Marin coaches fear that the surge of COVID-19 cases, coupled with the recent decisions by the Los Angeles and San Diego school districts to remain online only, will lead state high school officials to postpone football and other fall sports next week.

“I’m trying to be more optimistic for the kids, but with the spikes we’re having now, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” San Marin High football coach Dom DiMare said over the phone Tuesday. “I’m more optimistic for it starting later than sooner.”

“I try to stay positive about everything, but this one’s kind of tough,” Tamalpais High football coach and teacher Matthew LemMon added. “I don’t think they’ll cancel it altogether, I think it’s more likely they move it somewhere else like January.”

There’s a possibility that the California Interscholastic Federation will deem certain sports such as golf, tennis and cross country safe enough to play when it meets Monday. Golf courses, tennis courts and running trails have been open to the public for months. But coaches of those sports aren’t feeling much more confident about the announcement.

“My best guess is that they will start everything in January partly because I think everything is just too challenging for the schools right now to get their head around,” Drake cross country coach Robyn Berry said.

“I’m hoping that they’re open-minded enough to let some sports play and not be all or nothing,” Terra Linda golf coach Steve Troya said. “But I’m just not overly optimistic right now. I wish I were. I never thought that this would last as long as it has.”

Postponing all fall sports to January — a move made by community colleges last week — would pose another web of issues involving field space, lighting and referee shortages. But there seems to be a consensus among high school coaches that having a plan to play again is the priority, no matter the new conditions.

“I know other coaches have echoed different scenarios and would rather have football stay the same season and things like that,” DiMare said. “The fact is, nothing is the same anymore. We have to be able to adapt in order to have a season.”

Coaches have already adjusted to health guidelines by keeping summer conditioning programs split into 12-person pods this month. Social distancing didn’t deter turnout at workouts as coaches have reported huge participation numbers at San Rafael, Tam and San Marin, to name a few. Football, even in its most grueling form, had been sorely missed.

“It’s been a good form of therapy for everyone,” Marin Catholic football coach Mazi Moayed said. “Kids being around their buddies, moving around, running around just as they’ve been doing all their lives. I think everyone felt refreshed to be out there around each other. It’s been really good and healthy.”

It’s difficult to dispute the mental health benefits associated with reviving team sports after months spent in isolation. It’s even harder, however, to weigh those effects against the potential spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“All I know is if it is a yes, we have a lot of work to do our jobs as the coaches and the adults to make sure the kids are safe in their return,” Marin Catholic girls volleyball coach Jake Spain said. “That’s the biggest concern.”

Marin officials have yet to decide if schools will reopen for the fall.