Saddleback College Spring 2021 COVID Sports Update

Due to the recent stay-at-home order and the Southern California region's placement in the Purple Tier, Saddleback College will be opting out of Spring I Sport competition (traditional fall sports) following the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees acceptance of the opt-out recommendation at its December 14 meeting.   
 
The only exception could be the potential to play women's golf should the region move back into the Red Tier. 

"While the news to opt out of Spring I Sport competition is not news anyone in athletics wants to hear, it does represent an honest understanding of the current and projected status of the COVID pandemic," Athletic Director Randy Totorp said.  "We balance a fine line of student opportunity with the highest concern, but the safety of our students, staff, and families is at the forefront of this decision."   

The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) requested member colleges to make an opt-in or opt-out decision by December 18th. The CCCAA had previously outlined competition guidelines for traditional fall sports starting in February with a 30% reduction in competition dates. 

Fall competition sports impacted at Saddleback College include football, men's and women's basketball, women's indoor volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's water polo, women's golf and women's soccer.   

The CCCAA established the COVID-19 contingency plan in June, which called to move all traditional fall sports and winter sports to January 18, 2021, for the first date of practice with regular competitions slated to start in February and compete through April 10, 2021.  

The CCCAA COVID-19 contingency plan also calls for traditional spring sports to have their official practice windows beginning March 27th and an official competition start date of April 10th.   

The SOCCCD will continue to monitor the pandemic and is expected to make a decision on Spring II competition (traditional spring sports) in February.   

"There are a number of factors that give us great optimism for Spring II Sport competition to be a reality," Totorp said.   "We will continue to monitor the pandemic and do everything we can to provide meaningful training for our Spring I Sport student-athletes and Spring II Sport competition opportunities as soon as it is safe to do so."