Number on Uniform
 

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The location of the number seems oddly low. Legal/Illegal?

Numbers are supposed to be centered both vertically and horizontally.

Uniforms ...
 

Take A Seat Coach ...
 

10-5-4: The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform.

PENALTY: Two free throws plus ball for division-line throw-in. The foul is charged directly to the head coach. Penalized when discovered. Only one technical foul is charged regardless of the number of offenders.

Setting: A crowded gymnasium. The crowd is murmuring in anticipation of the game soon beginning. Players from both teams are warming up at both ends of the court. The officials, coaches, and captains are meeting in front of the scorers table, greeting each other and shaking hands.

Referee: Coaches. Are your players legally equipped?
Coach: Well, to be honest, we have a slight problem.
Referee: That's not the answer that I usually get.

And ... scene.

Number on Uniform
 

They don't look great, but I think these uniforms are legal. Numbers are low but centered vertically and horizontally. Team name is an initial/abbreviation, which is permitted, and the arrowhead, IMO, is a decorative accent, properly located above the number.

If you're going to declare a uniform illegal and penalize the coach under 10-5-4, I would caution one to be 110% sure.

Edit: Maybe I'm wrong on what constitutes "centered vertically," but then why do the NFHS's own graphic slides show the number clearly higher then the vertical center?


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Above My Pay Grade ???
 

I agree that the uniforms in the original post are difficult to declare illegal and to charge a penalty to the coach, but I would, at least, contact my assigner, who would contact the state governing body and let them take it from there.

Note that the NFHS slide shows the jersey untucked, while the rule deals with the visible portion of the jersey which, of course, must be tucked in by rule. Tucked, or untucked, would vary the visible portion of the jersey, which would vary the centering aspect of the rule.

I wouldn't know without looking up the applicable rule. I'm not planning on doing that any time soon. :)

If those are centered vertically, then all other uniforms are not centered vertically.

Let's Go To The Videotape ...
 

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1468/2...a5355782_m.jpg

These don't look like the legal jerseys shown in the NFHS slide.

Do you think that the coach will enjoy sitting down during the game?

I'm probably letting my state high school sports governing body decide the answer to that question.

Does it explicitly have to be the team's name above the number? This is schools "logo"....

In any case I am letting the state know and having them figure it out, this is not a hill I care to die on.

I get into enough trouble, I am not notifying assignee nor State about the uniform.

Support Your Local Sheriff (1969) ...
 

Our assigner wants to know about anything odd that happens at a site (no coaching box, no X for substitutes, no stripped jersey for scorer, no head coach at pregame meeting, no secure changing area, no shower, no shower with hot water, equipment exceptions for medical, or religious, reasons, coaches that almost go over a line (even without an ejection), etc.) If he's not told and if he's then told by the next referee, he will call out the first referee to find out why something (long term, like illegal uniforms) wasn't reported. He's a very fair assigner, but we all want to stay in his good graces.