Change Ahead for High School Sports Data in California

In a surprising turn of events, the popular high school sports data website, Calpreps.com, has announced that it will cease operations, leaving sports fans and organizations across California concerned. Known for providing national schedules, scores, ratings, and projections especially for high school football, Calpreps has been a go-to source for many years.

On its website, Calpreps shared an official statement regarding its closure, which was noted by fans who rely heavily on the data. With the playoffs approaching in various sports, this decision could significantly complicate the postseason selection processes in several states, including California.

To shed some light on the situation, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Executive Director, Ron Nocetti, shared that he learned of the decision this past Sunday. He acknowledged the critical role that rankings and data play in seeding and selecting teams for playoffs. “We’re going to take time to assess the situation and talk with appropriate parties and make decisions from there,” he stated. Nocetti emphasized the governing body’s commitment to explore other options amidst this unexpected change.

California is comprised of 10 sections organized by region, with the Southern Section being the largest, hosting around 600 schools. Many of these sections also relied on Calpreps for playoff seeding in various sports. Southern Section Assistant Commissioner, Thom Simmons, assured that they had backup plans ready for such situations. “We have never relied on one outlet for these playoff divisions,” he mentioned.

As high school sports fans await further details, this disruption serves as a reminder of the importance of reliability in sports data management and the potential impact on competitive opportunities for student-athletes.