be aware of how this information will be disseminated to you. The CIF State Office will announce the dates for CIF regional and CIF state championships for each sport. Once those dates are identified, the Southern Section will release our specific sports calendars, which will include dates of first interscholastic competition, sit-out period dates for each sport, end of the regular season dates, section playoff dates and dates for our Southern Section championship finals. 

“It is evident to me that the clear and consistent message from all our stakeholders is a desire for us to deliver fall, winter and spring sports this upcoming school year. For that to take place, it will require vision, creativity, flexibility, teamwork and unwavering commitment from all involved to answer this call to leadership. It is my sincere hope and expectation that you are ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead of us in service to the young men and young women we are so fortunate to serve.”

Wigod also announced that the CIF Southern Section ended the fiscal year with a budget surplus of approximately $75,000. 

“That is a remarkable achievement considering when we had to make the decision to cancel spring sports on April 3, with the resulting loss of revenue from our spring championships, the reductions from other sources of income like the sale of championship apparel, no more broadcast/web rights fees for events that were not going to take place, etc., initial projections had us with a potential budget deficit of approximately $300,000 for the year.

“Chief Financial Officer Mitch Carty did a tremendous job of leading us through these challenging times and is to be commended for his commitment to keeping us in a strong financial position, especially in difficult circumstances like these. Thank you to Mitch, and to our entire staff, for your outstanding work in making it all happen and congratulations on a job well done.”

Wigod also indicated that athletes will have a 30-day waiver for physical examinations. Districts that have begun athletic camps have monitored athletes before allowing them to participate in sports.

“As you are aware, CIF Bylaw 503.G that requires an annual pre-participation physical examination for every student athlete prior to athletic competition now includes the opportunity for a 30-day waiver of that requirement, upon request by the student’s parent to the school administration,” Wigod said.

“The CIF State Office will have the necessary forms to request that waiver posted on their website, www.cifstate.org, on Monday, July 6. Reminder, CIF Bylaw 503.G only applies to the high school season of sport. The bylaw does not require the annual pre-participation physical examination to be completed before tryouts, summer programs, etc., as that would be an individual school/school district/private school decision to mandate the pre-participation physical examination prior to those activities.”

Wigod also announced that the CIF Southern Section office will re-open on Tuesday, July 7, and phone service will resume. However, walk-in appointments can be made with guests required to wear masks upon entering the building.

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