SACRAMENTO — The California Interscholastic Federation or CIF has postponed youth sports competitions including championship events until at least Jan. 1, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases statewide.

A statement Tuesday from CIF Southern Section officials follows:

Due to the continued surge in COVID-19 infections, the California Department of Public Health has postponed the issuance of its updated youth sports guidance.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not expect the CDPH will issue any guidance allowing for schools to return to full practice and competition until after January 1, 2021, at the earliest.

Thus, all full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.

Therefore, to provide the 10 CIF Sections, our 1,605 member schools, and more than 800,000 student-athletes the best opportunity to compete in Season 1 Sports, once allowed by the CDPH and local county offices of public health, the CIF State Office is removing all Regional and State Championship events from the Season 1 Sports calendar.

By canceling Regional and State Championship events, more student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate in a longer season, rather than a truncated season with Regional and State post-season play for a limited number of schools.

Additionally, boys volleyball will be moved to Season 2 to avoid the loss of a second full season, and an updated Season 2 calendar to include boys volleyball will be posted in January.

The CIF is confident this decision is a necessary and reasonable action for our member schools, student-athletes, and school communities in light of the current statewide crisis.

This revision to the CIF State 2020-21 Season 1 Sports calendar offers our Sections and Leagues the flexibility and needed time to plan for the return to practice and competition once updated guidance is provided by the CDPH.

“Where we are today is not as important as where we are on December 15, 2020, January 4, 2021 or January 19, 2021,” said Rob Wigod, CIF Commissioner of Athletics, Tuesday in a note to high school principals and athletic directors.

“In the time we have before the new year and into the new year, we must strive to make progress within our Southern Section footprint to have the opportunity to return to play when the time comes,” Wigod said. “Let us resolve to do everything we can to make that happen for our student-athletes.”