There is new hope for many athletes, coaches and fans who had been worried that COVID-19 would wipe out most of high school sports this school year.
New hope, but also some new concerns.
The California Department of Public Health on Friday, Feb. 19 issued revised guidelines for youth and high school sports, making them less restrictive in several ways but with the same goal of establishing a safe way to play sports during the pandemic.
This was not the final step despite the celebratory mood of many athletes, coaches and parents. There are still several critical steps that need to be completed before school campuses will be buzzing again with sports activities.
Here is a look at what still needs to be done, plus some key information about the rules that will be in place if high school sports return to full speed.
What is the next step in the process?
Counties have to give approval for the schools in their areas to begin having full practices and playing games, if they meet the new CDPH standards.
This step could be done quickly, but each county moves at its own pace. And each county can alter, to some degree, the state’s plan.
Every day right now is valuable for the sports in the Season 1 group — football, cross country, field hockey, competitive cheer, girls volleyball, boys and girls water polo. Those sports were supposed to begin playing in December and January, but never got the chance because of the Thanksgiving-to-New Year’s Day spike in COVID-19. And now those sports are closing in on when their seasons are supposed to end.
Football, for example, is supposed to stop on April 17 (in the CIF Southern Section) or May 1 (L.A. City Section). The other sports are supposed to end in March.
What else needs to be done?
School districts and private schools have to give the final approval before sports can begin at their schools. The rules can be altered, to some degree, at this stage, too.
Not all districts and private schools will follow the same “plan,” there will be differences.
For example, some districts might decide that despite the new state and county guidelines, sports can’t begin at their schools until students are back in classrooms. That move is considered a strong possibility in the Los Angeles Unified School District. That could mean L.A. City Section sports will be kept on hold for several more weeks, at least, or perhaps for the rest of the school year.
Can leagues make their own rules?
Yes.
Leagues can make their own decisions, as long as they stay within the state, local and school district guidelines.
For example, some leagues have already said they will overrule the CDPH guidelines and won’t allow any spectators to attend games or events in an effort to keep the athletes as safe as possible.
Can an athlete play for more than one team during a season?
Yes.
The CIF, with approval from the CDPH, announced last week that athletes can compete with more than one team during a season, including club teams. The exception is football.
That rule, though, also has to be approved by counties, school districts and private schools.
Some counties and districts might not allow this because of concerns about the increased risk of spreading COVD-19.
Will there be playoffs and championships for each sport?
Yes.
The CIF-SS and L.A. City built playoffs and championship events into the condensed seasons for all sports.
The playoffs, though, for Season 1 sports were canceled — with one exception — in January due to the delayed starts for those sports. The exception is the City Section cross country championships that are still set for March 27.
Will athletes be required to wear a mask during competition?
Yes.
The CDPH says that wearing a mask is required for athletes during competition “even with heavy exertion as tolerated.”
There are a few sports that are exempt from this: cross country, track, swimming and water polo.
At games or events, athletes in team bench areas, coaches, support staff, game day personnel and fans will be required to wear masks and socially distance at all times.
Will fans be allowed to attend games?
Maybe.
The CDPH has guidelines regarding fans attending games, and they are different for each sport.
Counties, school districts and private schools will have the final say on this issue, although they can’t go beyond what the CDPH guidelines allow.
In most cases, the CDPH recommends limiting the number of fans at outdoor events, and even smaller crowds for indoor events.
For sure, there will not be any full stadiums for football games.
In California, fans have not been allowed to attend professional or college games since last March, but high schools might make exceptions for the family members (from the same home) of athletes to attend games.
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