BUTTE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS REFUTE NORTH SECTION CLAIM THAT THEY CAN AUTHORIZE COMPETITION IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Earlier this week North Section officials said high school sports
can be played as long as local health officials give their approval....
It raised eyebrows after the CIF Scholastic Federation ruled
that high school sports wouldn't be played until December at the
earliest....
Now, Butte County's Health Director is refuting the North
Section's claim about local control of when high school sports
are played...
That is Danette York. She says she doesn't know where
the North Section got their information but said their statement
was misleading....
She says Health Departments from all over Northern California
called their offices inquiring as to what the North Section
was talking about....
Just minutes after the State CIF Federation said that high
school sports would not be played until December, the North Section
released a statement saying they would "begin league play when the
member school districts' county health officers approve implementation
of youth sports, including high school sports."
The statement went on to say the decision could "result in the
removal of some sports from CIF State Championship level playoffs."
The North Section added that "teams may compete outside
league play when the member school districts' health officers approve
youth and high school sports."
Ultimately local health officials will have to give their final stamp
of approval on the start of high school athletics, but as York clearly
stated high school athletics can not start until the state gives
clearance for them to do so. The state has given no indication they
are close to allowing youth athletics to begin any time soon.