REDDING —  The Northern Section officially approved the 2020-21 prep sports calendar during a Board of Managers meeting held Wednesday.

The calendar that was approved was the same calendar proposed on Sept. 1.

The calendar is a hybrid between two seasons, fall and spring, and a third season, which is a slightly condensed season that concludes with the section playoffs, but also has less overlap in seasons for multi-sport athletes.

Schools will have to decide by Sept. 25 which calendar to use for competition.

The fall sports season will consist of cross-country, football, field hockey, ski and snowboard, volleyball and basketball. Spring will be football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, wrestling, baseball, golf, softball, swimming, tennis and track and field.

The “three-season” model will includes football, soccer and basketball, but does not offer an opportunity to qualify for California Interscholastic Federation regional and state championships.

The earliest possible start for football would be Jan. 7 with practice beginning Dec. 14. That would apply to the “three-season” football schedule.

For schools opting to play football in the spring, competition would begin March 5 with practice starting Feb. 15.

All of this, however, depends on the California Department of Public Health loosening restrictions for youth sports.

CDPH currently prohibits outdoor and indoor sporting events and any other activities that require close contact or promote congregating.

Butte County is currently listed in the state’s purple tier, which is the most restrictive.