The high school sports calendar is headed to a winter start, the CIF State Office announced on Monday.
The changes were made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the recent surge in cases, most school districts in the state are keeping their campuses closed and going to remote learning.
“We are continuously monitoring the directives and guidelines released from the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health, and local county health departments and agencies as these directives and guidelines are followed by our member schools/school districts with student health and safety at the forefront,” said the CIF State Office in a statement. “As these guidelines change, CIF Sections may allow for athletic activity to potentially resume under the summer period rules of the local Section.”
In the CIF State calendar, the last day for section finals, regionals and state championships for fall sports are scheduled in March and April. The winter sports postseason dates are in May and June and spring sports will conduct their section, regional and state finals in June.
It is anticipated that most section start dates will commence in December 2020 or January 2021.
In the state’s calendar, the last day for section playoffs in football is April 10 and regional and state championships on April 17.
The seasons for boys and girls volleyball and boys and girls water polo have been consolidated and each of their section finals are slated for March 13 and regional finals March 20. In a normal calendar, girls volleyball and boys water polo are played in the fall, girls water polo in the winter and boys volleyball in the spring,
Cross country, a traditional fall sport, will be conducted in the winter, with the section finals run by on March 20 and state championships by March 27.
Girls golf and girls tennis, normally played in the fall, have been moved to the spring, running concurrently with boys golf and tennis. The finals dates for tennis are May 29 and June 5 and golf are on June 12 and June 23.
For the winter sports, boys and girls basketball section finals are scheduled for June 12 and the state championships on June 19.
The finals dates for boys and girls soccer are May 29 and June 5. Wrestling is June 5 and June 12.
The spring sports calendar will include the traditional sports of baseball, softball, track & field, swimming & diving and lacrosse. The section and regional/state finals dates for baseball, softball and track & field are June 19 and June 26. Lacrosse and competitive cheer dates for section finals will be determined by each section.
With sports being changed from from traditional times of the year, the CIF is temporarily suspending some of its bylaws. Among them is one pertaining to students playing on outside teams. For the 2020-21 school year, students will be allowed to participate on an outside team at the same time they participate on their high school team. As per CIF Article 23, local schools, school districts, leagues, and Sections may develop a more restrictive rule than the CIF State Office, according to the CIF State Office,
In another change, CIF Sections may extend their summer period up until the first date of their fall regular season sports calendar. All summer period activities must be authorized by the member school’s principal/designee.
2020-2021 SPORTS CALENDARS FALL SPORTS
BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS-COUNTRY
First Contest – Saturday, December 26, 2020
SOP Date – Friday, January 29, 2021 (35 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, March 4, 2021 (70 days)
Last Allowable Contest – Friday, March 5, 2021
CIF Southern Section Prelims – Friday/Saturday, March 12/13, 2021 CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 20, 2021 CIF State Championships – Saturday, March 27, 2021
FIELD HOCKEY
First Contest – Friday, December 18, 2020
SOP Date – Friday, January 22, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, February 26, 2021 (71 days) Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 27, 2021
11-MAN FOOTBALL
First Practice Date – Monday, December 14, 2020
Week 1 Contest Date – Friday, January 8, 2021
SOP Date – Monday, February 8, 2021 (32 days)
Week 10 Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021 (64 days)
CIF Southern Section Playoffs – March 19, March 26, April 2, 2021
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, April 9/10, 2021 CIF State Championships Bowl Games – Friday/Saturday, April 16/17, 2021
8-MAN FOOTBALL
First Practice Date – Monday, December 14, 2020
Week 1 Contest Date – Friday, January 8, 2021
SOP Date – Friday, February 5, 2021 (29 days)
Week 9 Contest Date – Friday, March 5, 2021 (57 days)
CIF Southern Section Playoffs – March 12, March 19, March 26, 2021
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, April 2/3, 2021
GYMNASTICS
First Contest – Monday, January 4, 2021
SOP Date – Wednesday, February 3, 2021 (31 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, March 5, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, March 6, 2021 (62 days)
TRADITIONAL COMPETITIVE CHEER
First Contest Date – No Established Date
SOP Date – Monday, November 16, 2020
Last Allowable Contest Date – No Established Date
CIF Southern Section Championships – Saturday, April 3, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, April 17, 2021
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
First Contest Date – Saturday, December 12, 2020
SOP Date – Tuesday, January 12, 2021 (32 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, February 11, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 13, 2021 (64 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 6, 2021 CIF Southern Regionals – March 15-20, 2021
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
First Contest Date – Saturday, December 19, 2020
SOP Date – Tuesday, January 19, 2021 (32 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, February 18, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 20, 2021 (64 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 12/13, 2021 CIF State Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021
BOYS WATER POLO
First Contest Date – Monday, December 21, 2020
SOP Date – Monday, January 11, 2021 (31 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, February 18, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 20, 2021 (62 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 6, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021
GIRLS WATER POLO
First Contest Date – Monday, December 28, 2020
SOP Date – Monday, January 18, 2021 (31 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, February 25, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, February 27, 2021 (62 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, March 13, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Finals – Friday/Saturday, March 19/20, 2021
SPRING SPORTS
BADMINTON
First Contest Date – Saturday, March 6, 2021
SOP Date – Saturday, April 10, 2021 (36 days)
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (71 days)
CIF Southern Regional Individual Qualifier – Wednesday/Thursday, May 26/27, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, May 29, 2021
BASEBALL
First Contest Date – Friday, March 19, 2021
SOP Date – Friday, April 23, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 18/19, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals – Saturday, June 26, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL
First Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021
SOP Date – Friday, April 16, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 21, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (72 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 11/12, 2021 CIF State Championship Finals – Friday/ Saturday, June 18/19, 2021
COMPETITIVE SPORT CHEER
First Contest Date – Saturday, March 27, 2021
SOP Date – Monday, May 1, 2020 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Saturday, June 5, 2021 (71 days) Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, June 5, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS GOLF
First Contest Date – Saturday, March 20, 2021
SOP Date – Saturday, April 24, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (71 days)
CIF Southern Section Individual Regionals – Monday, May 31, 2021
CIF Southern Section Team Championships – Monday, June 7, 2021 CIF-SS Individual Championship/Team Qualifier – Thursday, June 10, 2021 CIF/SCGA Southern Regional Championships – Thursday, June 17, 2021 CIF State Championships – Wednesday, June 23, 2021
(Note – CIF-SS Individual Championship/Team Qualifier, CIF/SCGA Regional Championships and CIF State Championships dates are subject to change, due to course availability.)
SPRING SPORTS
BOYS AND GIRLS LACROSSE
First Contest Date – Friday, March 12, 2021
SOP Date – Monday, April 16, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, May 20, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (72 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Saturday, June 12, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER
First Contest Date – Saturday, February 27, 2021
SOP Date – Saturday, April 3, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, May 6, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 8, 2021 (71 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, May 28/May 29, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Finals – Saturday, June 5, 2021
SOFTBALL
First Contest Date – Friday, March 19, 2021
SOP Date – Friday, April 23, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Thursday, May 27, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday/Saturday, June 18/19, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championship Finals – Saturday, June 26, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS SWIMMING/ DIVING
First Contest Date – Saturday, March 13, 2021
SOP Date – Saturday, April 17, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 21, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 22, 2021 (71 days)
CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Monday, May 24 – Saturday, May 29, 2021 CIF State Championships – Friday/ Saturday, June 4/5, 2021
BOYS TEAM TENNIS
First Contest Date – Monday, March 1, 2021
SOP Date – Monday, April 5, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 14, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (71 days) CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday, May 28, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, June 5, 2021
GIRLS TEAM TENNIS
First Contest Date – Monday, February 22, 2021
SOP Date – Monday, March 29, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 7, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 8, 2021 (71 days) CIF Southern Section Championship Finals – Friday, May 21, 2021 CIF Southern Regional Championships – Saturday, June 5, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
First Contest Date – Saturday, March 20, 2021
SOP Date – Saturday, April 24, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Friday, May 28, 2021
Last Allowable Contest Date – Saturday, May 29, 2021 (72 days) CIF Southern Section Preliminaries – Saturday, June 5, 2021
CIF Southern Section Divisional Championships – Saturday, June 12, 2021 CIF Southern Section Masters Meet – Saturday, June 19, 2021
CIF State Championships – Friday/ Saturday, June 25/26, 2021
BOYS AND GIRLS WRESTLING
First Contest Date – Friday, March 5, 2021
SOP Date – Friday, April 9, 2021 (36 days)
Last League Contest – Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Last Allowable Contest – Saturday, May 15, 2021 (72 days)
CIF Southern Section Dual Meet Championships – Saturday, May 15, 2021
CIF Southern Section Individual Championships – Friday/Saturday, May 28/29, 2021 CIF Southern Section Masters Meet – Friday/Saturday, June 4/5, 2021
CIF State Championships – Thursday, June 10, 2021 – Saturday, June 12, 2021