CIF waives summer dead period rule this year due to changing sports schedules

CIF Southern Section officials announced on Monday that the mandatory summer dead period rule will be waived for the upcoming summer of 2021 only.

Sports have been adjusted this year because of the coronavirus pandemic with a number of outdoor sports starting under a revised plan from the CIF.

The required summer dead period consists of two consecutive weeks for all sports and all levels between the end of sports in the spring and the beginning of the fall.

During the dead period, no classes, weight lifting, running or any conditioning is allowed and there can be no coordinated workouts by any staff or volunteers member of the school. Each school is required to submit its schedule to the CIF.

CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod said in his report Monday that, “we have spent the last couple of weeks examining the summer dead period and whether this might be the summer we would waive it due to the uncertainty of this school year and the late ending dates of our spring sports.”

Wigod said through efforts of committee members and local athletic director’s associations, the CIF was able to get “significant input/feedback on this issue.”

“Approximately 75 percent of those who responded expressed their desire that we have the summer dead period for 2021,” he said.

Although the dead period will be waived for this coming summer, Wigod added, “we strongly encourage our principals, athletic directors and coaches to still allow for student-athletes and their families to have some time together.”

Wigod suggested that there coaches and athletic directors utilize flexibility this summer.

He added that this rule is being waived only for the summer of 2021 and will be re-instated in the summer of 2022.

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