The CIF-Southern Section Council, the CIF-SS legislative body, today approved a proposal that will change the running-clock rule in boys and girls basketball. Henceforth, at any time the lead in a game reaches 40 or more points a running clock will be implemented if agreed upon by coaches of both teams. Previously, the running clock was used once a 40-point lead occurred in the fourth quarter only.
Also, the proposal that would have no longer made it mandatory for softball base coaches to wear a helmet was denied.
The Council also got a first look at an upcoming proposal that would change the way teams are placed into playoff divisions for football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls volleyball, boys and girls water polo, boys and girls soccer, baseball and softball.
No longer would those sports’ teams from the same league be sent to the same playoff division. If the proposal passes when it comes to a vote at the next Council session in January, teams would be placed into playoff divisions by a formula that uses teams regular season records, strength of scheduled and Southern Section playoff results over a two-year period.
This system would rely upon schools regularly and consistently reporting their regular-season and playoff results to the Southern Section. Schools that do not provide that data will not be elgible for CIF-SS playoffs in whatever sport that data is lacking.
The CIF-SS office has for two years a system in place in which such data is easily input.
The number of playoff representatives from each league would not change.
The sports with individual championships in them, like tennis, cross country, golf, track and field and wrestling, would continue to be treated as they have in previous years and currently.
