knowingly playing ineligible player-what would you do
 

One of Michigan's best players has been ruled ineligible his senior year for team shopping. His new team is hinting they may play him in non-league games, even though he is ineligible and just take the forfeit. What would ref responsibility be if they put him in the scorebook/on the floor?? The player's status is well known, so I am sure if it were to happen the other coach would come directly to refs to complain. It is a mess, and the school board in that district feels the state association is wrong, in fact the word is they are pushing the coach to do it. I mention that because if it were to happen it wouldnt be a rogue coach, it would be with the blessing of his district, so going a the athletic director if he were in attendance would not get you anywhere...

Do you let game go on an let league/state association sort it out after? Do you call a forfeit after you ask the offending coach if he is eligible and he admits he is not??

The possibility of him playing anyway is conjecture and speculation, but if you are interested in the facts of the situation go here: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/h...te/1026311001/

That's above my pay grade. That's for the state to sort out. Same as quarters per night, games per year, etc.

We don't do "eligible" except for numbers, uniforms, and fouls:D I wouldn't touch that.

This. Nothing in the rulebook allows us to do otherwise.

It might vary by state, but most often the ref responsibility would be to officiate the game. Period.

(And, if asked and the official can remember (which is more likely in this case) to answer the state's question as to whether #xx played in the game.)

Maybe I'm a stick in the mud, but I find the whole HS transfer world bizarre. I also find the claim that the transfer was not athletically motivated more than a bit dubious . . .

Here in so cal, the section essentially gave up on controlling transfers--too many games being played to fit into the exceptions and too many lawsuits. Players who transfer are eligible in basketball in January (I believe on 1/1). I read at one point that all of the teams but one in the Los Angeles high school ratings had at least one key transfer. One school starts five transfers. At some schools that pretty much means they have a completely different team once league play starts. Some players have transferred more than once.

Nothing but officiate the game. Not my issue.

Peace

Coach: "That player can not play he is not eligible."

Me: "Coach I have not received any communication from my assignor, board, or state informing me that someone from this contest can not play. He has a legal number and entered into the book at the time I checked. Nothing within the rules prevents him from playing. If you have an issue please take it up with your state or association. Game on"

I would hope that no state association puts it on the officials to enforce these types of policies.

Then again, there's one state that makes the officials observe the handshake line, so nothing would surprise me.

The plot thickens. If NFHS requires letters about religious head coverings, why not letters from lawyers or orders from judges:

Other Coach: "I have an order here from Judge SoandSo, saying that he can play until a hearing on his eligibility."

I think the NFHS says its left up to the states to determine how to handle religious head coverings, I don't think they determine you need letters.

One is illegal equipment (absent a waiver) under NFHS rules. The other is not our concern.

Absent being explicitly told "he/she is not allowed to play" by my state association, I am not forbidding anyone from playing on the basis of eligibility concerns due to state association rules. That is the coaches' and administrators' job, and if they try and make it my job, I will tell them "you need to take it up with the SCHSL, that is not my crew's business."

Hell, I don't even know my state's rules for stuff like this.

I ref the game. I go home. If player is ineligible, then I guess someone will rule it a forfeit. Game admin can handle any arguments.

I forgot that tone of voice is absent on the internet. I should have used an emoji to make clear that my remark was in jest.

"sorry, coach. It's not within my duties as an official to prevent someone from playing based on that."

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