CIF Southern Section

Information for Membership

2019/20 School Year

All materials and fees must be What is CIF? Presently, Southern Section dues are $50 per sport offered. Dues are received by April 1 to be considered

payable by October 1 of each for membership and eligibility for The California Interscholastic membership year. the following school year. There are Federation is a union of over 1,700 no exceptions to this deadline. member schools both public and private. CIF is empowered by the State How to Apply Applications and supporting materials Legislature to administer high school will only be accepted electronically as sports in the State of California. Download the attached application PDF files. Refer to attached from www.cifss.org, located under the application for additional information. Southern Section is one of ten Sections Resources, FORMS tabs. Complete all in the State of California who have fields and obtain all required Application Process joined together to form the Federation. signatures. Upon receipt of the completed The Federation is governed by the The following list of items MUST be membership form, a member of the State CIF office located in Alameda, submitted with the completed and CIF Southern Section Executive California. signed application in order to be Committee will be assigned to visit the

considered complete: school and interview the principal and By becoming a member, a school may athletic director about the school’s participate in interscholastic 1. Previous October State of proposed athletic program. competitions in 26 varsity sports. California Department of Schools are eligible for all Section Education affidavit form The Executive Committee member championships as well as State (CBED’s) will review planned facilities, athletic championships in the sports of: personnel qualifications, and , , cross country, 2. Vitae of the Principal and Athletic administration knowledge of bylaws football, , , , track Director(s) and policies. and field, girls’ , and After a review at a public meeting, the . 3. Coaching staff names and Executive Committee can grant full qualifications membership, probationary How CIF Operates membership, or decline to grant 4. Promotional materials of the Member schools pledge to follow all membership. school, including its mission and rules contained in the State and Section curriculum, and graduation Full, Unrestricted Membership Bylaws. The Principal of every high requirements school is responsible for the operation 1. May participate as freelance or in of his/her program and compliance 5. Application fee of $100 a league at varsity level with all rules. The membership application must 2. May enter playoffs if criteria set Dues are paid yearly to both the contain a realistic assessment of the in each sport is met Section and the State office and are sports to be offered. The requirement is 3. May be represented at Council if collected to offset the costs of legal and to field at least one sport per season part of a league liability, operation of the offices, (Fall, Winter, Spring) and there must championships, awards and other be provisions for equal participation by costs. males and females. CIFSS Membership Information Revised May, 2018 1 | Page

Probationary Membership If approved to join a league, all sports Failure to comply with Bylaws offered by the school will play within may result in loss or suspension of 1. May play at only level(s) specified the league. Participation cannot be membership. in application for the first year Freelance in some sports and league in other sports. Dues are to be paid in a timely 2. Not eligible for entry into playoffs manner. In the event dues become Freelance schools may participate in delinquent, a school may forfeit 3. Any violation of CIF Bylaws championships if entry criteria is met. the opportunity to play in may results in suspension of championships and place membership CIF-SS Governance membership status at risk. 4. Membership status will be CIF-SS is run by its member school reviewed by the Executive Perhaps the most important administrators. Many people believe Committee at the completion of its responsibility is the certification the Section office creates the specific first year of membership; may be of athletic eligibility. The Section rules they administer, this is not granted full membership at that offers several meetings every correct. August-September for key school time or remain probationary. personnel to review the Bylaws CIF Southern Section schools are and hear about any important Next Steps organized into leagues. Each league changes. chooses a representative to the After the Executive Committee has Section Council. Council presently acted on the membership request, the Administrators and Athletic has 88 leagues and five at-large office will notify the school of the Directors are urged to attend representatives empowered to cast Committee decision. annually. votes on issues from sport rules to Schools accepted for membership Constitutional changes. Council Sports must attend an orientation meeting meets three times each year. before the membership can be Fall Section business is conducted under activated. B&G Cross Country, Field the Brown Act. Meetings are open to Hockey, Football, Girls Golf, the public and the agenda is posted 72 New member schools will participate Girls Tennis, Traditional hours before every meeting. Every with freelance status without a specific Competitive Cheer, Girls league representative has one vote on league affiliation. All sports will Volleyball, Boys’ compete as freelance teams and/or behalf of that league. individuals during that time. Winter The policy-making body of the B&G Basketball, B&G Soccer, Section is the Executive Committee. In Fall 2016, the Southern Section will Traditional Competitive Cheer, Executive Committee members are begin to prepare for the 2018-2022 Girls Water Polo, elected and serve terms of up to four Releaguing Cycle. At that point, new B&G Wrestling years. Some members are appointed schools may be part of the Releaguing by the Executive Committee or by process with other schools in the Spring their governing agency. The desired participation area. Badminton, , Executive Committee reviews policy Competitive Sport Cheer, Boys Should new member schools wish to items, makes recommendations on Golf, Gymnastics, join a league prior to the Releaguing State and Section items, and reviews B&G , , process, the steps are listed below: budget and personnel items. B&G Swimming & Diving, Boys Tennis, B&G Track & 1. Contact a league and request to School Responsibilities Field, Traditional Competitive join Cheer, Boys Volleyball Membership in CIF requires

2. All current schools within the administrators at member schools league must give unanimous understand and comply with all of approval Bylaws and policies of CIF. The completion and accuracy of forms, entries and applications for eligibility are the responsibility of the school.

CIFSS Membership Information Revised May, 2018 2 | Page

CIF Information

Download a copy of the CIFSS Blue Book Bylaws at www.cifss.org, located under the RESOURCES tab.

More detailed information on each area discussed in the Membership Information can be found in the CIFSS Blue Book Bylaws.

CIF Southern Section 10932 Pine Street Los Alamitos, California 90720 Telephone: 562-493-9500 www.cifss.org

CIF State Office Telephone: 916-239-4477 www.cifstate.org

NFHS Telephone: 317-972-6900 www.nfhs.org

CIFSS Membership Information Revised May, 2018 3 | Page