PARADISE, Calif. -- The California Interscholastic Federation is allowing each school district to make its own call on when to restart athletics.
“I’m really optimistic and hope we can get everybody on the field Friday,” said Paradise High Athletic Director Anne Stearns. “Now is that a realization that I should be talking to parents and athletes about, yes! But, we also have to understand that we might be told no.”
Last week, the Paradise Unified School District Board was waiting for the Butte County Public Health Department to set out guidelines for youth sports. But Butte Health tells Action News Now that the state issues those guidelines. There is no state guidelines for youth sports yet.
“We’re all in it for the kids and I really wish it was black and white. We all want answers and I feel like with COVID-19, it just hasn’t been answers,” said Stearns
Paradise is now making its own sports guidelines to present to the health department this week.
Stearns says the District is looking at Yuba and Sutter’s Public Health Department guidelines for youth sports, other universities, and the California Disease Control.
“I want everyone in the Paradise community to know that we are here for them and that our message from the Board and our entire
District is that we want the kids back here and we will do everything short from breaking the law to get them here,” said Stearns.
Once the Board agrees on its guidelines, it will present them to Butte County Public Health later this week.
Other coaches told Action News Now that they will also be presenting to the Board and look to practice by next week if approved.
The sports that will be coming back for summer practices and camps include fall sports, basketball, soccer and swimming.