Citizens Against CIF
Citizens Against CIF is a grassroots organization based in San Diego (CA) whose mission is to change the practices of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). The CIFs abuse of power has become increasingly detrimental to high school sports and kids and resulted in a ground-swell effort to change to CIF! Join us in making change happen quickly!
Please visit Citzens Against CIF on Facebook.
CIF Watchdog 
Quick question I have an athlete who moved at the beginning of the year from Mexico, he was living with his mom and is now living with his dad. They were never married, he is being granted limited eligibility because he is international, however due to the fact that he is a Junior and they only have Frosh/Soph he would be unable to compete. Is there anything he can do because I feel this is a punishment to a kid who made what would be deemed a full family move based on his dad receiving custody. He can’t even receive the sit out period. Any advice would be great.
What section?
CIF North Coast
Hello,
I’m looking for legal representation for my son. He is currently in his 5th year of high school. My son has severe learning disabilities. We enrolled him into Linda Moodbell (a private academy who deal with kids with high learning disabilities) for 2 years. My son was in the 9th grade and was reading at a first grade level. During those 2 years he never played any sports. After 2 years we decided to enroll him back into a regular high school setting for social purposes. My son has had an IEP all his life. Well he’s now a senior in high school and gravitated towards track and field. Unfortunately the school said he could no longer participate in track meets because his ineligibility due to him superseding 8 consecutive semesters of high school (even though 2 of those years were at special education academy and they have no athletic program). I feel that CIF is being discriminatory against students with disabilities. I would like to take this further even if my son never steps on a track field ever again as a high school student. I understand that this is not going to be cheap and I’m not looking for a cheap attorney. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
I would seek out a attorney that specializes in disability law. You may also want to consider going to the media. There are likely other families experiencing the same thing. You should also contact the state legislature, they oversee the CIF
My son was denied eligibility his senior year- due to a family move and “prima facie evidence” we were totally upfront and honest and there was no athletically motivated transfer whatsoever we had a huge drug problem among athletes at our prior school as well as several other reasons We see kids transfer all the time big time athletes d1 recruits where it is literally posted on their twitter PRIOR contact with their “new” coaches its almost like CIF encourages people to lie is there anyone that can talk to me about successful appeals cases or someone that can help us through the process?
What Section? I would complain to the State Legislature and find an attorney familiar with CIF
Who is the State Legislature? What would I complain to them about? (It is CCS) I have found a couple attorneys but neither is super familiar with appeals
The state legislature is the organization that allows the CIF to exist. The CIF has to be voted on every few years to oversee high schools sports. I would find out what committee in the is responsible for overseeing the CIF and make the committee members aware of your plight.
Appeals are very very rarely successful. They make you go through the process but the group that denied you in the first place is final close minded jury and judge without oversight or consequence for unfounded or unfair decisions that greatly affect children. Why would they ever change their minds and reverse a decision?
It’s messed up and I have nothing good to say about the system in great need of overhaul.
This will be my final post. Best of luck to you and anyone that stumbles into their oversight.
We actually WON our appeal. It should have never got to that point in the first place. It is ridiculous that honesty got us to that terrible situation – crazy! If anyone in our situation comes across this in the future and needs help or advice please feel free to message.
Congratulations on winning the appeal!
I am in the process of filing for my son now.
Is there any way I could speak with you to get your insight?
We are so frustrated and at the end our ropes emotionally.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration, and again, congratulations!
Rob Wallace
Yes Rob can you give me your email address?
Thank you so much!
My email is rowwallacejr@gmail.com
Best,
Rob
My black son was racially harassed at a well-known and prominent private school that is predominately white. The racial bullying was documented at the school, and the CIF confirmed they believed it happened. They banned my son from playing, citing “undue influence” and being “athletically motivated”. They decided on their own that after months of being racially bullied, my son left for football. I can’t believe these people. The audacity. Any advice is appreciated. My son thinks he is being punished for speaking up. I am exhausting all options. Any advice is appreciated.
File a restraining order and call the state legislator ans complain. The cif has to be renewed every few years by the state. What section of cif?
My son transferred out of state in 2020 when the pandemic closed all schools in California. He played (2) seasons of varsity football in Florida before returning home for the Spring 2022 semester due to many negative factors at his school leading to mental and physical health concerns (which is covered by CIF’s Individual Student Safety clause to allow for immediately eligibility). However, CIF has banned my son from playing football his senior year.
Does anyone have a recommendation for an aggressive attorney who is willing to file litigation against CIF….my son is an FCS/FBS prospect with multiple schools recruiting him (and waiting on his senior season film). CIF is stealing his future.
I have a friend that his son transferred from TexAs do to needing to work and now they denied his son to play do you have anyone you can recommend for the appeal process that is not to expensive
What section are you in?
My son was a victim of the CIF. He transferred from a private school to a public school as a football athlete. He had past training with multiple coaches in Southern California and was involved in several camps that staff members consisted of coaches and trainers from high schools and colleges. My son played 12 games for his public school and was very successful. It was not easy for him to transfer because he’s an introvert. Nobody from the new school made him feel good until he started winning. We were in the semi finals of the playoffs in Orange County. A parent that was on our team reported that my son worked out with the quarterback coach. We had worked out with several different coaches from all parts of the county. As a result of her hateful call to the CIF they put my minor child in the news paper, all on social media and reported him ineligible and claimed that he was motivated to come to that school. Our family moved because of my aunt who was sick in the San Diego area. We choose a city that was in the middle of San Diego and Los Angeles county without moving all the way to San Diego. The parent who reported us was upset that my son out performed her son. Also, my son was black in a town of mostly white peoples winning. He had received racial writings from the same parent who reported him but the school never addressed the kid and he was never disciplined. As a result, we had to forfeit our senior games. We had won 10 out of 12 games. We were almost to the finish line. We appealed with the CIF with an attorney but the panel was racist. They complained that the school had had transferred QB in the past. We had no idea, we just enrolled in our home school. The only difference between the transfers was that my son was black. Wygod and the officer handling the appeal were both racist, hateful and prejudice. Wygod had a relationship with my sons prior school coach. Coach Morales from st anything high school Long Beach would send information to wygod and it became more of a retaliation than an actual fair disciplinary issue. Wygod thinks that he is God. He and his companion on the board defended my sons old school claiming that it was a good school.
I was not pleased with the school and had no attachments to st Anthony’s therefore we stepped out on faith moved and enrolled in a public school with more than 2k students. My son was very afraid to move into an unknown community but he adjusted. The CIF panel. After having the review of the information wygod and his gang denied my sons request. They did not want a black quarterback to prosper. We went to court to get a restraining order to allow the school to play. That judge was also prejudice. He required my son and I to stand in the court room to see what we looked like. After seeing that we were black, he denied our paperwork for restraining order. My family and I were devastated. My son did nothing wrong, his family moved and he enrolled in his home school. Nobody took him under their wing. Everything he got he earned. The QB coach who he had a training with was not even coaching full time. He was basically not even apart of the program. They had a racist offensive coordinator that really didn’t like my son and really made him uncomfortable. If my son was recruited by this school where was his support. Why did they have him Playing defense if he was a alleged QB recruit. I will never understand how big time catholic schools are allowed to transfer from school to school
But that was all taken away from my son because if the color of his skin. It was clear that the white QB’s that transferred did not receive the same treatment. My son was devastated. I have not gotten over the fact that my black son was targeted by the offensive coordinator who had a relationship with the mothers son who called the CIF. The kid is Drayton Joseph. He was playing QB and had a golf scholarship. The mother did not want my son as the QB however my son was better than him. He worked hard to prove himself and by game 12 when they did not put her son in the game. She contacted CIF claiming that we were recruited. Wygod is aware of other qb’s transferring and some that transferred to the school in question, however, none of the transferred qb’s were black. We just happen to be a black family residing in south Orange County. That experience interfere with my sons recruitment success. I am still heart broken over this. My son still doesn’t understand what happen to his senior year. I want justice. We who have experienced need to get together and file a class action. The Catholic schools are in bed with the CIF. Wygod should be held accountable. The goal
Is to have kids participate in sports to improve their relationship with others, to learn how to follow rules, to achieve brotherhood and to have a group of people around them where they belong. Wygod / CIF has made playing this game a punishment. They have elected to as if they are God. I wonder how Ford, the sponsors of the CIF would feel if they knew the racism and bias that the CIF has conducted.
What if you move to a different school district and transfer your high school student, but not your 4th grade student because of day care issues? And you work next to the school they are attending.
i was forced to check my son out of a private school because we had to move almost 60 miles away from our home. My grandmother was elderly so she needed immediate attention. Many months prior to moving, my son was receiving Skills coaching from many different coaches. We found a coach which we trained with Months later training middle school kids. We Noticed later that this coach was on the teams roster. When seeking him we doing no affiliation with the high school. The coach was hardly at practice and never really gave my son any attention. My son really didn’t know him; hince, he only trained s couple of times. A parent was a racist, felt threatened by my son in addition didn’t like the coach and called the CIF. Instead of CIF being sensitive to the reason we moved they immediately claimed we were influenced by coaches. The CIF allows catholic school kids from bosco, matte dei and all other private schools to transfer from school to school. They have no care on concerns for kids that are reported by angry parents. They take nothing into consideration except according to them you lied. No, we didn’t like about anything. They took the rest of my sons senior year and we had to forfeit all games he played in. It was such an unfair punishment. They had the discretion to decide. They chose to take this from an innocent child. They are aware that all the big schools transfer for sports reason. I think they have an allegiance with the catholic foundation. I want them investigated. Who moves miles away to be on someone football roster? Life happens and people are forced to move. It is clear that they had prior transfers for this position over the years. This time the transfer was a black kid playing both QB and DB. He didn’t even start QB for the first 6 games. How were we influenced? It has caused us all emotional stress.
What school what section do you belong to?
Our family was based outside the United States in the middle east when my son was Grade 9. We then transferred back to the US when he entered grade 10. He played for School A junior varsity on that year and varsity the next year Grade 11. Unfortunately due to financial reason we had to move him to our district public school in the middle of the year 11. CIF now declared in ineligible to play for his new school grade 12 because he already moved 2 times in high school even though his grade 9 school is outside the US. Do we have a case against CIF?
what cif section?
We registered my child in school A at the start of the new school year , we moved six days later due to an incident ( crime that was committed against my child ) I notified school A of the incident that occurred off campus and that we as parents were concerned for my child’s safty due to the person who committed the crime against my child was a former student of school A and were unsure if we would be staying at school A ( Notified Assistant principal , AD/ assistant principal and Coach )
I did Notify My New District that we were currently going to stay at MLK . As time passed we would see the person who committed the crime against my child on a daily basis which not only effected my child but us as well as parents. In November is when we moved my child , I told school B the situation as to why we moved her due to safety concerns and we also did a full family move in August . My AD said it was better to file the Hardship wavier so we did . The Lead Detective in my child’s case had multiple conversations with school B and also had a phone conversation with CIF SS stating due to the nature of the crime he could not release the Police report because it was an on going investigation and it was illegal for him to release a police report regarding a minor . School A Assistant Principal Wrote a letter stating he was made aware That there was an incident That accrued and that the parents moved the child due to safety concerns , My child’s therapist wrote a letter stating my child had PTSD and felt unsafe at school A . CIF continued to ask for the police report and stated that without the police report they could not make a decision, in a string of emails I would repeated it was illegal for them to have and I as a parent didn’t even have accuses to . CIFSS after several weeks changed position and said they needed a document from a school administrator from school A . I then replied the letter from school A is a Document from a school a administrator . Commissioner is stating my child’s file will stay incomplete until we have met bylaw 207 standards. I have combed over 207 and there is nothing else we can provide CIF with . I asked him in an Email plesase spell out in words to me what in 207 am I missing ????? Because he has went from we didn’t meet 206/207 now he only states 207 . I feel my child is being held hostage . When the assistant commissioner kept saying my child’s hardship was incomplete I asked if we could file the full family move she said yes . So we did and CIF Cleared my child , within hours she was uncleared and under Review, CIF states that because we stayed at School A we forfeited our rights to the full family move . But I’m the bylaws it says full family move before the beginning of the next school year and report to CIF within 30 days that bylaw contradicts it’s self . CIF will not apply a 30 day sit because she is not eligible For a SOP . My child is a Top athlete and ranked number 2 in the State and the whole season has been taken from my child who is a senior . Any Guidance would be greatly appreciated
Hi my daughter was just suspended for 1 year by cif panel due to contact before registering into school.cif bylaw 510/207. We as a family wanted to know do we have a case against the cif in northern California
what are the circumstances
https://www.gofundme.com/eliminating-the-calif-interscholastic-federation is the actual link
I am starting a go fund me to bring sense to this CIF mess. Hopefully the result is obliterating the organization and replace it with a smaller, better for kids/athletes option that does not abuse power.
https://www.gofundme.com/manage/eliminating-the-calif-interscholastic-federation
I do not want any money from this and won’t touch any of the funds. 100% will be for erasing this terrible organization from the student athlete landscape and using modern technologies to replace the entire CIF system
The CIF is permitted to exist by the State legislature. It is renewed by the legislature every few years. the path to abolish it is to make the members of the legislature aware of its atrocities it commits throughout the state. when we (a few parents in San Diego) went after them a few years ago, noone else in the state would speak up and the legislature renewed it. this is going to require a statewide effort to accomplish. We started this blog in 2008 for that purpose. what we got was parents that wanted us to do their fighting foe them. they didn’t want to do their own fighting because thier kid may get punished. that may have been true, but because most parents and athletes won’t take a stand, the abuses continue.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjNsI3C7ovfAhVqx1QKHZ5ZDUAQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sandiegouniontribune.com%2Fsdut-local-cif-plans-independent-investigation-bias-cla-2009oct28-story.html&psig=AOvVaw0JyEcetT-KG6poWYOVj5K4&ust=1544208349061445
Is there anything one can do to have common sense prevail with this organization. We submitted an appeal which was not even reviewed before it was denied. After contacting the president of the San Joaquin section he said that we could pay $150 to appeal but it would be denied. My daughter attended a D1 school, never played varsity, the school she attended was over 65 miles away from our house so we moved her to a much smaller school where her brothers are now attending that was much closer to where we live. There is only one girls team because the student body is so small and they are not allowing her to start the basketball season. Any advice to remedy this ludicrous injustice is appreciated. Her AD says there is nothing that can be done which I find extremely disturbing. Why hurt the student athletes? If coaches and adults are participating in questionable activities, investigate them and fine them. Please someone help me understand or give me an Avenue to remedy this…
HELP..the cif is ran bye a dictator that does not care about our children.who is Mike garrison protecting by his rulings because it sure isn’t the children.i dont understand how there is a system in place that makes it harder for kids to succeed.what are these bye laws for to protect the schools whom we pay for?all.childeen should have extra chances if necessary to sucseed.
HELP..the cif is ran bye a dictator that does not care about our children.who is Mike garrison protecting by his rulings because it sure isn’t the children.i dont understand how there is a system in place that makes it harder for kids to succeed.what are these bye laws for to protect the schools whom we pay for?all.childeen should have extra chances if necessary to sucseed.
GA. My son left his private school in April of this year and enrolled in a local private school were we moved into that schools district. He plays football. We were cleared by the AD at the time and CIF cleared him also. Then people began to bombard CIF with calls that my son had been influenced by his new school. The reason, one single photo, with a coach that is not affiliated with the school but many believe he is at a 7on7 tournament. CIF has told us they have never received so many calls concerning one kids transfers. They have ruled him ineligible for the whole year even though his coach at the time recommended the 7on7 team, the AD was aware of it, the principal has given them written confirmation that he is cleared but CIF will not release him. Does anyone know a lawyer we can hire because he deserves to play and is being recruited by lower level schools with scholarship money.
Try Jason Montgomery (link below). He is one of the best with these type issues. He specializes in NCAA but may be able to help or refer you to the right people. Good luck!
https://www.bsk.com/people/jason-j-montgomery
what section of cif?
My daughter began public high school at the varsity level swim. We wanted a better academic based school and sent her to a private high school. She sat out the 30 days for her swim season. The private school was terrible. Constant change in teachers and the academics were not as good as her original school. We want to transfer back. What will the penalties be and how can we work to get her back on her old team with minimal punishment?
After our 3rd daughter’s round of unfair Title IX issues at a local high school caused the All-American administrator to suggest we report the school we decided it best to simply leave. The other 2 daughters also experienced it, but it seemed to get worse each round.
It was a hard decision. We finalized it only 2 weeks before school started while she finished her summer swim season. It was especially painful at the beginning of her Junior Year in high school. But the Title IX went beyond denying her the All-American status/requests by coaches done for the boys, and not for the girls.
We transferred her to our local school district, which has “open enrollment”. When we learned that CIF would only allow her to compete in the school of residence (though it’s an open enrollment district), we tried to transfer but found that:
1)The school district didn’t allow transfers to another district school during the year.
2)The school of residence, and the district Athletic Director refused to even ask for a multi-school agreement so that her school could participate with our school of residence. Although our Assemblyman’s office set up a request for a CIF waiver of the 9 month lead time for Swim Teams (whereas Football and other Fall sports had only a 3 month lead time), our district of residence refused to even ask League or submit a request to CIF. There was too much for League to lose, they said, since the agreement would cover all sports, not just swim. The masses they needed to keep at bay were in other sports, which still locked my daughter out of the swim team. Or perhaps, they said, a school would fear she would win a race that would go to one of their slower students – even if she went “freelance” since there was no swim team in her school.
3)No one cared that she had been in what I would call even an “abusive” situation before.
It seems as if CIF gives a “private room” for Leagues and Athletic Directors to break Title IX issues, or participate in other abusive deeds with little consequence to schools, ADs and coaches. If a school decides not to deal with Title IX or abusive situations and the parents seek a safer school, CIF will have a maze of rules tempting, even forcing the student-athlete to stay in an abusive situation. The effect of the rules is to punish the student for having stood up to the abuse and ‘talked with their feet”. Moving is penalized (except for an actual change of house) – even for students who have been in abusive situations! I can’t imagine a more dangerous situation for students. ADs and Coaches who get away with such actions are “protected” by CIF that doesn’t abide by Title IX rules as a “private” organization if the Leagues or the Schools choose not to abide by them in their own school districts. CIF has no consequence for them. Yet, most of those ADs and League coaches are paid by Federal funds which require Title IX rules be followed. CIF would have no basis for its power, if all of the schools receiving public funds were removed from their positions to vote on multi-schools, or other voting privileged issues and leagues.
If I follow further this freedom for coaches, ADs and leagues to act in “private” places without consequence by CIF whose rules they follow, I am not as surprised that we see other abuses occurring. There have been local coaches who have been able to get away with illicit relationships with students though warning signs began to show, and even were reported. There are schools that ignore the signs of these ADs and coaches. ADs and coaches, they assume, are supposed to be busy keeping up with CIF administrative bylaws and rules. Abundance of rules and too-harsh consequences by CIF (ALL students can’t play? At any school?) means a school really depends on a very good AD and very good coaches. Some school trust and freedom has to be given to them. But, CIF turns the eye to more serious problems than too-competitive schools. This removes a needed checks-and-balances which would otherwise protect future students. Indeed, CIF sweeps more serious problems under the carpet! I’d take Grace Brethren stacking their football team any day to a young, impressionable girl or boy being led off on buses by coaches who have too much access to their future student-athlete lives, with too-trusting schools and a lack of checks and balances by CIF making an overabundance of bylaws and rules filling the minds of those attempting compliance. It creates the familiar “inattentional blindness*” which makes average people miss what is in plain site. This access is empowered by CIF with bylaws and rules that strain out much that is more important in life while beating down the masses that want to win League.
With CiF protecting the playing courts for ADs and coaches, not to mention school districts, from student athletes who “talked with their feet” when they suspected abuse we are bound to see more problems ahead.
To further illustrate the growing “unfair competition” set up or aided by this perhaps well-meaning, but unwise group of rules — In League this year, the league meet manager was also friends with one of the boys’ moms from this local high school. This Meet Manager did 2 things for her friend during those 2 racing days:
1)She added 2 seconds on the board to at least 2 races (I didn’t watch other race times as carefully, as you can imagine) – my daughter’s and my daughter’s record-breaking relay team (I’m getting the picture that this boy’s mom was in competition with my daughter, by now). As a result, those “fudged” times/numbers were recorded, instead of the correct numbers that showed on the timers’ sheets that were 2 seconds faster. The Girls’ Coach of our then- local high school noticed it, as he also timed with his own timer. But, being a disempowered school “coach-only”, not a “coach-teacher” ( who came under the boys coach-teacher at the school ) he allowed it to slide. When I called the local CIF office, they said “Only coaches can report such things.”
2)At the request of this boys’ mom who felt he didn’t have enough time before his race and complained to this mom who complained to the meet manager – they RE-RACED that race! No considerations that all swimmers had the same initial start conditions. No other rules but the rules of that manager at that moment. No other place to complain as an non-Meet Manager or Coach – if the coach decided not to complain. The coach didn’t complain because of other dynamics that existed, for him, which oppress such complaints.
We need to correct un-level playing fields set up by CIF bylaws, that protect ADs/coaches without proper checks and balances that include perhaps some outside their League circle. In this way, perhaps the resulting dynamics which teach the wrong ethics to our youth can be stopped. Currently there are even dangerous, private power sections within schools and leagues. I simply don’t know where else to go …CA State Dept of Education only forwarded the complaint to the last school. We’re not going back. CIF refuses to look at it, though I’ve spoken to Commissioners, to administrators in our section and at State. Where have all the leaders gone?
* Inattentional blindness definition, wikipedia. It suggests that those with ADHD are more able to avoid inattentional blindness that the average person.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inattentional_blindness
What section? What you describe is common and will require action by the state legislator to take action on CIF. Much of what you describe can be addressed by organizing parents and exposing it in the media. That is sometime the only thing they understand. Being vocal at the local school boards can also produce results but it will require alot of dedication.
Southern Section. CIF agrees that a member school can put in a hardship waiver for my daughter. But, the plot thickens. My own school district doesn’t want to. They had 1 pool when I started the school year, but no AP chem at the school. Eventually they brought 2 pools back up. But, the one belonging to our home district, failed again. It appears there’s not a swim team again there. The other school didn’t want to share their pool either. The school district even has their Title IX numbers (made up for the swim team at least) from the year before (no pool) including a school swim team, which it definitely didn’t have as the school admits. This is unbelievable.
Hi there….looking for some input. My soph son transferred from a D1 private school to the D3 public school in our district. His frosh year, he played JV baseball and as a soph expects to play varsity at the D3 school. We didn’t move, and he’s now going to the school he should’ve gone to from the start. He transferred bc he didn’t like the private school experience. CIF should consider these situations, right?
you should consult your section rules on transfer. there have been some changes recently statewide and at some section levels.
Thank you for the quick response.
I understand how the CIF clearly states sports participation is a privilege, however there is no club alternative as in other sports. The school is impeding her ability to compete as an equal with other athletes. I was amazed that the CIF has no rule limiting the number of practice days a school coach can demand of athletes. The only limit is hours per week -18hrs. If they said max manditory days is 3, then problem solved- good programs would have kids showing up excited every day of the week, poor programs would see talented kids three times a week and the athletes would use the off days as they saw fit to train as they felt best.
My argument to the CIF is a legitimate student in good standing should have the opportunity to compete as an individual in invitationals in individual sports. Our school has shown that distance running is not a priority when compared to other sports it offers. If the CIF did ban private coaching it would end the opportunities for kids from poor school programs.
This has been especially painful for us as a family as big sister is now at a Div 1 school playing a team sport for which the same HS school made certain to provide competent coaching.
Thanks again for providing this forum to discuss these issues.
While private coaching is a logical solution to your problem, it has created many problems in other circumstances and other sports. You will learn if you haven’t already, CIF does not care about kids getting to the next level. I would focus on the school site and try to get better coaching. I would not mention having outside coaching, that will certainly backfire and make your situation worst. CIF will not support it and the school will turn on you as well. Whatever you do, I would make sure to read the CIF Bylaws and get a good understanding first. CIF will not take any action or make any concession for anything they can’t justify in the bylaws. Unfortunately, the same is not always true when they are sanctioning athletes. Again, I don’t think you have a CIF issue, you have a school site leadership issue. I would take this up with the principal/athletic director and the district if necessary. I would only focus on the deficiencies of the coach/program and not bring up anything about private coaching. You are however free to participate as individual in any event that is not CIF Sanctioned (all comers races, road races, etc,) outside of your season. But be sure to read what your local bylaws say.
Thank you for the response. I will see by end if season how we will take action. The sport of track and cross country is unfortunately only available through high school athletic programs. There is no alternative club system as in many other sports. Open races are sporadic and it is difficult to find similar level competitors. This monopoly is not lost on school coaches and ADs. Also a huge disconnect here between HS and university, and ironic when a school boasts about its athletic programs, NCAA signing day events, etc.
Thanks again for your valuable feedback
Tasos
I am interested in getting permission from CIF for my running daughter to be allowed to compete in track invitationals without school affiliation.
My daughter entered high school as the fastest middle middle school runner (800m) in our county, having competed for her middle school and at a local track club for 7th and 8th grades.
She has endured horrible school team coaching her freshman and fall of her sophmore year. For sophomore spring track season she negotiated a day off to at least get some training with her former coach and running mates who fortunately for them had no such issues with their schools to train a few days on their own, away from school team.
This fall new cross country coach demands 6 days a week presence and he has only scheduled one competition before October 1st, leaving our kids without much of a season. Team morale is horrible and my daughter runs with the boys due to lack of other competitive girls. Her competition either has competent school coaches, or the coaches allow some off campus training when athlete has other coaching available. My daughter has neither option available to her and suffers due to lack of quality training.
We want to be able to run in a few high school track invitationals this spring without representing the school. No dual meets, league meets or regional/state championships. Just 5-6 high school invitationals. She is an excellent student and does not want to change schools.
Can the CIF allow a student to compete independently, without representing the school?
not likely to happen. what county and cif section?
CCS, Santa Clara county. She ran 2:22.5 800m and 4:56 1500m in Junior Olympic competition end of 8th grade
you should read your local section bylaws, every section is different but in general only members of cif member school’s may participate in CIF competitions.
Would a letter as parents or the athlete herself to the CIF be the way to approach this?
no. it is my opinion that uou do not have a strong argument. they will tell you participation in sports is a priviledge not a right. many sections are developing rules against outside practice and competition so you might not want to open that can of worms because you might have to eat them. seems your issue is poor coaching, that is a school site problem I’d start there with a complaint.
My Son was attack by a bullies he defend him self, My son never been in a fight ever the staff was upset with me, because I proved them wrong on another innocent incident the case settle after numerous messages, recording statements that incriminated them. The situation got worse after I moved my son to a Rival football team and now CIF has benched my son for 12 months. I don’t what to tell him He asked me why the took team, my childhood friend and now I can even play, He’s 1st year in high school. I’m old school and believe that if you make a mistake You own it until you fix it I really need some help football is his passion.
Please Please!!!!
German A Lopez
phone : 408-660-6586
Email: germanmuco@gmail.com
PS: the School district in Newman Crows landing unified
Stanislaus County CA
I live in Victorville, My son attends a Charter school. Excelsior Charter I would love to get him out of this school. This Charter school is a independent study school not what I was told when he transferred here. If I move him to another school he will need to sit out 5 games not fair.
CIF SacJoaquin Section violated unethically
I have the same issue with the San Juaquin Section Let’g all get together and fight this bureaucratic organisation germanmuco@gmail.com or all me 408-660-6586 We all need to take stand against this unfair practice, they found a players selling drugs and he they got no suspension and they are allowed to play,something is wrong ?
Son violated for athletically motivated and ineligible move. Both are false allegations. Please call me at 916-759-2027 David
I have the issue I.m on the process of hiring a attorney
you can call me at 408-660-6586
question: is this a SOP? Student transferred in February 29, 2016, did not play any sports. Now CIF says she needs to sit out until March 1, 2017 because she has not been at new school for 12 months, but she did not play her entire 10th grade year anywhere. Now she is a junior. Whats your opinion?
Thank you!
Bob Ottolie san diego. he is rude and abrasive but he is good.
Does anyone have a name of an Administrative Attorney I can contact who deals with CIF. We are located in Temecula, California….so anywhere Southern is fine. TIA
i have an email from a parent showing that Centennial in Corona is offering gifts to 7th and 8th grade football players in effort to get them to the HS next year. who should i send to?
What are your concerns and what section and school and/or district.
I am interested in stoping the CIF from harming any more Student Athletes. Their abuse needs to stop! Pls send me any info on how to stop this treatment of our children.
What are your concerns and why section and school/district are you in?
How is there a system in place where a person can dictate as if they are god.with no concern for kids futures.there are so many things wrong with this and no one cares.someone with the power to make a change needs to stand up and help us.sports are not a privilege anymore.for family’s that are not rich it is the only real.chance our children have at getting a scholarship.mike garrison commissioner of the sac San jaoguin section is the worst person to make decisions.
Does anyone one know how to file a formal complaint against coaches that are racially and personally discriminating against my daughter?
youll have to prove he is discriminating agaisnt her based on her race and not her ability. You have to prove up “intent” and thats hard to do.
you can file a uniformed complaint with your school district. There is a simple form to complete. YOu have rights of appeal with this process as well.
Anyone have experience or ideas with this?
Daughter home schooled in 9th grade with assistance from a NON CIF christian school. She played club soccer only. No CIF.
Transfer in 10th grade to a CIF affiliated christian school so she could play soccer, still home schooled, No problem. Unlimited status granted.
Now transfer to public school for 11 and 12 grade. CIF claims 2 transfers and will not allow a sit out period even though she has NEVER utilized a sit out period.
Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.
I am going through this exact situation with my daughter! What came of your situation? We are looking into filing an appeal.
They would not hear an appeal of SOP.
Do you recommend lawyers for CIF issues?
Depends on the situation. You should file an appeal first unless time is a consideration.
My daughter attended her first semester at Colony HS in Ontario. Due to a bullying incident, we transferred her out of Colony into Notre Dame HS Riverside (private school). Unfortunately rather than playing a game of he said she said, we decided to not bring the matter into the school’s attention and subsequently further damage a troubled student’s future, and simply transferred my daughter out after the semester (winter)break. She played a few games of JV soccer (all non-league) during December and transferred out before the season began. We were then told that she would have to sit out the remainder of the season at Notre Dame because of CIF transfer rules. During the semester, our financial situation changed drastically and we could no longer afford for her to continue at Notre Dame so we transferred her again after the school year was over, originally to Eleanor Roosevelt HS but were then told that the school was full and put her into Norco HS (same league/district). We were told yesterday that she has been tagged with limited eligibility (No Varsity) due to the second transfer after she made the Varsity squad. Needless to say we are very upset about it. I am not sure if there is any recourse but is it fair that she is essentially being punished twice by having to sit out another season for a transfer that we couldn’t help nor foresee?Please keep in mind that the transfer are intra district. I own my own business and sometimes am not available to pick her up from school most afternoons at her designated school 6 miles away. The reason for the transfer to Norco was that a lot of my clientele are in the immediate area and we also have friends living there that could help out if needed. Not so with the designated school. IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO APPEAL? PLEASE HELP!!
Unfortunately, CIF does not care about your financial situation and will tell you that you should have foreseen the financial situation coming. There bylaws are written to support them on that positioning.
Your case is complicated because you have too many transfers. I hope you had all of the bullying documented at the prior school. That is your strongest argument. The other transfers will complicate the issue but if she only played JV it should make it easier. You should be sure to read the CIF Bylaws.
You have a right to file an appeal and you should do so immediately! I think you have 15 working days from the time you got the notified. You will probably need a lawyer as well, because they will no doubt rule against you on appeal. Even though they are going to rule against your appeal (that is what they do), you will need to show that you have followed the process. Your next option will be to file a temporary restraining order against them. You should find a lawyer familiar with the CIF to do so.
Long term change with the CIF must come from the California Legislature. I would encourage you to complain to your elected officials. I would also encourage you to go to the media, They don’t like that and when it airs, you will likely found out that there are others similarly situated as you but have not come forward for a fear of their child being punished.
unfortunately, their bylaws are written in this manner. They automatically assume your move was motivated by athletics. You should file an appeal and then get a lawyer. Try to find one that is familiar with CIF.
Thank you,
Craig
We are new to this whole CIF chaos. In short, our daughter was attending a private high school. She has found great motivation in her schooling because of her interest in basketball. When it was time for our next daughter to start high school, the private school raised tuition a substantial amount while cutting staff and services. We realized that if we were going to send both kids to college, we needed to stop paying this excessive tuition and start saving for college. So we decided to enroll both kids in our proper district public high school. The problem is our daughter played AAU basketball with many players and a person associated with the coaching staff from that high school during this last summer. We just received a decision from CIF of ineligibility thru this season till the start of the next school year. The CIF stated my concerns were “Personal in nature and a personal choice.” I couldn’t agree more! My finances and choices for my daughter’s education are very personal. I feel my daughter is being penalized because of changes in my financial situation and the decision I had to make to be able to save for a college education for both kids. We are looking for any assistance in this matter. Thank you.
Craig,
What school and what section? You will most likely need to get a lawyer. Unfortunately, the CIF does not consider finances a hardship. They usually tell you that you should have foreseen the financial situation coming. The private school that you attended most likely opposed your transfer as well, which doesn’t help your argument. The fact that your child played on an AAU team with a member of the new schools coaching staff is considered pre-enrollment contact and they will contend that your transfer was athletically motivated.
You can file an appeal, which I encourage you to do immediately because your clock is ticking. This is not likely to work in your favor with the CIF as they very rarely overrule the local commissioner. It is important to show the courts that you have exhausted all remedies with the CIF. You should also know that the CIF will do everything they can to delay until the season is over. You should start your fight immediately. If I knew what school and which section you are in I could probably give you more specific advice.
Thank you for your reply in this matter.
We are in the Sac-Joaquin section of CIF. We came from El Dorado Adventist School in Placerville. We transferred into Union Mine H.S. in El Dorado.
I don’t believe the private school opposed the move. It was noted they could not sign the CIF form because they heard of the AAU coach’s association with the new high school.
This move came about because while we were enrolling our younger daughter in the public school, our older daughter was present during counseling sessions and decided she also wanted the greater variety of educational options of classes combined with the greater resources at the public school. The other school was good but it was so small and limited in all these areas.
Once again, thank you for your time.
Craig
The appeals board members are hired and paid for by CIF, they don’t go against the commission. They are not stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds them. It is a rigged system with the judge, jury and appeals court all working together, bringing down judgements to justify their existence. See – we found many violations so we are a needed regulatory body. Quota filling misguided rent a cop wanna be’s.
My sons school has had several problems with the CIF and NCS. Can anyone recommend someone to contact? I tried to email Christian Hendricks but the email bounced back.
What type of problems? and who are you looking to contact, a CIF Representative, a community advocate, or a lawyer?
I guess you did not know that No One holds them accountable, and to make matters worse if they make a ruling and you decide to appeal the ruling, the appeals board is selected by them and paid by them. There is no way to receive a fair hearing from the CIF or CCS or any other section.
Our appeal was revealing in that you are not allowed to appeal the ruling on the original grounds or determination. You must make your appeal based on new grounds not previously considered by the Section. That is what we did. However the appeals board can ignore and not even respond the new grounds for your appeal but rather make a “final” ruling of the appeal based on the original section finding.
Yes, this is true. In our case we appealed the finding on procedural violations. The procedural violations were not addressed in the appeals hearing by the section commissioner or the panel members on the appeals board. The section commissioner argued against our appeal by making statements referring to the original ruling of “athletic motivation” for the school transfer but did not respond to our claim of procedural violations.
Ultimately, the appeals board wrote a new finding that decided in favor of upholding the Section sanctions placed on our child, stating that they decided the transfer was athletically motivated. Their finding did not make a single mention of their consideration of our appeals claim that a procedural violation had occurred. In essence, our appeal was not actually considered.
This relationship is questionable and suspicious. If the appeals board members are hired by and paid for by the CIF themselves how can anyone expect to get a fair trial. The appeals panel knows that if they rule against the Sections or CIF there is a good chance that they will not be hired again to do this job.
This is the fox being asked to guard the hen house.
Yes I agree with view on this matter with CIF
their setup for the appeal process. If you’re
will to discuss this matter further, please feel free to call me. 323.687.3900
My son is now being denied by CIF
Why is your son being denied? Which school? contact me direct at paynesj@att.net
Hi,
I have a situation where my daughter has an IEP due to ADD and anxiety, but excels at sports. However, getting the IEP took over two years and the school she transferred from continually did not offer Free and Appropriate Education that was supposed to be given in her IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Each meeting with the principal and administration was horrible and adversarial. She qualifies under section 504 of Americans with Disabilities act. She was being bullied by girls at her old school in addition to the major problems with administration not being empathetic to a student with a disability, we had no choice but to move her to a new school. The NCS director tells us she moved because she had a problem with the previous coach, which was not true at all. I have asked him to send me proof of this information, I believe we have that right. But if he does not reverse his ruling I want to file a TRO and then a lawsuit.
So here we were fighting a school for two years for her civil rights for a free and appropriate education, and finally decide to switch schools instead of filing a lawsuit then are told by NCS she transferred because she wanted to follow the coach… This is absurd, and unfounded.
Jennifer,
Ultimately, the cif answers to the state legislature. What is needed is a strong push to the legislature from around the state to demand action by the legislature. Other states legislatures (Illinois most recently) have demanded accountability of the state governing bodies of high school sports.
Have you seen the CIF’s recent behavior with regards to the Santa Monica Baseball team? First they declare Peninsula High School
Baseball team disqualified for batting practice (rule states “may” result in forfeit) then choose to not enforce rule 1519 when Santa Monica clears their bench to engage in an altercation with other team! I don’t have high school athletes yet and I am appalled at the behavior of this self governing board! Who holds them accountable? http://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-vi-baseball-santa-monica-appears-to-have-avoided-more-controversy-20140531-story.html
Check my response.
In the other case the private school moved to a new location about 35 miles north making it difficult for the family to get the child to school. They were also told they should have foreseen they hardship. In their mind there is no such thing as a financial hardship.
Unfortunately, the new change to hardship rule is not the real issue. They would have likely ruled the same way without the rule change. I had two friends about 7 years ago with the same circumstances and both was ruled ineligible.
One case was exactly like yours and the parents where told they should have foreseen the hardship.
What section and which schools?
Southern section – bishop amat and south hills
I have a child that attended his freshman year and half of sophomore year at a private school. Due to situations beyond my control my finances changed and my monthly bring home pay was reduced 2000$ per month. I had to pull my child and place him in the local public school. I filed a CIF hardship and learned that in 2014 that financial hardships are no longer considered. does this mean even though i cannot afford private school my son has to suffer and sit out for 30 days. The CIF officials live in an ivory tower and make unrealistic rules. does anyone know how a financial hardship can be considered – or does my child have to further suffer?
CIF and the California School System are additional examples as to why the public sector is shamelessly a disaster when asked to manage anything. I am logging a formal complaint with the California Board of Education, my District (again) as well as CIF. A local guy new some people at the district office. That turned into firing the current coach, launching a bogus investigation only to remove him from the school so they could use his job position for the new guy. The school said they looked long and far, just there luck they found a guy that had not coached for years and previously lost more than he won. His last school he went 0-15. Prior to this year our team had gone deep into the playoffs further than ever, this year 1-9 in league. The season was beyond a joke, the organization was a joke, the school is allowing the program to use an illegal booster (per CBOE and District Guidelines). Not only did we just so happen to stumble on to this coach a few weeks before season, it just so happens he has a friend in town of 20 plus years that just happens to have a 6’8 player living with with his family that had attended a new school each of his High School Years, oh did I mention the family is all white and the player is African American so its unlikely they can use they were family. The same player also assaulted another player causing significant bodily harm and the school only gave him a week off.The new coach also had coaches not cleared working in his program and was trying to recruit kids in intermediate school which too is a no, no.. Lets see if we can get CIF off their big lazy butts to deal with these obvious infractions.
Well then maybe the team simply has many very good players that the coach is playing instead of your daughter because, in high school, that is what most coaches do if they want to be a dominant team and he wants to keep his job. Public schools are definitely not allowed to recruit so if it is happening there is a problem.
My understanding is that the CIF only bother to do their job if someone complains and the complaints are substantiated.
To get more playing time for your daughter you might have to sign her up for a club team in the mean time, if the school allows that.
Best of luck
yeah there are a lot of good players on the team an the coach is a good coach.. But I may just move here to a different school
Rules will not be changing over night or maybe never. Unfortunately, CIF rules are created to prevent recruiting and therefore an unfair advantage to the schools that can and do recruit like the one your daughter is in, but CIF jurisdiction only goes so far. Apparently certain schools are allowed to recruit and are allowed to compete against schools that can not. They are usually private schools (De La Salle High School comes to mind) like the one your daughter is attending.
I would recommend you save your money and send your daughter to a public school that will allow her to be recognized for her athletic ability. College scholarships are easier to get for athletes(less competition) and if your daughter is a good student she will do well at a public school too.
This rule is no different than the CIF rule that allows some kids to use cleats at certain cross country meets while not allowing others. It gives an unfair advantage to kids with cleats when running in wet weather like it did this year at the Mt Sac meet, but the CIF can’t manage to figure out how to make fair and equal rules and therefore an equal playing field for athletes. They are just really bad at their job.
It is a public school. It is the top academic school in sac. They only take 300 kids per year and have a lot today for the kids that make the cut. Because there are so many kids tring to get in.
My daughter goes to a school that is a college prep school and it is tough, She loves basket ball but don’t get to play much because the coach use a school with lower academic standers to send girls to that don’t have sports so he can recruit players. Its not fair she has to compete with recruited players and another school to play for her team. 3 of the starters alone are from the other school and its the same way on the boys team. My daughter worked hard;. read books in the summer took a exam to get in the school and did community serves to get in the school. Now she sits on the bench and watches all these girls that done work half as hard as she does play. ITs not fair to her…. BUT yeat I would have to give up the great education she is getting for her to get a fair chance for playing time. The coaches favor these lkids and put them first. That’s how they get them to play there… WHAT CAN I DO?
We are preparing for an appeal regarding sanctions put on our child to stop her from competing for this entire year. The AD in this case was actually instructed by a CCS representative to approve the transfer even though he had suspicions of certain contact violations which we discussed with him. In essence, the AD was instructed by CCS to lie to us, lie on the transfer document and then work to build a case against our child regarding the transfer. Had he simply marked the box stating that he had issues with the transfer and informed us of the potential issues (providing Athletic Direction to his athletes as you think would be part of his job) it is highly likely we would have reconsidered the transfer. Now it has become a legal battle that will likely cost us greatly but it needs to be fought. We are urgently looking for a lawyer to help if you can recommend one. Thanks.
Have you found anyone, Bill? We also are looking for some legal assistance in fighting the harshness of Rule 207 in our son’s unique, individual case. We are in CCS. The new rules allow no flexibility or consideration of “the best interests of the child” as required by California law. They must be nullifed and rewritten fairly!!
No, we have yet to find a found a lawyer. We are hoping to find one with some experience with cases such as this. It does seem that we are not the only ones in such a position. We will let you know if we find someone that might be able to help. Unfortunately, CCS or CIF has made the appeal process very restrictive and challenging as well, by design I am assuming.
Best of luck.
Bob Ottollie has beat CIF on numerous occasions. Tell him Stewart Payne referred you. (619) 231-4841
Contact Bob Ottollie attorney at law. Tell him Stewart Payne told you to call.
Thanks for the referal, can you tell me why you recommended him? Does he have experience with CIF cases?
Spoke with Bob about a CIF matter, not impressed in the least. Seems to be quite a fan of CIF and their practices. But call and be insulted yourselves.
Bill,
Yes, he has beat them several times. He is vicious and they are afraid of him. Here is his number (619) 231-4841
I would be happy to share my experiences of September 2009 where a private school in the CCS lied and falsified documents to stop my kids from participating in athletics. The CCS commissioner then jumped on the band wagon and became irrational. We had to hire an attorney and go through the appeals process where the AD admitted lying on his written statement and admitted the head coach falsified a document. We won the appeal, but GUESS WHAT? No sanctions against the AD and coach.
Just saw your post. Can you please email, us we have a case similar to yours and the coach also received no sanctions and has remained in his postion where many beleive the coach maybe be continuing problematic behavior. We are interested to know how much you spent on legal in this case see us on CCS Watchdog on WordPress or email us at: CCSWatchdog@gmail.com. So far CCS has denied any cases like yours have ever existed. They do not appear to have large legal bills until the 2010-11 tax year. Much of that may have been realted to a CalPERS audit, but hte legal fees appear to be escalaing lately and we have been flooded with families that have issues similar to yours. CCS often claim legal fees are realted to litigous parents, not to their own improper behavior. We are anxious to know if a conflict of itnerest may also have been present with your case that would have subjected you to unnessary legal expenses. If there are enough of these , it may warrant a class action suit to recover legal fees families incured legal fees to fight for their children’s rights when CCS officials acjust to retain their rights for their children in a clearly biased Section. Do you know where the coach and AD went, could they still be a problem for other athtltes that can’t fight or spend money on lawyers?
We are looking at a case where a coach and school gave false information and an athlete at a new school was kept form competing in Section finals. The coach and school who provided false information were never sanctioned as CIF rules claim they should be, and went on to win the Section Championship the ahttles in question was kept from competing in. May be some bad people playing the rules to their benefit at the expense of teams and athletes doing the right thing! CIF and Sections are not going after schools and athletes equally. We are finding so many huge issues with the Central Coast Section. If there is mismanagment and fraud, may open up class action lawsuits to have all these cases reviewed and decisions overturned!
School being penalized in a manner that hurts everyone… even though the school in question had no idea of the problem… and when found out they alerted CIF.
CIF is not looking out for the best interest of the Kids involved!
http://www.pe.com/sports/high-school/hsg-schools/hsg-headlines/20111024-football-vista-murrieta-forfeits-five-victories.ece
please call Ken at 530-227-5855
CIF Is overcharging schools and districts for membership. In the San Diego Section, Schools are required to pay $1.80 per student enrolled at the school. of these funds, $1.15 goes to the local CIF and $.65 goes to the state CIF what we belief to be legal fees. In the district that I reside approximately 35% of the total student population participates in athletics. That leaves 65% of the student population that receives no benefit for the $1.80 spent on their behalf. This results in the district being overcharge about nearly $30,000.00