The short answer
For a February 2027 season opener, order spring uniforms in November. Custom production runs 6 to 10 weeks from approved artwork, and the weeks before the holidays are the busiest for any team dealer. This guide puts the dates for each spring sport in one place so an athletic director can plan the whole department at once. Confirm every date against your own CIF section's current calendar before locking an order.
Spring sports look far away in late October. The production math says otherwise: a program that waits until January to think about uniforms is asking for a rush order, a compromised design, or a first game in last year's jerseys. Here's how to work backward from your first contest.
How to work backward from your first contest
Use the same three steps for every sport:
- Find the first-contest date. Use your section's published calendar. CIF Southern Section's 2026-27 calendar is the reference point used below.
- Subtract production time. Custom orders typically take 6 to 10 weeks from approved artwork to delivery. Use 10 weeks as the planning number, not 6.
- Add a buffer for sizing and approvals. Try-on day, roster changes, and proof approval usually take one to three weeks before the order can even be placed.
Order-by dates for 2027 spring sports
The table applies that math to published CIF Southern Section dates. "Latest" is the first-contest date minus 10 weeks; "target" builds in the holiday backlog and a delivery cushion.
| Sport | First contest (CIF-SS 2026-27) | Latest order (10 wks) | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball | Feb 8, 2027 | ~Nov 30 | Mid-November |
| Softball | Feb 8, 2027 | ~Nov 30 | Mid-November |
| Boys' lacrosse | Feb 8, 2027 | ~Nov 30 | Mid-November |
| Track & field | Feb 20, 2027 | ~Dec 12 | Late November |
| Swim & dive | No meets before Feb 21, 2027 | ~Dec 13 | Late November |
Boys' tennis and golf follow the same pattern: our guides recommend the spring team's gear be ordered in November or December. Girls' lacrosse and other sections run on their own calendars, so check yours.
Why not just use the 10-week date? Because the date is a ceiling, not a goal. Late-order programs compete for the same decoration and shipping capacity right before the holidays, and one sizing error found on delivery has no time left to fix.
A department-wide calendar
- Now through early November: confirm rosters and run try-on day. Use the sizing hub for charts and a measuring guide.
- Early to mid November: approve designs and place baseball, softball and lacrosse orders. Compare brands side by side, for example Adidas and Under Armour.
- Late November: place track and swim orders, plus warm-ups and coaches' gear.
- December to January: production and decoration.
- Late January to early February: delivery, spot-check sizes, hand out uniforms before the first contest.
If you're already behind
Missing the window isn't fatal, but it narrows the options. Stock or screen-printed uniforms generally move faster than a fully sublimated build, and a smaller first order (game jerseys now, extras later) gets athletes on the field on time. Ask your dealer for a real delivery date in writing before you approve proofs.
Budget before you order
Deadlines are easier to hit when the money is settled. Our cost guides give planning ranges per athlete for baseball, softball and lacrosse, and a custom online team store lets parents fund and order their own spirit wear without the program carrying inventory.
Working with a team dealer
National Sports Apparel has outfitted California high school, club and college programs since 2009 with no order minimums, so a department can place several sports in one quote and stagger delivery. Tell us your first-contest dates and we'll work the calendar backward with you.