Rob Wigod, commissioner of the CIF-Southern Section, is committed to playing all three seasons of high school sports in the 2020-21 school year.
Even if the fall season is delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wigod and his staff at the CIF-SS have been devising alternative plans to roll with changes to the sports calendar.
The CIF State office is expected to make an announcement on July 20 regarding the status of the high school sports season.
Wigod, in an update on the situation to Southern Section members, said that once the CIF State office announces the dates for regional and state championships for each sport, the Southern Section will release its specific sports calendars, which will include dates of the first interscholastic competition, sit-out period dates for each sport, end of the regular season dates and dates for section playoffs and championship finals.
“It is evident to me that the clear and consistent message from all our stakeholders is a desire to deliver fall, winter and spring sports this coming school year,” Wigod said in his message. “For that to take place, it will require vision, creativity, flexibility, teamwork and unwavering commitment from all involved to answer this call to leadership.
“It is my sincere hope and expectation that you are ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead of us in service to the young men and women we are so fortunate to serve.”
One of the options that has circulated on social media is having three 12-week seasons, including playoffs, starting with the fall season in January.
On the original schedule, the first football games are schedule on Aug. 21 and the regular-season finales are on Oct. 30.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.