Dead week period creates time to enjoy the summer

The dead week period for sports for California is from June 30-July 8.

The Summer Dead Period started in 2010.

Jason West, the Communications Director at the MSHSAA, said the main purpose of the dead period is to allow people a chance to enjoy the summer.

"There are constantly things going at member schools: practices, weight lifting, etc," West said. "This allows everyone involved time to step away, be it administrators that need to open facilities up, coaches or athletes coming for camps or practices, even parents who are transporting students. Most of the membership make the decision on when its dead period would be as soon as they can to give families enough time to plan vacations and such."

West said the earliest a dead period can start for a school is the Saturday following the school's last day of classes or the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. West said the latest possible dead period would end on the Sunday before the first allowable high school fall practice.

The dead period is a big benefit to students, mentally.

"Probably the biggest benefit to a student's body is the mental recuperation time," West said. "Especially for those multi-sports athletes and/or coaches, they are able to take a break from the daily grind. They are able to enjoy time with their families."