05/29/2026
⚠️ATTENTION CIF SAC-JOAQUIN FAMILIES⚠️
❄️THIS INVOLVES YOUR STUDENTS TOO❄️
Many families throughout the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section are completely unaware that Truckee High School and North Tahoe High School have been “granted” full CIF membership beginning in Fall 2028.
At first glance, that may not sound like a big deal.
But for many schools, student-athletes, coaches, and families throughout the section, it could have very concerning impacts.
⸻
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) is being mandated by the State of California to leave the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association - NIAA—a league we have belonged to for more than 40 years and one that was long considered the safer travel option for our student-athletes—and join California’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section.
The reason for this forced move is that our schools have become caught in a political tug-of-war following a policy change by the NIAA requiring participation in sports based on biological s*x.
While it has been publicly acknowledged that no transgender students have been identified as being harmed by TTUSD’s participation in the NIAA, the California Department of Education is still requiring our district to leave.
The result?
Schools throughout the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section may soon find themselves routinely traveling to and from the Tahoe Basin for league competition.
⸻
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Travel to Truckee and North Tahoe is not the same as traveling to neighboring communities.
During the winter months, teams would be driving over Donner Summit—a mountain pass that routinely experiences chain controls, severe winter storms, whiteout conditions, accidents and road closures.
So, this is not your typical league travel.
Even TTUSD itself has repeatedly acknowledged concerns regarding winter weather, transportation challenges, scheduling disruptions, and impacts on student-athletes and families.
The risks and logistical challenges are actually alarming to many of us and those issues have been publicly discussed by our community for more than a year.
⸻
WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR STUDENTS?
• Travel over a mountain pass that routinely experiences severe winter weather
• More required travel time
• Impacts to instructional time
• Very late-night returns from competitions
• Additional weather-related cancellations and delays
• More scheduling complications for athletes, coaches, officials, staff, and families
• Increased risk of weather-related delays, road closures, and, in some cases, unexpected overnight stays when travel conditions deteriorate
These are not new concerns. They are the same concerns Tahoe- Truckee families, coaches, students, and community members have repeatedly raised throughout this process.
⸻
THE QUESTION MANY FAMILIES ARE NOW ASKING
Were the schools, parents, coaches, and communities throughout the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section ever consulted about these impacts?
Were your families given an opportunity to weigh in before these decisions were made?
Were the communities that may soon be expected to make these trips ever asked whether they supported them?
Because our observation is that many families still don’t even know this is happening.
⸻
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you’re concerned about what routine travel over Donner Summit could mean for your student-athletes, coaches, schools, and families, please:
• Share this post so other CIF Sac-Joaquin families understand what is happening
• Talk with your school’s athletic director, principal, coaches, and district leadership
• Ask questions about travel, scheduling, weather delays, and instructional impacts
• Attend meetings and make your voice heard
• Contact elected officials and education leaders and share your concerns
Even a short, respectful email asking decision-makers to review the impacts on student-athletes, travel, scheduling, safety, and instructional time can help.
Tahoe-Truckee families have been attending meetings, sending emails, making phone calls, filing complaints, speaking during public comment, and asking decision-makers to reconsider this decision since May 2025.
Yet despite all of that, the process continues to move forward.
But this will not just affect our children and our families - it may affect yours too.
CONTACTS
Tony Thurmond
California Superintendent of Public Instruction
(916) 319-0800
[email protected]
California Department of Education
[email protected]
(916) 319-0800
Direct Investigations Office
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 5319
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
[email protected]
Marie Alvarado-Gil
California State Senator
(916) 651-4004
[email protected]
Heather Hadwick
California Assemblymember
(916) 319-2001
(530) 265-0601 (Grass Valley & Jackson Offices)
https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD01&inframe=N
Kevin Kiley
U.S. Congressman
(916) 724-2575
(202) 225-2523
https://kiley.house.gov/contact
Kerstin Kramer
Superintendent, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District
(530) 582-2500
[email protected]
TTUSD Board of Trustees
Dianna Driller (Board President) — [email protected]
Patrick Mooney — [email protected]
Kirsten Livak — [email protected]
Cris Hennessey — [email protected]
Denyelle Nishimori — [email protected]
The more people who understand what is happening, the more likely decision-makers are to listen.
We hope CIF Sac-Joaquin families will take the time to learn about the issues, ask questions, and make their voices heard as well.
Because if this transition moves forward, we are all in this together.
Tahoe-Truckee Save Our Sports 💙❤️
