High school sports—at least some—might actually happen soon

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY—Increased pressure from parents—read voters—and a group of high-profile coaches including De La Salle football coach Justin Alumbaugh seems to have kicked the governor’s office into action to enable California high school sports—at last some sports—to begin as the clock continues to click down on this 2020-21 school year.

When the coronavirus pandemic health dangers gained recognition in America last March all high school and youth sports were shutdown. Now, 11 months later, high school athletes are still waiting for the greenlight to return to the pool, court and field.  Seniors in the class of 2021 now have less than four months to realize their dream of representing their school one last time before graduating.

Governor Gavin Newsom, now feeling the pressure of an almost certain recall election, spent much of last week dealing with return to school and return to play issues as coronavirus statistics finally seem to be headed in the right direction around California. Groups of parents have taken to social media and traditional advocating for their children. Some of the return to play groups have fused with recall proponents.

The California Interscholastic Federation issued its latest program for return to sports [see adjoining chart] on Feb. 8, categorizing each sport’s return based on the four tiers established by the California Department of Public Health. Its North Coast Section adjusted its sports scheduling grid three times last month.

CIF also extended its waiver allowing athletes to compete for high school and club teams at the same time during this school year. The rules does not apply to football.

On a Zoom quarterly meeting Jan. 29 NCS reiterated that high school football must end by April 17. In order to adhere to its health and safety policy which requires three months without any contact football before the commencement of July practice for the 2021-22 season the Board of Governors rejected calls from member leagues to extend the football season.

Contra Costa County is currently in the purple (widespread) COVID-19 tier. In that status CIF and NCS allow cross country, track and field, swimming and diving, tennis and golf training. Schools were able to begin formal training in those sports this month, each sport needing to follow its county and state health and sports protocols. Games and competition between schools are still to be determined, subject to health rules and regulations.

County COVID-19 metrics need to be within the red (substantial) tier parameters for two consecutive weeks before Contra Costa can advance to that level. Baseball, softball and girls lacrosse are in red tier. Last week’s statistics were not all that close to red as there were 21.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 and the criteria is seven or fewer new cases.

Alumbaugh and fellow DLS alum Patrick Walsh, the long-time football coach at Serra High in San Mateo, have been leaders in getting conversations about resuming high school sports with the governor’s office.

The looming April 17 deadline is only two months away, meaning high school football (possible in yellow tier) is very much in jeopardy.

Alumbaugh and Clayton Valley Charter’s Tim Murphy have said since last summer how much they want their athletes to get a chance to play. Both coaches and many of their colleagues locally and around the state have also talked about the long-term impact no football will have for players who were counting on a 2020-21 season to get them noticed by college programs.

The latest breakdown for resumption of play from CIF by sport:

Widespread (purple): Cross country, golf, tennis, skiing/snowboarding, track and field, swimming and diving.

Substantial (red): baseball, field hockey, softball, girls lacrosse.

Moderate (yellow): football, badminton, gymnastics, volleyball, soccer, water polo, boys lacrosse.

Minimal (orange): basketball, wrestling, competitive cheer.

NCS has also set June 12 as the final day for all sports competitions in this school year. Previously the state had set a deadline two weeks later. While schools are still endeavoring to get sports going it is a certainty that whatever transpires there will be no post-season playoffs.

Once actual competition is allowed to take place many are advocating for games and tournaments to only between schools within the same county as there are varying health protocols from one county to another, maybe no more so than within the Bay Area. Even individual school districts may have protocols more restrictive than their county.

The East Bay Athletic League, which includes De La Salle and Carondelet and CVCHS football, has schools in both Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The Diablo Athletic League is comprised of 11 Contra Costa schools (including, Concord, Clayton Valley Charter, Mt. Diablo, Northgate and Ygnacio Valley) and Benicia in Solano County.

Some conversations at the regional and state levels have advocated for the traditional spring sports (baseball, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, lacrosse and boys golf, tennis and volleyball) to get priority since those athletes had their seasons stopped almost before they got underway last school year.