Summers will become shorter for high school coaches and athletes in two years due to the CIF’s decision to change the dates for regional and state championships.
The CIF State Office announced it is moving up dates for state and regional championships in football and girls volleyball in the fall, boys and girls basketball and soccer and boys wrestling in the winter and swimming/diving, boys team tennis and track and field in the spring.
The changes make it necessary for the CIF-Southern Section to adjust its playing dates for those sports.
Starting in 2018, football teams can start in-season practice on July 30 and play 0 Week games on Friday, Aug. 17. For Week 1, the first practice starts on Aug. 6 for season-opening games on Aug. 24. The regular season would end on Oct. 26 and the first round of the playoffs would start on Nov. 2. The CIF-SS Division Championship games would be Nov. 23-24, the Regional Games on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and the State Bowl Games on Dec. 7-8.
The regular season for girls volleyball would run from Aug. 13 to Oct. 17. The Southern Section Finals are slated for Nov. 2-3, the Southern Regionals on Nov. 6, 8, 10 and 13 and the State Finals on Nov. 16-17.
In boys and girls basketball, the first contest date is Nov. 12, 2018 and the last contest date Feb. 1, 2019. CIF Southern Section Championship Finals are Feb. 22-23, 2019; CIF Southern Regionals: Feb. 26, 28, March 2, 5; CIF State Championship Finals: March 8-9, 2019
In boys wrestling, the first contest date is Nov. 12, 2018 and the last dual meet date is Jan. 22, 2019. CIF Southern Section Dual Meet Championships: Jan. 26, 2019; CIF Southern Section Individual Championships: February 8-9, 2019; CIF Southern Section Masters Meet: Feb. 15-16, 2019; CIF State Championships: Feb. 22-23, 2019.
Boys-Girls Soccer: First Contest Date: Nov. 12, 2018; Last Contest Date: January 31, 2019; CIF Southern Section Championship Final: Feb. 22-23, 2019; CIF Southern Regionals: Feb. 26, 28; CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals: March 2, 2019
Swimming/Diving: First Contest Date: Feb. 16, 2019; Last Contest Date: April 26, 2019; CIF Southern Section Championship Finals: April 29: Saturday, May 4, 2019; CIF State Championships: May 10-11, 2019
Boys Team Tennis: First Contest Date: Feb. 11, 2019; Last Contest Date: April 26, 2019; CIF Southern Section Championship Finals: May 10, 2019; CIF Southern Regional Championships: May 17-18, 2019
Track and Field: First Contest Date: February 16, 2019; Last Contest Date: April 26, 2019; CIF Southern Section Preliminaries; Saturday, May 4, 2019; CIF Southern Section Divisional Championships: May 11, 2019; CIF Southern Section Masters Meet: May 17 or May 18, 2019; CIF State Championships: May 24-25, 2019.
The earlier dates in track and field could impact meets like the Easter Relays and Santa Barbara County Championships.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.