Although COVID-19 has greatly affected the 2020-2021 school year, many Culver City High School athletes have remained optimistic about the start of their seasons. With their first league game being played against Mira Costa on Friday, March 19, CCHS football players will be getting their season after all. To ensure that they can stay as safe as possible, CIF has put restrictions in place for players and fans. 

These restrictions will allow CCHS to play a 2020-2021 football season. Although it is not strictly mandated, players are suggested to wear masks wherever possible, especially when sitting on the bench. The California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) guidelines also state that “social distancing measures shall be in place at all times other than when engaged in competition.” The teams are to be distanced from each other during coin tosses and pre and post game ceremonies, which will no longer include handshakes but rather a mutual recognition of the team’s choosing.

Sanitation-based changes have also been made at the start of the football season. Players will have their bottles filled by the sports medicine team to ensure the water is not cross-contaminated. They will also have plastic water bottles on standby, because the communal Gatorade bottles will no longer be used. The football will also be sanitized, and there will be a “three ball rotation” according to the CIF guidelines. This ensures that when a ball is out of play, it will be replaced with a clean one. Along with this, players are also encouraged to wear gloves and long sleeve clothing under their jerseys in order to limit skin to ball contact. In the upcoming season, the CCHS team will be allowed to play 10 games, all while complying with these restrictions. 

Not only do players have to follow guidelines, but fans as well. Every player is permitted  four family members who can come to games. They too will follow social distance guidelines and be mandated to wear masks at all times while in the stands. For now, there is little to no student attendance permissible at games, with few exceptions such as the CCHS ASB athletic committee, as well as sports medicine trainers. 

In the past weeks, CCHS football has been working toward converting its small pods into a complete team. Following the modifications given by CIF, the team will be able to play safely while following state guidelines. The players are set to keep practicing together and start their season this week.