The CCCAA Board of Directors unanimously approved a three-part plan on June 5th to allow community colleges across the state to return to intercollegiate athletics for the 2020-21 academic year while being directed by health guidelines from the state of California.
According to CCCAA’s website, there are three different courses of action that the CCCAA will take depending on what phase of reopening California is in.
The first of these plans is called the “Conventional Plan”, this keeps almost all sports in their traditional seasons, with the exception of men’s and women’s basketball which will be moved to the spring. This plan could be the best-case scenario but is also dependent on the state being in Phase 4 of its reopening plan by July 17.
“The idea behind the plan is to remain flexible in case there is a second wave of COVID-19,” said FC Sports Information Director Phil Thurman.
According to these guidelines, student-athletes can begin to practice in August.
On July 17, if it is unsafe to continue with the Conventional Plan, the CCCAA will move to either the “Contact/Non-Contact Plan” or the “Contingency Plan.”
If the Contact/Non-Contact Plan is called into action it will move men’s and women’s cross country, women’s golf, swimming and diving, and women’s volleyball into the fall. Football along with men’s and women’s basketball and all remaining sports will begin in the spring. This plan will go into place if California is in Phase 3.
If the CCCAA is unable to go through the Contact/Non-Contact plan, they will fall back to the Contingency Plan, which keeps only cross country and women’s golf in the fall and places the remainder of all sports in the spring. This plan will be used if the state is in Phase 2.
All sports seasons are reduced from their original lengths in each of the plans. The maximum number of contests are reduced to either 70% or 75% of what all schools were scheduled to have.
The post-season competition will be limited to regional championships that must be completed within a week’s time at the end of the regular season. This means there will not be state championships during the 2020-21 academic year.
Fans will not be permitted at contests until California moves into Phase 4 of its reopening plan. However, once the state permits fans, districts, and/or institutions have the final say regarding spectators at their events.
“Safety of the students and employees is the top priority. We support the CCCAA and its plan moving forward,” said Thurman.
For more info visit: https://www.cccaasports.org/about/Board_adopts_athletics_plan