As the prospects of starting prep football practice in December grew dimmer with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, California’s public health secretary Friday said his office is close to releasing guidelines for high school and youth sports.

“Stay tuned, it will come out soon,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary.

Speaking during a video presentation about how the state is confronting the spike in cases, Ghaly said his office is holding conversations with the stakeholders of high school and youth sports before releasing a plan. Ghaly said public health officials want to make sure they understand what is possible while “respecting the fact we are seeing a surge in cases.”

The start of the California high school sports season was pushed back to December in hopes that medical researchers would create a vaccine or treatment to let people return to their regular activities. So far, the timetable seems premature as national health leaders say a vaccine might not be ready until late spring at the earliest.

Now the proposed start of the football season is coming just as state and local authorities tighten restrictions to help stop the rising numbers exploding across the country. Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said Friday that her county could fall into the purple tier — the most restrictive in the state’s reopening system — if the surge is not under control in the coming weeks.

“COVID is driving the bus,” said Brad Metheany, Santa Clara Valley Athletic League commissioner.

Metheany, whose league includes 14 county schools, said coaches, athletic directors and administrators are willing to change their schedule quickly to let students play.

“As we stand right now the state, the governor has to declare we can have competitive athletics,” he said. “Until that step occurs, we’re a no go.”

And once state public health officials announce guidelines, then schools must wait for directions from the California Interscholastic Federation, county public health officers and district superintendents, Metheany said.

Although teenagers are in a lower risk category than older adults, school officials say they understand the ramifications of a campus outbreak.

Monta Vista-Cupertino football coach Ceazar Agront said the Matadors had a scare about three weeks ago when a player tested positive for COVID-19.

Agront said Friday that the rest of his players tested negative for a virus that has led to more than 240,000 deaths in the United States. California this week passed the 1 million mark for the number of coronavirus cases, officials reported.

“It happened to one kid that doesn’t show up to practice that much,” said Agront, adding that the player’s entire family contracted the virus. “He came out one day and started feeling symptoms,” the coach said.

Agront said the rest of his players were protected because of the protocols in place for team practices. He said the Matadors are together in small groups, wear face masks and keep the proper social distance. High school teams are not allowed to begin regular drills until public health officials approve.

“The worry is the pods and protocols put in place were not followed,” Metheany said. “It turned out that wasn’t the case.”

Agront said the player told him Friday morning that he is out of quarantine and doing well.

Metheany said he knows of only three COVID-19-related cases involving Bay Area high school football teams. He said it has been a relief that so few cases have been reported. He said the low number indicates high school coaches and players have done a good job following the guidelines for summer and fall training.

In July, CIF officials announced they had created a two-season schedule instead of the traditional fall, winter and spring sports structure. Beyond football, Season One is scheduled to include cross-country, field hockey, boys and girls volleyball and boys and girls water polo.

Football practice with pads is scheduled to start Dec. 7 in the North Coast Section and Dec. 14 in the Central Coast Section, with the first games targeted for Jan. 8.

“We’re prepared to scramble and change paths when our leaders tell us the directional path we’re allowed to go,” said Metheany, whose league is in the CCS.

Metheany, a former Monta Vista athletic director, said his colleagues no longer worry about how to have a complete season with playoffs.

Now, he said, “let’s just have something fun for kids to do. Until those leaders make those decisions, we can’t adjust. We’re flying in the wind.”