By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Fall Sports Postponed For Student-Athletes
Bruin logo

As anticipated, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced on Monday, July 20 that all California high school fall sports seasons have been postponed.

The rise in coronavirus cases in California has prompted decisions affecting students, athletes and educators, putting students and teachers back into distance learning mode to start the school year. Additionally, the CIF announced on Monday that there will be just two sports seasons for high school sports in the 2020-21 school year. The ‘fall’ sports season, or Season 1, will feature – for Riverbank – football, volleyball and cross country. Practices won’t begin until December.

The ‘Season 2’ or spring season, will feature the bulk of the school sports, everything from soccer, tennis, wrestling, baseball, softball, basketball, golf, track and field; all the sports the school offers aside from those being played during the ‘fall’ season starting in December.

Challenges will arise more for schools when they will be trying to juggle schedules and transportation for teams in Season 2, featuring squads that usually compete over two seasons, winter and spring.

As outlined by the CIF, the fall season will run from late December into April and the spring season will be staggered, beginning for some teams in February and potentially running into mid-June.

The CIF also issued a statement Monday, after making the announcement about the change in seasons, which impacts all 10 Sections in the state.

“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,” the statement indicated. “As these guidelines change, CIF Sections may allow for athletic activity to potentially resume under the summer period rules of the local Section.”

The dates released by the CIF for the ‘fall’ season show that cross country and volleyball teams can begin practices Dec. 14, have their first scrimmages on Dec. 22 and volleyball has games beginning Dec. 29; cross country meets can start Dec. 28.

For football, the first practice date is set for Dec. 7, first scrimmage on Dec. 31, first game on Jan. 8, 2021.