By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Local high school student-athletes may finally be returning to competition soon after the California Department of Public Health updated its guidelines for prep and youth sports last week. The CDPH has adjusted its color tiered system to allow high-contact sports, including water polo, soccer and football, to commence in the red (substantial) or purple (widespread) risk categories, provided certain safety protocols and health conditions are met.
“While this is exciting news and a step forward, we still have a long way to go,” City Section Commissioner Vicky Lagos said. “Understand that schools may only have competition when LA County meets the adjusted case rate of 14 per 100,000 cases or below. The data comes out each Tuesday. Until that time those sports not in the qualifying tier can only condition. Also, the county health department, your district or charter, or school can choose to make things more stringent. I encourage you to read in entirety the CDPH bulletin. There you will find information, both mandates and recommendations, for requirements for participation, testing, travel, guidelines for spectators and return to sport after infection.”
The City Section has canceled all sports since the coronavirus pandemic began last March, the week of the CIF state basketball championships. Although Palisades High is a charter school, its athletic teams play in the City Section. All Season 1 sports playoffs have been canceled since January, but the City is still planning to hold its cross country championships on March 27 at Pierce College.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
