Quote:
Originally Posted by Raymond
You choose to ignore it, which I'm not saying is the worst thing in the world. But don't rationalize why you don't enforce it.
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Good point, but "choose to ignore" is strong language for what I actually do.
Yes, I don't usually take the time to actually "seek out" offenders with untucked jerseys (as I said before, offenders seem to just stick out in a crowd), but when I do notice offenders with untucked jerseys, I almost always (exception for fat kids and middle school teams with shiny slippery scrimmage type jerseys) enforce such, usually with a stern warning to "Tuck it in", or in extreme cases to take a seat for a tick of the clock.
Locally, I'm considered to be the Gestapo of the Fashion Police. In my occasional high school games, I enforce all (100%) fashion rules and don't ignore anything.
However, in my middle school games, illegal undershirts under sleeveless jerseys on shy adolescent girls can be a problem for some coaches (few know the rules) to take care of (especially just minutes before the jump ball).
I do the best I can with illegal undershirts on middle school girls (no exceptions for boys).
With girls, I never totally ignore, but broach the issue with the coaches as soon as I enter the court, and I again mention it in the pregame coaches and captains meeting.
Our local interpreter and middle school assigner want us to "let middle schol kids play", but that is always stated in the context of "uniforms" (not specifically equipment), thus we allow dark jerseys for home teams, non matching shorts among players, illegal numbers, and duplicate numbers (some years I fill up my Bingo card after just a few weeks), so it's not a stretch for me to allow illegal undershirts under sleeveless jerseys on shy adolescent girls with just a "stern recommendation" for future improvement.
I don't beleive that our local interpreter and middle school assigner would be displeased with me by allowing such girls to play that afternoon rather than sit them on the bench.
Note: In my first year of officiating mostly middle school games, I had a visiting out of area coach threaten to put her girls back on the bus and go home rather than sit the shy girls who refused to remove their illegal undershirts. I decided to "back down". Not my finest hour.
Rules that restrict equipment colors benefit officials by allowing them to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action.
Student athletes should take pride in their appearance as they represent their school and community.
I tell the untucked offenders, "Watch the players on television".