Hope in the decision
Brawley's athletic director supports Fall sports delay.
After months of anticipation, the California Interscholastic Federation announced a decision to delay Fall prep sports from starting in August to either mid December or early January.
The decision hinges on the increased high number of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus across the Golden State; including the Imperial Valley.
The sports of boys and girls cross country, as well as volleyball are slated to begin on December 14th.
Meanwhile, football will be on hold until January 8th.
However, the unpredictable nature of the ongoing pandemic has made all these start dates tentative.
The Winter and Spring sports seasons will also be included in the Spring of 2021 in more condensed season formats; much like the Fall sports schedule that continues to be finalized.
News 11 Sports reached out to Brawley Union High School Athletic Director Billy Brewer, who sees the news as a potential light to what has been a dark tunnel for the local prep sports landscape.
"People are just excited to have the opportunity to play. Here for awhile, we didn't think we were going to have athletics, period. So, to get the opportunity to play. Even though it's a little bit of a messed up schedule and a whole lot of sports in the Spring-time. But, just to give our kids an opportunity, our student athletes an opportunity to have a regular year and get some athletic play in, is better than what happened this past Spring."
Despite the 5 month extension to put together prep sports seasons, there are a number of concerns that come along with delay; the extra athletics activity that has never before been loaded into 1 semester, as well as what the safety protocols might be by that time.
One lingering factor is also the potential scheduling changes, especially the question of whether Imperial Valley programs will get to play Yuma area ones; with Arizona yet to make a final decision on status of it's Fall prep sports programs.
"We're hoping to keep those contracts, but Arizona; the governor of Arizona, both AIA would have to come to the same decision as CIF-San Diego and the state has here in Imperial County for us to make that one happen and to be able to keep those relationships; at least football-wise. I'm hoping, and they are hoping the same thing; that we can keep these games and keep our schedules because we don't just play football, we play everything. So, we're hoping to keep those relationships this year."
The CIF-San Diego Commissioner will meet with the Imperial Valley prep athletic directors next Tuesday in Brawley to discuss the factors involved in Monday's decision by CIF.
