CIF is cracking down on schools playing in out-of-season tournaments

CIF Executive Director Roger Blake has sent a memo to the commissioners of the City Section, Southern Section and San Diego Section advising them that athletes cannot wear uniforms representing their schools while competing in out-of-season sports.

The crackdown has begun in fall basketball leagues, where players will not be allowed to wear any jerseys with their school names on it.

The decision is following Rule 500 in the CIF Bluebook, but Southern Section schools have rarely enforced the edict and the crackdown is expected to cause a pushback from schools and parents, because it will add additional expenses.

There’s also disagreement whether the rule can be enforced. A private league where a school is competing in the off season could challenge the rule in court.

The bottom line is the CIF doesn’t want teams representing their schools during their sport’s off season. That has to do with liability and other concerns.

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