Preseason play for the Foothill League has been canceled, with officials closely watching the state of the COVID-19 pandemic within Los Angeles County to determine whether or not they can hold league play for football, volleyball and cross country.
Letter regarding Fall sports the Foothill League pic.twitter.com/u7fKpaoOKc
— Hart Indians Athletics (@Hart_Athletics) November 20, 2020
Officials with Hart High School sent a letter out to families Friday outlining the decision to cancel pre-league competition, as well as the status of league play for the fall season for the Foothill League, comprised of the seven high schools within the William S. Hart Union School District, and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
“This week the entire CIF Southern Section was placed into the purple tier for COVID-19,” the letter reads. “This means that we have to continue conditioning activities only until we receive additional guidance.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) last updated their reopening protocols in October, and while CIF is still waiting for a plan to be approved regarding high school sports, the process has been delayed by the recent decision by the State of California to place the majority of the state into the most restrictive “purple” tier of the reopening process.
LADPH staff had previously told Foothill officials that Los Angeles County would have to be in the next “red” tier of the state’s reopening protocol for at least four weeks in order to progress into the next level of student participation in sports, which includes competitive play.
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However, Los Angeles County has remained in the purple tier, with over 4,200 coronavirus cases reported on Friday alone, and nearly 1,300 residents hospitalized due to COVID-19.
“Based on this information and the competitive schedule, we are cancelling pre-league competition,” Friday’s letter reads. “However, we are still hopeful for league competition.”
In order to qualify for a CIF championship game, each fall sport is required to play a certain number of league games. District officials have assessed the “feasibility” of this happening, and have determined that Los Angeles County would have to be in the red tier of the state’s reopening process by Jan. 11, 2021 for football and volleyball, and Jan. 19, 2021 for cross country.
“If we remain in the purple tier during these dates, we will not be able to move forward with league play,” the letter reads.
Officials came to these conclusions based on the information they have “right now,” and say that they are monitoring all information from both the LADPH and CIF as they get it.
“Should anything change that would allow us to participate in CIF competition for fall sports at a later date, we will certainly provide an update as quickly as possible,” the letter concludes.
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