[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I would not be adverse to ignoring all colors from the waist down. Color restrictions above the waist? I can take them, or leave them, as long as the NFHS keeps the color restrictions for undershirts.

This is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

By custom, in my little corner of Connecticut, we allow illegal undershirts in scrimmages. I've worked preseason jamboree type scrimmages where players from several teams wear reversible practice jerseys (for some reason Connecticut frowns upon real jerseys being worn in scrimmages) and reverse their jerseys (but not their undershirts) depending on which teams are participating that period. Based on those scrimmage experiences over forty years, I can tell you with 100% certainty that undershirt colors not matching jerseys, different color undershirts on teammates, and different color undershirts on opponents, can turn easy calls into slightly more difficult calls, especially during rebounding action, both for out of bounds, and for fouls.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I just got back from a girls scrimmage, three girls teams, all wearing reversible scrimmage vests, almost all wearing a T-shirt under their scrimmage vests, almost all white T-shirts, although there were several other colors thrown in. I'm the trail, ball goes out of bounds off the defense on my sideline. I sound my whistle, point in the correct direction, and state "White". But it wasn't white ball. It was blue ball. Why did I screw up? Because we had three teams, all with a choice of two color reversible scrimmage vests, playing alternating periods, all with mostly white T-shirts. The closest girl to me for the team that was supposed to get the ball was wearing a blue scrimmage vest, but there was a lot of white showing from underneath, two sleeves, and quite a bit of white showing from under the scoop top of the vest. I noticed that I really had to pay close attention to who was on offense, and who was on defense. Who was setting screens, and who was in the paint too long? Who was pushing who while battling for rebounds? This game is a little easier to officiate when the players are wearing the correct color undershirts.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Green jerseys and white jerseys. Lots of different undershirt colors, some legal. Instructed coaches to get it fixed (allowed light gray for white). Both coaches complain ("only middle school, we never did this before", I actually believed them) and they go to instruct their players. I can see that a few players (remember it's girls) on both teams seem be very upset. So, I call both coaches back together and say that I would be willing to compromise and that if any players were very upset they could wear the illegal undershirts ... Fourth period, partner on endline after whistle. I'm closer to the table and beckon in substitutes, lots of them, two, or three from each team. I keep my hand up until I'm sure that we have five players from each team on the court. I then realize that players on the "White Jersey Team" have both green shorts and white shorts, and the players on the "Green Jersey Team" have on both green shorts and white shorts (it's now very obvious to me that both school have the same school colors, green and white), certainly all 100% perfectly legal. But players on the "White Jersey Team" have both green undershirts and white undershirts, and the players on the "Green Jersey Team" have on both green undershirts and white undershirts. I try to count twice, still not 100% sure, now totally exasperated, near the end of my rope, and close to the breaking point, I bring my hand down and yell to my partner, "Play".