How much does this matter to you?

[BillyMac]

Of course it matters. Those black and yellow socks are the epitome of ugly.

[BillyMac]

In my high school varsity game, if I were the referee and this kid wasn't wearing a warmup jacket, or shooting shirt, he wouldn't make it through one, or two, layup lines. If I were the umpire, or if he was wearing a pregame warmup jacket, or shooting shirt, he wouldn't make it to the jump ball circle for the opening tap, or if he were a substitute, he would be sent back to the bench.

If he were wearing it in a junior varsity game (in my little corner of Connecticut, varsity officials are supposed to observe at least the second and third periods of the preceding game), I would mention it to the officials as something they need to work on to get to the next level.

No excuse for this. Yes, we don't like being the Fashion Police (even me), but that doesn't mean we should ignore illegal undershirts. It's one of the most restrictive equipment color restrictions in the book (not many choices), but it's been simplified (no more school colors), and is also the easiest equipment color restriction in the book observe (must be similar in color to the uniform jersey).

From my recent IAABO Sportorial magazine article:

Rules regarding undershirts are the most restrictive, and should be the easiest to enforce by officials. Undershirts must be similar in color to the uniform jersey. According to NFHS rules, the home team must wear white uniform jerseys. Therefore, the only legal undershirt color for home players would be white, and only white. Players on the visiting team, wearing their dark road jerseys, must wear dark colored undershirts similar in color to their dark color uniform jerseys. “School color” doesn't apply to undershirts since “school color” is not mentioned in the current NFHS rulebook. Undershirts may not have frayed edges, and undershirt sleeves shall be the same length. Note that this rule does not require all players to wear the same length sleeves on their undershirts, but each individual player must have sleeves the same length on the undershirt when worn.

Some equipment restriction rules are for safety reasons. Rules that restrict equipment colors benefit officials by allowing them to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action. Consistency among officials in the enforcement of equipment restriction rules will provide a unified statement to coaches. When some officials choose not to enforce these rules, they are only hurting the profession and setting up the next crew for criticism from the coaches, when, in fact, the officials who did not enforce the rules are the ones who deserve the criticism. For those officials contemplating not enforcing equipment restrictions because such rules have “nothing to do with the game of basketball”, in the words of author Roy T. Bennett, “Stop doing what is easy, or popular. Start doing what is right”.

I did a scrimmage a few weeks ago and we weren't enforcing equipment colors (it was only a scrimmage). One player was wearing a long sleeve white undershirt under a green (reversible) scrimmage shirt. The other team was wearing white (reversible) scrimmage shirts. I had to pause a few times on bunches of players fighting for a rebound. Who was who? No way I'm allowing such equipment colors in my "real" games, the game is tough enough to officiate well when the players are wearing legal equipment colors.

Now, would somebody please help me down from this soapbox. It's pretty high up here and I'm getting dizzy.

[zm1283]

I have heard people talk about making the coaches enforce uniform rules. The problem is that they are already tasked with policing this stuff in the rule book and they still don't do it, so we have to. In that scenario, what is the penalty if they don't comply? Send in a report to the state? That will take weeks to correct things and who is supposed to ensure it is followed through with? We are supposed to enforce the other rules in the book, so why do so many officials have an issue with these? The vast majority of officials I work with do a great job of taking care of uniform issues because 99% of teams around here are always in compliance. It's usually out-of-area teams that need to be corrected.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The vast majority of officials I work with do a great job of taking care of uniform issues because 99% of teams around here are always in compliance.

Not so here in my little corner of Connecticut. Many officials either don't understand the rule, don't bother to look, or if they do look, don't bother to enforce it.

Especially true in girls games where many officials don't realize that underwrap wrapped around the head is a headband (thus falling under headband color restrictions), probably confusing them with hair control devices, or that "Skylar Diggins" tails are illegal.

By rule, exceptions to equipment color restrictions include rubber, cloth, or elastic bands, used to control hair. Such soft hair control devices (e.g., ponytail holders) are under no color restrictions. Hard hair control devices including but not limited to beads, barrettes, and bobby pins, of any color, are prohibited. Remember, headbands go around the entire head (and must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey), while soft hair control devices only go around hair and are under no color restrictions. ... Only a single headband may be worn on the head, and headbands are not allowed to have extensions or tails. There is a wider array of legal color options for other equipment items such as headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, compression shorts, and tights. All of these equipment items must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey.

Fewer problems in boys games, usually involving multi-color shooting sleeves, or leg sleeves. Or problems with same color worn by one player and all players.

Furthermore, anything worn on the arm or the leg (except a knee brace), is defined as a sleeve, including knee pads and elbow pads (must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey). All of these items shall be the same color as worn by each player. Additionally, all of these items shall be the same color for all members of a team who choose to wear them.

[The_Rookie]

[QUOTE=BillyMac;1013653]Not so here in my little corner of Connecticut. Many officials either don't understand the rule, don't bother to look, or if they do look, don't bother to enforce it.

Especially true in girls games where many officials don't realize that underwrap wrapped around the head is a headband (thus falling under headband color restrictions), probably confusing them with hair control devices, or that "Skylar Diggins" tails are illegal.

Only a single headband may be worn on the head, and headbands are not allowed to have extensions or tails. There is a wider array of legal color options for other equipment items such as headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, compression shorts, and tights. All of these equipment items must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey.

On the issue of the "Skylar Diggins" headband. Is the headband itself illegal or just the tails? For enforcement, do you have players remove the whole thing or just ask them to tuck in the tails and play on?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by The_Rookie

... the "Skylar Diggins" headband ... For enforcement, do you have players remove the whole thing or just ask them to tuck in the tails and play on?

Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame 2009-2013, WNBA 2013-Present), as an All-American point guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish popularized knotted headbands with long loose ends. In 2015, the NFHS ruled that headbands must be without extensions.

I would prefer to tell them they can't play with the "Skylar Diggins" headband, but that doesn't appear to be the standard operating procedure here in my little corner of Connecticut, so I would stick out like a sore thumb (Overly Officious Official) if I did, so I just reluctantly tell them to tuck in the tails.

The usual caveat, check your local listings.

[bob jenkins]

Zombie thread alert

[Big_Blue_Wannabe]

Originally Posted by zm1283

... what is the penalty if they don't comply? Send in a report to the state? That will take weeks to correct things and who is supposed to ensure it is followed through with?

The penalty for illegal uniforms, undershirts and gear is, the player can’t play until it is corrected. You send the player to the bench and let the coach know he can’t re-enter the game until the problem has been corrected.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Big_Blue_Wannabe

The penalty for illegal uniforms, undershirts and gear is, the player can’t play until it is corrected. You send the player to the bench and let the coach know he can’t re-enter the game until the problem has been corrected.

Not true for an illegal uniform. A coach can "buy" his player with an illegal uniform into the game, the "expense" being a technical foul. No penalty if the team member with an illegal uniform doesn't participate, and stays on the bench the entire game.

A player with illegal equipment can't get into the game at any expense and can’t play until it is corrected.

If a team member participates as a player while wearing an illegal uniform, then a direct technical foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized when discovered, and the team member with the illegal uniform may participate without further penalty and is not required to change the number. A maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach regardless of the number of offenders.

[Big_Blue_Wannabe]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Not true for an illegal uniform. A coach can "buy" his player with an illegal uniform into the game, the "expense" being a technical foul. No penalty if the team member with an illegal uniform doesn't participate, and stays on the bench the entire game.

Thanks for correcting me. I hate it when incorrect rule information is posted and I’m embarrassed to be part of the problem this time. Again, thanks for correcting me on the uniform issue.


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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Big_Blue_Wannabe

Thanks for correcting me. I hate it when incorrect rule information is posted and I’m embarrassed to be part of the problem this time. Again, thanks for correcting me on the uniform issue.

I know it because I've had two odd situations in Catholic middle school games where coaches preferred to not accept the technical foul because they wanted to stand and coach.

In one situation, the coach, in her own gym, pulled apart the supply closet to find a uniform with a legal number for her player, who had just recently joined the team. It took several minutes but the player eventually played with a legal number, wrong size jersey, but a legal number.

In an even odder situation, while on the road, a coach didn't want to sit, he wanted to stand and coach. His suggestion, to have the player with the illegal number sit during the first half, switch jerseys with another player during halftime, report the change to the referee, the opposing coach, and to the scorekeeper, and let the other player, now with the illegal number, sit the second half. Even odder, the two players involved were identical twin sisters.

And, no, I wasn't being a hard ass, both of these happened at the beginning of a season where the assigner (also a league officer) insisted that uniform numbers be legal and not be taped over to avoid penalties.



(Any excuse to get to my favorite basketball player's photo on the Forum.)