CIF-SS Commissioner Rob Wigod announces he will retire on Aug. 1, 2023

CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod announced his plans Tuesday. (File photo: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt).

CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod announced Tuesday that he will be retiring as commissioner on Aug. 1, 2023 at the end of the upcoming school year. He has held the position the last 11 years.

Wigod was assistant CIF Commissioner for 11 years before that.

Wigod made the announcement at the end of a message previewing the upcoming athletics year:

“Eleven years ago today, I began my tenure as the ninth Commissioner of Athletics for the CIF Southern Section. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to have served in this role and I am so very grateful for these past 11 years, as well as the previous 11 years, when I served as an assistant commissioner for our organization.

“With that in mind, I want to let you know that this year will be my final year in this position as I will be retiring on Aug. 1, 2023. There will be a time for reflection and good-byes later as we have lots of work to do this year first.”

No replacement has been named, according to Thom Simmons, assistant commissioner.

“That process hasn’t even been contemplated yet,” Simmons said.

In his message, Wigod indicated that the CIF is on solid grounds after a challenging time due to the coronavirus pandemic, which put sports on hold, delaying many seasons and cancelling some.

“The 2021-2022 school year was tremendously successful in every way possible,” Wigod said. “The ability to have full regular seasons, conduct CIF Southern Section Championships in every sport, along with CIF Southern Regional Championships and CIF State Championships, for the first time since 2018-2019, was an incredible accomplishment that we can all be proud of.

“The financial successes we enjoyed through our partnership resulted in being able to refund member schools the entire amount of Sport Fees paid last year.”

—Tim Burt OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com