PRESIDENT COMMISSIONER

KEVIN SWARTWOOD MICHAEL S. GARRISON

Principal CIF Sac-Joaquin Section
Golden Valley High School P.O. Box 289
2121 E. Childs Avenue Lodi, CA 95241
Merced, CA 95341 (209) 334-5900
(209) 325-1800 FAX: (209) 334-0300
FAX: (209) 385-8002 www.cifsjs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JULY 29, 2021

CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Issues Sanctions Against CIF-SJS Member Schools for Participating in High School
Football When High School Football Contests Were Prohibited and After Being Notified by the CIF-SJS That Such
Competition Was Not Permitted.

Lodi - The California Interscholastic Federation (“CIF”) and its Sections, including the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section (“CIF-
SJS”), is charged by the Legislature with the responsibility for governing and administering interscholastic athletics for high
schools across the State. Further, the CIF, its Sections and member schools were bound by the orders, regulations, and
guidance of the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) and the California Department
of Education (“CDE”), during the pandemic. As such, CIF-SJS member leagues, school districts and schools are/were
required to comply with the CIF and CIF-SJS bylaws, the orders, regulations, and guidance of the Governor’s Office, CDPH,
and CDE.

After a comprehensive and thorough review of the football activities that several CIF-SJS member schools engaged in
during the months of February 2021 and March 2021, it was determined that four (4) of the 150 CIF-SJS member schools
that participate in football, participated in the sport of football when interscholastic football competition was prohibited by
CIF and CIF-SJS bylaws and State orders, regulations, and guidance. As a result, sanctions have been issued to these four
(4) member schools.

“While it is understood that the postponement of interscholastic athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic was frustrating
and had an adverse impact on all our member schools and student athletes, the fact is that the shutdown was a public safety
issue”, CIF-SJS Commissioner Michael Garrison said. “We have approximately 150 member schools, within the CIF-SJS
and the vast majority of them held off until given the go-ahead to participate in football. Unfortunately, a few schools after
being put on notice by the Section, that participation in football would be a violation of guidance provided by the Governor’s
office, the CDPH, and CDE, elected to participate in football contests while wearing school uniforms, using school
equipment and school facilities under the supervision of team coaches. We expect all of our schools to follow the rules and
we attempted to be as proactive as possible in getting that message out but unfortunately there were a few schools who
ignored the rules and my guidance.”

The complete breakdown of schools and sanctions by school are as follows:

 Capital Christian High School / Football Program
 Athletic Program on Probation for the 2021-22 school year.
 Football Program ineligible for post season play for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
 Football Program on Probation for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years.
 Ripon Christian High School / Football Program
 Athletic Program on Probation for the 2021-22 school year.
 Football Program ineligible for post season play for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
 Football Program on Probation for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years.
 Stone Ridge Christian High School / Football Program
 Athletic Program on Probation for the 2021-22 school year.
 Football Program ineligible for post season play for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
 Football Program on Probation for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years.
 Vacaville Christian High School / Football Program
 Football Program on Probation for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years.
-CIF-SJS-