January 2021 start for high school football season gets mostly positive reaction

A look at the football stadium at Laguna Hills High School. (Photo courtesy Laguna Hills High)

Most Orange County high school football coaches and one player contacted by OC Sports Zone seemed to be pleased with the announcement on Monday by CIF officials that football will tentatively start on Jan. 8, 2021. One player who heard the decision was disappointed the season wasn’t starting on time, but excited a date had been set.

Football was scheduled to start Friday, Aug. 21, but that was scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down high school and college sports since March.

“I am glad we finally have a date and a goal,” said Laguna Hills football coach Mike Maceranka. “The condensing three sport seasons into two will cause a bit more conflicts on other sports than it will in football. Boys water polo and cross country typically do not have conflict since they are always the same season.

“Boys volleyball may have a few dual sport athletes, but the spring will have many conflicts with multisport athletes. My daughter is a track and basketball player so it will take coaches working together and thinking outside the box so they have the most competitive teams with as many multisport athletes as possible, flexibility will be key to this year. to have some athletes playing multiple sports in the same season.’

“I am looking forward to playing in the winter, in the different elements we have not seen in our season in the past several seasons. We can now plan an offseason with an actual start date. I just hope society does what we need to do to get these athletes on the field. Wearing masks and socially distancing over the next several months will be key to lowering the infection rates and getting the go ahead from the state, county and district to get back out on the field. Now I just have to find a week one game since week zero has been canceled. Today was a good day.”

Irvine Unified Athletic Director Mark Cunningham added that he was expecting there would be a delay for sports because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think we were all expecting a delayed start of athletics from the State CIF,” he said. “I am grateful that we now have a plan in place.  I also appreciate how CIF has made accommodations going forward to allow teams to meet the demands for preparing out athletes prior for start of the season, by extending summer rules from the start of school to the December start date.

“While the new structure will be very different, with only two sports seasons, I believe this was the best way to approach fitting in all of the sports in a shorter period of time. There will be many questions and challenges for our athletic directors and coaches. I hope, going forward that we can lower the number of Covid-19 cases.

“This plan affects so many athletes in the state of California and I pray we socially distance, wash our hands on a regular basis, and wear a mask.  Hopefully everyone will have a sense of urgency to bringing the numbers down.  Lower numbers will mean we can move forward with our sports season and our lives.  If we can all work together to lower our number of infections, I am confident we will have athletic competitions this year.”

Segerstrom football coach Joseph Tagaloa said his squad will make adjustments.

“I am excited to have a calendar set with the option to play,” he said. “It is definitely going to be an adjustment by moving dates back and beginning practice during December and running through Christmas break. The possibility of players leaving to go on vacation poses a problem, but we will figure it out.

“At the end of the day we are just thankful to have the possibility of playing. I know we are encouraging our players to remain positive and help do their part by practicing social distancing, wearing their masks, and washing their hands because at the end of the day this all still depends on the current health situation getting better.” 

Western football coach Dan Davidson added:

“I believe it is a bit optimistic to try and do a full schedule. Trying to fit in a full nonleague schedule has so many obstacles and extends the season for a much greater chance of not completing a season. I am super excited to have a chance to play, but safety is the number one concern.”

Irvine High receiver Kade Zimmerman, one of the Vaqueros’ top players, said he was encouraged by the news.

“My mindset is going to be that this is my season of preparing myself, my team, getting myself in the mindset that the season is going to happen and I’m going to have to make the most of the opportunity I have to even be able to play,” he said. “It’s a weird time but I just have to understand that I have to make this as normal as possible and go about it the same way as if it were regular season and just prepare myself, stay in shape, stay lifting, eating, just doing all the normal stuff and preparing.”

While the date has been set for the start of football, it appears that schools would have to be in session for athletics to start after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued guidelines last week that most schools start with on-line courses because of rising case numbers of the coronavirus.

“I’m hopeful that it’s going to happen and I really want to have a season,” Zimmerman said. “It’s my senior year and I want to be able to experience this with all my buddies, my brother (Tate, a junior) and I’m just hopeful it’s going to happen. I want it to happen for all the kids that are having senior years and I just want to play football.”

Laguna Hills High School’s all-purpose player Mitch Leigber said in a text Monday:

“I’m disappointed that it can’t start in the fall, but I’m just glad that there will be a season and I can’t wait to get back with the team.”

He commented in an earlier interview on Saturday.

“I’ve still been working out and staying in shape and being ready for when we can go back and get to work as a team,” said Leigber, who committed Saturday to play for Stanford University.

“It’s been tough; everyone has been anxious to get back to work with team and everyone is ready for the season to start up. But it’s something we have to deal with so everyone is making sure they are staying ready and staying in shape, so we’re looking forward to getting back out there.”

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