Get ready for virtual coin toss, emphasis on ‘having fun’ for City Section football games

City Section football coaches turned on their computers and phones and participated in their annual coaches meeting to hear about rules and regulations and ask questions of sports administrators on Thursday as they move forward with a season starting with games on April 9 and ending on April 30.

Among the more intriguing tidbits is that the officials will hold a virtual coin toss the night before with coaches to decide which team will kick off and which team will receive the ball.

“That’s wild,” Garfield coach Lorenzo Hernandez said when told about the idea. “You won’t be losing any sleep on who takes possession.”

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The Los Angeles Unified School District has approved a football season but with lots of safety protocols required during the coronavirus pandemic. There will be required weekly testing for coaches and players. Officials and volunteers also will be allowed to be tested. Two buses will be provided to each school for road games, allowing for 24 players in each bus.

“Our emphasis is on having fun,” City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos told the coaches.

Players are required to participate in 10 practices to play in a game. Scrimmages are considered practices and teams would be responsible for any transportation or official costs for scrimmages.

Player academic eligibility will be based on March 24 grades. The LAUSD is not allowing two-sport athletes. Charter schools do not have to follow the LAUSD guidance.

That policy hurts San Pedro, where two-sport standout Dylan Kordic will be limited to playing quarterback for the Pirates until April 30, then join the baseball team, where he is a third baseman.

Schools were told that if they could schedule any games on Saturday, that would help with a shortage of officials. LAUSD will pay stipends for five coaches (three varsity and two junior varsity).

Still to be finalized is which schools are not going to field a team. Confirmed as not having teams are Eagle Rock, Franklin, Torres, University, East Valley and Locke.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidelines do not allow cheerleaders to be on the sideline during games. Still be decided is whether parents will be allowed to attend LAUSD games.