CIF announces two high school sports seasons, okays conflicting club play

High school basketball and baseball seasons will both begin in March under a scheduled announced by CIF that collapses the traditional three high school seasons into two. Above is Mira Costa’s Max McCalla in last seasons’ second round playoff game against Pacifica Christian Photo

High school sports’ traditional fall, winter, and spring seasons will be collapsed into two seasons, the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) announced Monday. The first season will begin in December, when fall sports such as football and both boys and girls volleyball, will be allowed to commence practice. Competition will begin in late December or January. Spring sports, including baseball and basketball, will commence in March.

Because the new seasons will overlap with club sport seasons, CIF is suspending its ban on players competing simultaneously on high school and club teams.

Between the start of school and the start of CIF practice, high school school sports will be under the authority of principals, as they are during summer. 

Season lengths will also change in 2020-21 to accommodate the two seasons system. In previous years, season lengths varied. Soccer was 83 days, basketball 81, football 64 days and girls volleyball 57 days. During the coming season, sports with longer seasons will be limited to approximately 72 days, but the same number of competitions will be allowed. The number of days for sports with shorter seasons will remain unchanged.

CIF regional and state championships will be limited to one week, but the number of teams advancing to the playoffs will be the same as in previous years.

CIF High School Sports Calendar

Fall sports 2020-21

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 2020-21

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.)

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

 

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