Illegal uniform number
 

A recent event has led to much discussion.
First mistake: Team B has brought the wrong jerseys to their away game. Three players have illegal numbers, we will call them 6, 7 and 8. They are properly noted in the score book as 6, 7 and 8.

Second mistake: the referee failed to notice the illegal numbers (or couldn't read them) when checking the book prior to the game.

Player with jersey number 6 enters the game. Technical foul for illegal uniform.

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.


1)Can the player enter and play anyway with an illegal number??? Or is that player not allowed to play at all???
(there were no other jerseys available to change into---could they have swapped jerseys with another player at the expense of a tech)

2)Later in the game player 7 and 8 report.....so this would fall under the "one technical regardless of the number of incidents" part of the rule???

Why would they own jerseys with illegal numbers on them in the first place?

Don't know. Maybe they brought their practice jerseys, or someone with no clue bought new ones without checking the NFHS uniform numbering requirements.

The question is: can they still play with the illegal uniforms?

Yes.

If you notice before the game, you tell the coach, "If he/they want to play, the first time they check in, we'll assess a one-time technical foul to you, but that's it, and you'll have to remain seated from that point forward." Any retort should be met with, "sorry, coach, but the rule on this is very clear."

If you notice during the game but before beckoning the sub with an illegal number, you can give the coach an "out" by offering him the chance to withdraw the sub. If the sub/team member doesn't participate, no penalty.

After beckoning, the sub is now a player, and you must penalize the head coach. But the sub and any other team members with illegal numbers can still play.


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There's nothing for the referee to notice. The rules don't prevent team members from wearing illegal numbers or illegal numbers being on the roster list. The only prohibition is there's a penalty if a head coach permits a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform (NF 10-5-4).

Think about it, why would there be a penalty for illegal numbers if those players were not allowed to play? And the penalty is pretty clear as to how many times the coach gets penalized for illegal numbers.

Exactly. Compare it to illegal undershirts and jewelry. No penalty, they just aren't allowed to play.

Yep, uniforms vs, player equipment.

I also heard a rumor that the "no penalty for player equipment violations" is being looked at and might be changing in the future.

Allowing them to play at the cost of a T (except with jewelry) might actually clean that up.

Which equipment violations might they allow at the cost of a T? This is a head scratcher for me...

I have no clue what form it might take. The rumor I heard is that it is being experimented with in one area this season - if that's true, maybe someone from there can comment.

I'm thinking undershirts, headbands, wristbands.

I was under the impression that the T wouldn't make it legal for them to wear it, just that it would be a T if discovered while playing and they must still remove it to continue. The idea being that the threat of a T (on the head coach) would encourage the coach to make sure it is taken care of so we don't have to.

And it would apply to all uniform/apparel issues that are regulated.

I like that better.

This was my understanding as well, but I think the focus is on illegal player equipment (arm/leg sleeves, tights, head/wrist bands, etc.). Up to now the only penalty has been the player can't play with illegal equipment. I think the idea is to send a message that they are serious about enforcing player equipment rules, and as Cam said, putting the responsibility on the HC.

I did a google search and found that the state doing the trial is North Carolina. Interesting power-point -two year experiment. The first year (last year) the penalty was a team technical, this year the penalty is a direct T on the head coach. Mandatory enforcement & reporting requirement for officials as well - if they do not, entire crew can get penalized. Wonder how it is working out?