Two Central Coast counties now eligible to allow high-contact outdoor sports

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) Two Central Coast counties, Monterey and San Benito, have a low enough adjusted case rate to qualify to offer outdoor high-contact sports as of Tuesday, according to state data.

Normally, high-contact outdoor recreational sports for youth and adults are only allowed in the orange, or moderate, tier of the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, but counties with an adjusted case rate of 14 per 100,000 or lower are allowed to offer them.

Monterey County has an adjusted case rate of 10.1, and San Benito County has an adjusted case rate of 10.0.

The outdoor high-contact sports include:

• Basketball
• Football
• Ice hockey
• Lacrosse (boys/men)
• Rugby
• Rowing/crew (with 2 or more people)
• Soccer
• Water polo

Participants and coaches will be required to undergo PCR or antigen testing every week.

The case rate also allows for outdoor moderate-contact sports without a testing requirement. They include:

• Badminton (doubles)
• Baseball
• Cheerleading
• Dodgeball
• Field hockey
• Gymnastics
• Kickball
• Lacrosse (girls/women)
• Pickleball (doubles)
• Softball
• Tennis (doubles)
• Volleyball

Santa Cruz County already had a low enough adjusted case rate before the Tuesday update. All three counties are still in the purple tier.

Read more about the state's guidance for youth and adult recreational sports here.