Sports postponed as pandemic spikes

As coronavirus infections spike across the country, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has postponed the fall and winter sports seasons until at least Jan. 1, 2021. 

The CIF wrote in a statement regarding this delay that officials are “confident this decision is a necessary and reasonable action for our member schools, student-athletes, and school communities in light of the current statewide crisis.” 

At the beginning of the school year, the CIF created a revised sports calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. This plan had two sports seasons for fall and spring, that were each two months long. The fall and winter seasons were going to begin in December, and the spring season would begin in March. 

During the past few months, fall athletes have been training on their own, and were hoping to return to safely practicing with their teammates. 

“If we are to have a season, we need to put in place the right protocol such as training in pods, taking temperatures, having extra masks and sanitizers available,” said cross country coach Rachel Lunt.

In November, CVHS began athletic pods so that student athletes could begin training in small groups on campus. Before coming on campus in a pod, every student has to fill out a covid screener, and is only allowed in one pod at a time. The pods are an opportunity for athletes to be able to train with their teammates, and are a way to stay connected during distance learning. 

However, most of the state has returned to the purple tier. With an increasing number of COVID-19 infections, another statewide lockdown could begin soon. This increase in cases has an effect on when sports will be able to resume, since student safety is the top priority. 

The CIF is waiting for more guidance from the California Department of Public Health before coming out with a start date for the fall sports season. In order for athletes to be able to participate in a longer season, the CIF has also cancelled all regional and state championships.   

“This delay is frustrating because I know that a lot of my teammates have been training these past few months, and I’m sure the same thing is true of other sports. But I also think that it was probably the right decision to make with the spike in cases and everything. When it comes down to it, our safety and health is what’s most important,” said junior Sierra Kasl-Godley.