The CIF-Southern Section approved a proposal on Friday that would enact a Summer Dead Period beginning this year for all high school sports programs.
The proposal, SS 595, states the Summer Dead Period must be held over 14 consecutive days and must be agreed on by the high school principal.
It’s something that Golden Valley football head coach Dan Kelley thinks will help the administration, coaches and players get on the same page.
“The biggest change that every school has to deal with is everybody getting on the same page when we all take the dead period,” Kelley said. “The administration is working on that as we speak, so it’s the administration’s decision. It’s the discretion of the principal and what he called the dead period and how everybody will work around that.
“We used to do dead period weight room and things like that, but I think the disconnect from the coaches, the weight room and the school, in general, will also get everybody to recharge their batteries a little bit.”
The dead period also has to be over the same 14-day span for all the schools’ sports programs and cannot take place during regular Spring/Fall school days.
“Honestly, it doesn’t change us a whole lot because we take our dead periods in the summertime anyway,” said Canyon football head coach Joseph Maiale. “It’s more a matter of every sport in the school coming together and taking the same dead period, so it’s just communication in the athletic department. It’s been pretty smooth, we’ve had some conversations about what we are going to do. It doesn’t change us, really.”
The proposal also states that the student-athletes will not be able to take part in weight lifting exercises, running or any type of conditioning with the team.
According to the Saugus football head coach Jason Bornn, it will give student-athletes the chance to go on summer vacations and everybody involved, but does see some scheduling challenges ahead.
“It’s great for kids, it’s great for families, it’s great for coaches and it’s great for everybody,” Bornn said. “The only challenge that we are going to have to face this summer is coming to a collective agreement on the date that we are going to do it for our campus.
“Coaches have already scheduled camps, practices and field spaces and all that. I wish the CIF would have given us at least a year to do this, but it is what it is. In theory, I absolutely love it. It’s great. We are happy with it and we think it’s beneficial for everybody.”
