State health department guidance changes to OK players competing in multiple sports.
The California Interscholastic Federation announced Wednesday
morning that it has reinstated its waiver of Bylaws 600-605, which allows student athletes to play more than one sport per season for the
remainder of the 2020-21 school year.
In addition, student athletes
can now play for a high school team and club sport at the same time, with
the one exception — football.
The CIF's wavier was in
place until Jan. 20 when new guidance from the California Department
of Public Health forbid youth sports athletes "cohorting" with
multiple teams. The CIF aligned with the state until Wednesday, when the health department updated that guidance from mandating the cohort ruling to instead recommending it.
"Finally, kids are getting some good news,"
De La Salle (Concord) football coach Justin Alumbaugh said.
Alumbaugh, one of three Golden State HS Football Coaches Community members, is teaming with the CIF and the Let Them Play Ca. organization in daily discussions with Gov. Gavin Newsom and staff to open up all youth and high school athletics.
Along with Golden
State founder and
Serra (San Mateo) football coach Patrick Walsh, Alumbaugh was pleased to see the cohorting waiver changed as a first step. Ultimately,
the groups hopes for the return of sports currently in colored tiers restricted by the state.
Purple-tiered sports such as golf,
tennis, cross country, swimming and diving, and alpine are being offered and played
sporadically throughout the state.
High school sports fans can't wait to see action like this, the 2020 Los Angeles City Section Open Division championship game between Westchester and Fairfax.
File photo by Nicholas Koza
If
other sports, such as football, basketball, baseball and softball, get cleared in the coming weeks or months, Wednesday's
ruling allows athletes more options for competition.
"Last year, 83 percent of our athletes played multiple sports," Alumbaugh said. "We massively encourage it."
Said Walsh: "Since the entire calendar is condensed down into a few months, students have the option to play, let's say, baseball and lacrosse in the same season this spring. Also, student athletes can play club soccer and high school soccer."
Any change to the guidance is encouraging, Alumbaugh said, and
hopefully will lead to more. Walsh said the talks are ongoing,
including a formal one scheduled for Thursday.
"They (governor's office)
want it to happen. I believe that," Alumbaugh said. "The timeline is
the biggest issue."
At Wednesday briefing, Newsom remained hopeful and upbeat about a safe and prompt return to youth sports. He noted that he and his wife have four children, ages 4-11, who are involved in sports.
"I've
been working personally, directly with advocates that include my wife
and myself to get youth sports up and going again," he said. " We're
looking forward to updating the guidelines as conditions improve for
baseball and yes. .... football, which is more challenging and complex.
When I say we're working overtime, I'm hoping in the next couple of days
to be more able to specifically answer those question because of our
commitment to let these kids back out on the field."
He and his office will be given a big push on Thursday.
The
Let Them Play group announced Wednesday a "major" press conference at
the state capitol in Sacramento. According to a release, more than 100
student athletes, coaches and parents will deliver 10,000 letters and
signatures at 9 a.m. Thursday asking Newsom to allow youth and high school sports to start
immediately.
