Quote:
Originally posted by coach41
Hey all,
I played, officiate and generally help out in a Christian Summer Basketball league in the SF Bay Area. The league is relatively low key and they use the league's players to officiate games.
I recently officiated a game where a young kid wore his uniform backwards. I did not catch it until after the game had started and with the league somewhat low key, I left it alone. However, I found out later than the league coordinators had taken notice during the first two weeks (I was on vacation and missed the opening weeks). They asked me if there were any specific rules against this.
Looking at the National Federation rule book, I see nothing specifically against wearing backwards uniform. THe only two things I saw that might even apply were Rule 3-4-1 and Rule 3-5
Rules 3-4-1 might apply because the team's uniform numbers are bigger in the back than in the front. So when the kid flips his uniform, the smaller number is now in the back and may be illegal (I'd have to measure the number to be sure).
Rule 3-5 appears to give officials some jurisdiction in seeing if anything is unusual or illegal.
So I am curious what others think here? I think this sort of thing wouldn't happen too often at regular high school games, but it never hurts to be prepared.
Thanks!
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Rule 3-4-1 seems to cover it. Using some good common sense, you can deduce that this rule implies the jersey is NOT to be worn backwards since the number on the back of the shirt must and is larger. And it is larger for a good reason.....so the table and officials can SEE their number better. I'd just tell the player they won't be able to record all the points he scores if he wears his jersey backwards.
Also it seems to me that if you can send a player off for not tucking his jersy in or wearing his shorts too low, you can send him off for wearing his uniform improperly and not allow him to enter the game until he puts it on right.
There is always one other possibility...he's a little bit nervous and isn't aware he has it on backwards...but I tend to doubt that.