AirPods??
 

I know they are not basketball equipment and we have discussed that shooter shirts and pants are not either. Anyone got ruling on this for warmups and what rule to use to enforce it other than you can't?

Mom and dad.

Air pods are jewelery. They serve as adornments, and as such cannot be worn during warmups or the game. They are also electronic devices by which one can communicate with the players, so they can also be considered illegal for that reason.

Not Appropriate For Basketball ...
 

Earbuds, headphones, etc., are not appropriate for basketball, may be considered unsafe, and thus, my not be worn during the game, or during warmups.

3-5-1: The referee shall not permit any team member to wear
equipment or apparel which, in his/her judgment, is dangerous or confusing
to other players or is not appropriate.

3-6-7: The referee shall not permit any team member to participate if in his/her
judgment any item constitutes a safety concern, such as, but not limited to, a
player’s fingernails or hairstyle.

3.5 SITUATION A: What are the standards which the referee must use in determining whether a team member will be permitted to wear certain equipment? RULING: … There are three criteria which determine the legality of equipment. First, any equipment which, in the judgment of the referee, is dangerous to others … It will be noted that the listing of equipment which is always illegal is not inclusive. It cannot identify every item which is not permitted. The generalization is required since the referee’s judgment is necessary. The second standard provides that “any equipment which is unnatural and designed to increase the player’s height or vertical reach, or to gain a competitive advantage, shall not be used.” The referee is given no leeway here and judgment is not required. The third criterion provides that equipment used must be appropriate for basketball and not be confusing.

3.5 SITUATION B: May a team member wear: (a) shoes which have a light mechanism or have lights which are activated by heel contact with the floor; or (b) gloves? RULING: No, in both (a) and (b). In (a), the shoes may be worn if the lights are deactivated. In (b), gloves are not needed to play the game and are not considered to be appropriate.

One Point Off For Spelling ...
 

I hate to be a dick, but that's pushing the envelope (even though you may be able to convince ignorant players and coaches that it's true).

Jewelry: Ornamental pieces (such as rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) that are made of materials which may or may not be precious (such as gold, silver, glass, and plastic), are often set with genuine or imitation gems, and are worn for personal adornment. Objects designed for the adornment of the body are called jewelry.

Earbuds, headphones, etc., are not worn for personal adornment, they're worn to listen to music.

That is not being a plumber, that is following the rules. Have the sack to tell players to not do certain things. You are setting a tone for other things. You pass on this, then what else might you pass on? If you set a standard then they know when you talk you mean business. We cause so many problems for ourselves by letting coaches and players to dictate the circumstances of the game. You do not have to yell at them, just tell them they cannot wear them.

Peace

I suspect AremRed was talking about during warm-ups, not during a game.

Do what your supervisor tells you to do for his/her games. 50 people in this forum can tell you not to be a plumber, but that will mean nothing if your assignor expects you inform players they cannot wear them during warmups.

I don't disagree, Raymond; I was merely suggesting that I doubted that AremRed was saying to allow a kid to actually wear such a device during the game itself. No one is that cavalier!

Fortunately for me, none of my assigners issue these kinds of edicts, perhaps trusting to our judgment.

Pretty Clear Mandate ...
 

This came up several years ago in Connecticut. My local IAABO board, my state IAABO board, and the state interscholastic sports governing body (CIAC) all told us to not allow headphones in the pregame layup lines.

Outside of Connecticut?

Be the Wild Wild West if you want to be.

What Did He Ever Do To You ???
 

Hey, stop picking on Freddy.

Slippery Slope ......
 

Agree 100%.

https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.N...=0&w=300&h=300

If an assigner, board or another authority says, "do x," ok, do x. But the rule itself, 3-5, does not specifically mention warm-ups.

3.5 Situation A states that a player cannot warm-up wearing jewelry, but jewelry is per se "prohibited."

3.5.4 Situation B talks, in part, about a headband with extensions and states that the player cannot "enter the game" wearing it. Nothing about warm-ups.

Is there a meaningful difference between what is permitted during warm-ups and what is prohibited during the game? Are some things inherently dangerous, even during warm-ups, and others not so?

Wild West or picking battles? It's neither clear nor simple. Be OOO (during warm-ups) if you want to be.

I'm not telling a team member to take off headphones during warm-up until I get told to by people whose opinion I care about.

And if your supervisor does not have a position on this because it has never come up, then make a judgment. As officials, we control the darn game, not the players and the coaches. That is what you are paid to do. This is where you have to be willing to use your authority because if it is other things in the game you have to tell coaches and players things they do not like.

I had a coach come out onto the court to help a player last night that might have been injured, he did not like it but I had to inform him his player had to come out of the game after being fouled. He got over it when I enforced a rule. And he tried to blame it on one of my partners for telling him he could come out to check on his player. But I still had a rule available to enforce, even if the player was technically OK to participate. Sometimes we need to just have the courage to enforce rules even if there is something we do not want to cause a problem. I have also learned that you will get their respect more if you do what is right than always trying to hide under a rock and not cause any problems. Because the other coach is watching too, not just the coach you have to give the bad news to. Or the multiple coaches in the stands watching you as well.

Peace

Wish It Was Clearer ...
 

Agree. 3.5 SITUATION A was somewhat helpful, but it's no longer in the casebook.

Let's move away from casebook plays and stick with the rules.

2-2: The officials’ jurisdiction, prior to the game, begins when they
arrive on the floor. The officials’ arrival on the floor shall be at least 15
minutes before the scheduled starting time of the game.

3-5-1: The referee shall not permit any team member to wear
equipment or apparel which, in his/her judgment, is dangerous or confusing
to other players or is not appropriate.

3-6-7: The referee shall not permit any team member to participate if in his/her
judgment any item constitutes a safety concern, such as, but not limited to, a
player’s fingernails or hairstyle.

Somewhat subjective ("judgment") and are not specific to the game or pregame ("participate").

How about "team member" rather than "player"?

4-34-4: A team member is a member of bench personnel who is in
uniform and is eligible to become a player.

And/Or ...
 

2011-12 NFHS Basketball Rules 3-3-6: A player who has been injured to the extent that the coach or
any other bench personnel is beckoned and/or comes onto the court shall be
directed to leave the game, unless a time-out is requested by, and granted
to, his/her teamand the situation can be corrected by the end of the time-out.

2019-20 NFHS Basketball Rules 3-3-6: A player who has been injured to the extent that the coach or
any other bench personnel is beckoned and comes onto the court shall be
directed to leave the game, unless a time-out is requested by, and granted
to, his/her team and the situation can be corrected by the end of the timeout.

Why the unannounced change?

Id imagine it would be so that if an official was a bit jumpy and beckoned a coach for a player that didn't need attention you don't make a player come out unnecessarily.

Overly Cautious Official ...
 

Good point.

Previous to the unannounced change, by rule, if an overly cautious official beckoned a coach, who didn't come onto the court, and the player was immediately ready to play, the team would be charged with a timeout or have to replace the player.

Again, by rule, not by practice, hopefully the official was not both overly cautious and overly officious.

There's No Judge In Judgment ...
 

Now let's combine the rules:

During the officials’ jurisdiction (when they arrive on the floor) the referee shall not permit any team member (bench personnel in uniform and eligible to become players) to participate with equipment which, in his judgment, is dangerous (constitutes a safety concern) to other players (which can include teammates), or is not appropriate for basketball (not needed to play the game).

If equipment, like headphones, is judged to be a safety concern, or not appropriate for basketball, during the game, why would it be not be judged the same before the game?

I wish it were clearer, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

But now, by a literal reading, if the coach comes out but is not beckoned, the conditions are not met to remove the player.

The Plot Thickens ...
 

Another good point.

It's not a NFHS rule, or interpretation, but we've been told locally that in the case of player going down, if we see the coach coming, we're to start beckoning.

If questioned by the opposing coach, we're to say, "He was beckoned".

In the case of a possible injury, we want the coach out there, and don't want him hesitating because he's afraid of a technical foul.

That would not be a good look for us since one reason why we're out there is for player safety.

10-5-2: Bench personnel, including the head coach, shall not: Enter the court unless by permission of an official to attend an injured player.

See cases 3.5 Sit A and B and 3.5.3 Sit A. Illegal stuff in warm-ups is addressed immediately. For AirPods, you would want to nip that in the "ear"bud:)

See case 3.3.6 Sit B. If coach rushes onto court without being beckoned, player, even if OK, still has to leave game.

Correct!

Opposites ...
 

Agree (I don't think that I stated otherwise), however with the unannounced rule change the opposite is no longer true (by rule if not by practice), if the coach was beckoned and didn't come out the rulebook (before the unannounced rule change) stated that the player would still have to come out, or sit a tick, due to the word "or" in the old rule.

My quote in bucky's post was in regard to technical fouls in such situations.

Let's Go To The Videotape ...
 

3.3.6 SITUATION B: A1 appears to be injured and an official properly halts play and the Team A coach rushes onto the court to check A1. However, A1 is OK and seems ready to play within a few seconds. RULING: A1 must be removed as the coach came onto the court. A1 may remain in the game if the coach does not come on the court and A1 is ready to play immediately. If the coach or other bench personnel have come onto the court, the player must be replaced. There is no set amount of time as to what is “immediately,” but it should not involve more than a few seconds and it must be without the coach, athletic trainer or doctor being beckoned and/or entering the court. The coach may also request a time-out to keep the player in the game provided the replacement interval for the substitution has not begun. (10-4-2)

Note that the situation does not say that the coach is beckoned.

Random Question- Would bench personnel be allowed to wear headphones? I was at a NFHS game where the assistant coach had headphones in, is that permissible?

Bench Personnel ...
 

Interesting question. Many of us allow kids with jewelry (a safety concern) to sit on the bench, why not headphones (also a safety concern)?

Coach I am going to have to tell you to take your air pods out of your ears while sitting on the bench watching the game..Coach responds with and WHY? I believe them to be a big time danger to you as i do not want you to contract tinnitus. It is for your own good.

No as it's a communication device

If you think the coach is using the headphones as a communication device *with players on the floor (highly unlikely)*, sure. Otherwise I'd leave it alone.

Rule 1-19: "The use of electronic devices is permitted during the game."

Rule 10-1-3: A team must not "use a megaphone or any electronic communication device, or electronic equipment for voice communication with players on the court, or use electronic audio and/or video devices to review a decision of the contest officials." [My emphases.]

Who Or Whom ???
 

It depends on whom he's communicating with, and why.

And of course with ordinary headphones all the communication will only be one way communication.

What if he's just listening to some classic 1970's R and B?

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.c...=0&w=235&h=176

Tune In Tokyo ...
 

If a coach is wearing a tin foil hat, I don't care who he's communicating with, I'm not telling him to take it off.

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.l...=0&w=233&h=171

Incorrect. Well, maybe for "ordinary" headphones, but I have not seen someone use "ordinary" headphones for years.