CIF News

CIF Update Regarding Bylaws 600-605 and Cohorting

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sent an inquiry to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regarding the Cohorting Section in their updated youth sports guidance document released on December 14, 2020, and we have confirmed that their specific language regarding cohorting and multi-team participation is not a mandate, but a recommendation. Therefore, effective immediately, the CIF is reinstating its waiver of Bylaws 600-605. The only exception is the sport of football. In consultation with the CIF Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and given the California law (California Education Code 35179.5) regarding full-contact practice limitations and other safety regulations resulting from Assembly Bill 2127 (Cooley), Assembly Bill 1 (Cooper), and CIF Bylaws, students will not be allowed to participate on a high school football team and a club football team at the same time. No student is in violation of this Bylaw until they participate in a high school football game and subsequently participate in a club football game. 

Question: If a student has already participated on a football team outside the CIF, does this impact their high school eligibility? 

Answer: No. As of today, there have been no CIF football games so no student has lost eligibility with respect to this Bylaw. 

Rescinding of Bylaw 600 – 605: Outside Competition

January 20, 2021

The CIF State Office issues the following notice: CIF Bylaws 600-605 (Outside Competition):

On July 20, 2020, pursuant to Bylaw 1108, the CIF Executive Director issued a notice which suspended CIF Bylaws 600-605 (Outside Competition) for the 2020-21 school year only. On December 14, 2020, the Governor’s Office and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the updated guidance document “Outdoor and Indoor Youth and Recreational Adult Sports” which included the language below:

Cohorting (“Outdoor and Indoor Youth and Recreational Adult Sports” CDPH document)

Athletes and coaches should cohort by team, and refrain from participating with more than one team over the same season or time period (notwithstanding

competitions permitted as outlined below).

Therefore, the CIF must rescind its temporary suspension of CIF Bylaws 600-605 (Outside Competition) effectively immediately to avoid being in conflict with the language above issued by the Governor’s Office and the CDPH. If the CDPH Guidance is amended in the future, the CIF may elect to revisit this issue.

Question: If a student has already participated on a team outside the CIF, does this impact their high school eligibility?

Answer: No. As of today, there have been no CIF contests so no student has lost eligibility with respect to this Bylaw.

Please see the link for the original notices released by the CIF: https://cifstate.org/governance/constitution/1108__Bylaw_Modifications_2020-21.pdf

PRESS RELEASE: CIF Statement Regarding Education-Based Athletics for 2020-21 School Year

December 1, 2020

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Due to the continued surge in COVID-19 infections, the
California Department of Public Health has postponed the issuance of its updated youth
sports guidance. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not expect the
CDPH will issue any guidance allowing for schools to return to full practice and
competition until after January 1, 2021, at the earliest. Thus, all full practice and
competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.

Therefore, to provide the 10 CIF Sections, our 1,605 member schools, and more than
800,000 student-athletes the best opportunity to compete in Season 1 Sports, once
allowed by the CDPH and local county offices of public health, the CIF State Office is
removing all Regional and State Championship events from the Season 1 Sports calendar.
By canceling Regional and State Championship events, more student-athletes will have
the opportunity to participate in a longer season, rather than a truncated season with
Regional and State post-season play for a limited number of schools.
Additionally, boys volleyball will be moved to Season 2 to avoid the loss of a second full
season, and an updated Season 2 calendar to include boys volleyball will be posted in
January.

The CIF is 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.
This revision to the CIF State 2020-21 Season 1 Sports calendar offers our Sections and
Leagues the flexibility and needed time to plan for the return to practice and competition
once updated guidance is provided by the CDPH.

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