broken nose
 

Hey everyone,
I'm a basketball official and my daughter plays high school soccer. One of her teammates broke her nose in a game last week and she attempted to play tonight with a "mask" on her face. The two AR's said it was okay, but the center referee (is that the correct term?) said no.

My guess is that she would need a letter/waiver from the state high school athletic association to wear the mask and be prepared to show the letter to the officials prior to the game.

She wants to play but her parents are not sure what course to take. If she plays, she should definitely wear a mask and if she can't wear one, she should not play.

Let me know what the rules are regarding this.

Dave Gross

Dave,
The NFHS made a rule change just last year for the 2006-07 season that permits the wearing of a protective face mask for a player with a facial injury. It is rule 4-2-8. Prior to that season such masks were illegal and a player could not participate while wearing one.

The language in the front of the 2006-07 book where the rule changes are listed each year was:
"4-2-8 NEW A protective face mask may be worn by a player with a facial injury. The mask may be made of hard material, but must be worn molded to the face with no protrusions. A medical release for the injured player signed by a physician (MD/DO) shall be available at the game site."

That exact same text, minus the word "NEW", appears in the current 2007-08 NFHS soccer rules book on page 26.

If your state association plays by the NFHS rules, then the referee should allow a player to participate if the above requirements are met.

A key phrase in that ruling is "molded to the face." By that phrase, it means that the mask must be specially made to fit that person. It cannot be a mask that was provided generically or fit for another person.

That's how it was described at our state rules interp meeting.

Yep, it must be molded to the face. Some might try to sneak in a hockey mask or something of that sort. Also, as mentioned, she must have a letter from an MD/DO stating that it is a necessity... not just a good idea... but a required item. If both of these requirements are met the CR cannot refuse. If either of these was not the case he cannot let her play.

As a follow up to the face mask, the girl played last night with the mask on. A soccer official friend of mine sent me a copy of an e-mail that was sent out to all area soccer officials. The letter reviewed the face mask regulations which were pointed out in a previous post (both NFHS & OHSAA) and said the mask was legal. The OHSAA assistant director spoke with the girls mother and stated that the mask was legal. The coaches have a copy of that correspondence (an e-mail) as well as a letter from the girl's doctor for the officials to review prior to the game.

Thanks for the information.

Looks like well done by all. :)

That's interesting. I have never heard that take before. I'm not saying that what you have passed along is incorrect though because I truly don't know.

I'm just saying that the NFHS never flatly stated anything like that when publishing the rule change last season, and I find that strange.

I'll have to do some checking with my state office and see what I find out.

The OHSAA made that clarification at the rules interp meeting in 2006.

_____________________

Same thing in Illinois. It was emphasized at the rules meeting.

If the mask conforms to the rule of
"A protective face mask may be worn by a player with a facial injury. The mask may be made of hard material, but must be worn molded to the face with no protrusions. A medical release for the injured player signed by a physician (MD/DO) shall be available at the game site." then why does someone have to add a non-rule non-documented provision of being custom made?

The issues are really medical authorization for an injury and having no protrusions.

False. All of the above of the rule can be affirmed, but for a different player than for who was wearing it. For example, let's say I'm a freshman, and I break my nose. Well, last year as a senior, my brother broke his nose and had to wear the face mask that was designed specifically for him. He was 50 pounds heavier than I am now, so his face is bigger and wider. Although my doctor prescribed the face mask, and has a note for it, my parents don't want to pay for another one since we already have one from last year's injury to my brother. So, I can wear that one, right?? WRONG. Well, why not?? It fits all of the criteria of the rule, doesn't it? Yes, but not to the "verbal amendment" because the one for my brother may be too large for me and does not give any protection to me as one designed specifically for me. That is the reason for the "verbal amendment."

there aren't going to be any protrusions if it was molded to the face of my brother, either.

anyway, it's semantics. apparently, state associations felt that clarification needed to be made, so they did. if your state didn't make that clarification, congratulations!

OK -- let me back track. I meant to say that it had to have no protrusions.... not that it had to be custom made for that particular kid. Nowhere will you find that written and no one with common sense is going to insist that it has to be. No protrusions and a written doctor's (MD, DO) medical authorization with them. That makes it legal.

Just a question, but how would a referee know for which individual a mask was specifically made? What steps would be required to check?

It seems to me that such a decision by any state association would be unenforceable.