Over the summer, the California Interscholastic Association – which governs the state’s high school sports – announced a rule change and plans to host a new event this school year.
The organization implemented a temporary bylaw that bans spectators who assault game officials from attending a CIF-organized event. The CIF also agreed to offer its first NCAA-sanctioned summer showcase for boys and girls basketball.
The CIF’s executive committee June 17 called for immediate action and temporarily added rule 210 C, a bylaw that permanently bans any spectator who assaults a referee or umpire. According to Rebecca Brutlag, CIF media relations officer, a recent uptick in unruly spectators prompted the new rule. It will be officially voted on in October to be made a permanent rule.
Central Coast Section commissioner Dave Grissom supports the bylaw, saying “people don’t know how to behave,” and that “spectator treatment (of) the game officials is completely out of control.”
In contrast to the bylaws that ban student-athletes or coaches who assault game officials, 210 C has no appeal system. For now, spectators are unable to appeal their lifetime bans, while student-athletes can apply for an appeal after 18 months.
CIF executive director Ron Nocetti announced June 23 a new event the organization hopes to offer next summer: NCAA-sanctioned boys and girls basketball showcases.
Prior to this school year, the NCAA only sanctioned summer events for boys basketball, and the CIF refused to offer them until there was one for girls. The NCAA’s recent announcement of specific dates when NCAA women’s basketball coaches may attend a scholastic summer event led the CIF to change its stance, Nocetti said in a statement.
