Athletes for Riverbank High School, working hard to get a head start on fall sports with workouts during much of June, are now on an official time out, with a ‘dead period’ as required by the California Interscholastic Federation, which regulates high school sports statewide.

For the Mother Lode League in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section this year, the summer dead period is from July 1 to July 14. This is a mandatory no-contact period for all sports.

During the dead period: No contact is allowed between student-athletes and school coaches (paid or voluntary). No practice, team building, weightlifting, conditioning, or meetings of any kind are allowed. Outside organizations, clubs, or businesses cannot be used to circumvent the dead period rules.

When workouts and conditioning will resume after the conclusion of the dead period on July 14 is up to the team’s coaches.

As an example, RHS football weight room and field workouts will resume on Monday, July 21, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Official practices and tryouts begin on Monday, Aug. 4, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The purpose of the dead period is to ensure that athletes, coaches, and staff have a break from athletics at the school site.