CIF North Coast Section

The North Coast Section (NCS) is a part of the California Interscholastic Federation, governing the eastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, up along the northern coast of the state of California, from Fremont in the south to Crescent City in the north. It also governs the private schools in the city of Oakland. Due to this split in regions, the section is split in two for some championships, including football.

Governance
The section is governed by a board of managers, whose voting members include representatives from member leagues, superintendents, school board associations and private schools. There are 171 member schools, assigned to leagues or conferences according to NCS Alignment and Classification Bylaws developed by the schools.

Conference and League Structure
The following are the conferences and leagues:
 * Coastal Mountain Conference (Redwood Empire)
 * North Central League I - 8 schools
 * North Central League III - 8 schools
 * Bay Area Conference (East Bay)
 * Bay Counties League - 7 schools
 * Bay Counties League - West (BCL West) - 7 schools
 * Bay Counties League (BCL East) - 7 schools
 * Bay Counties League - Central (BCL Central) - 7 schools
 * Valley Conference (East Bay)
 * Bay Valley Athletic League (BVAL) - 6 schools
 * Diablo-Foothill Athletic League (DFAL) - 7 schools
 * East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) - 9 schools
 * Diablo Valley Athletic League (DVAL) - 7 schools
 * Bay Shore Conference (East Bay)
 * Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League (ACCAL) - 7 schools (No longer exists, most schools are in the new TCAL)
 * Bay Shore Athletic League (BSAL) - 10 schools (No longer exists, most schools are in the new TCAL)
 * Hayward Area Athletic League (HAAL) - 9 schools (No longer exists)
 * Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) - 7 schools
 * West Alameda County Conference - 12 schools
 * Humboldt-Del Norte Conference (Redwood Empire)
 * Big 5 – (HDNL) 5 schools
 * Little 4 – (HDNL) 4 schools
 * Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino Conference (Redwood Empire)
 * North Bay League (NBL) - 9 schools
 * Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) - 10 schools
 * Sonoma County League (SCL) - 7 schools

Playoff Structure
The section employs 5 different classes, 4A, 3A, 2A, A, and B. Depending on the sport, the "classes" may be represented by Divisions: I, II, III, IV, V, & VI, with DI being the largest schools, and DVI being the smallest. Some sports, including football, split the 3A and 2A sections into East Bay, for most of the Section's Bay Area schools, and Redwood Empire, for schools from Marin County north to the Oregon border. The section has championships in badminton, baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.

Sports History
History of North Coast Section football History of North Coast Section Basketball