[26 Year Gap]

Just stick to your guns. More often than not it has been AAU and freshly pierced ears in my experience. I basically advise the coach that to play they need to remove them. And the protest about having to keep them in so the holes don't close are met by the standard "If the holes close up in an hour she should get her money back." Most of the time there is no argument but one girl in a VG game last year sat on the bench the whole game rather than take them out and play.

The tournament director should direct the tournament and if he or she wants quality officials deferring to the officials in these matters is needed. Most problems of this nature in the regular season stem from laxity in games that 'were not as important' when in fact they could and should be a training ground for players, coaches and officials alike.