Hiding numbers with tape

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

I will also point out that compliance with the NFHS rules can be maintained and the team member with the taped jersey can legally play simply by charging a technical foul to the head coach for allowing a player to participate with an illegal jersey. Not a big deal to some coaches and officials, but others consider that penalty a major issue.

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Actually there is. The number must be centered both vertically and horizontally on a player’s jersey according to 3-4-3b.
Therefore, if the 1 in a 13 printed on a shirt is covered with tape, the remaining 3 will not be centered as required by rule.

You or other officials can certainly choose to allow this fix and look the other way, but stating that there isn’t a rule preventing it is untrue.

This may be a check your local listing thing as well. For example, the CYO league I officiate for has a rule that specifically states that illegal and duplicate numbers can be made legal with tape. I've only had this happen once when a team combined its two 5th grade teams and had to resolve two sets of duplicate numbers. In such a case, I would not penalize for an uncentered number because the spirit of the rule (original number centered but temporarily altered to not be a duplicate) has been met even if the alteration means the letter of the rule has not.

Even absent the aforementioned rule, I'd agree with BillyMac and his citation of case 3.3.7. To allow a coach to alter a duplicate/illegal number with tape and then hit that coach with a direct T for the subsequently corrected yet uncentered number seems like a gotcha and contrary to the spirit of the rule.

This is also a situation where officials need to know the difference in the penalties for a duplicate number (administrative team technical per FED 10-1-2-e) and an illegal number/uniform (direct technical on the head coach per FED 10-6-4).

[Nevadaref]

The original question was for a HS varsity contest. That is what my answers reflect.

I don’t care what a local 5th grade CYO game does or doesn’t do.

[JRutledge]

There are certain schools there is almost no way I am penalizing for this as some have suggested. There are other schools I would be more strict about. Honestly, it is the reason why this even takes place which is ultimately the way I will handle it.

That being said, I would go by the people that you work for as the standard for these things, not go by what just the rule says. Some states like my state has even stated they do not want technical fouls for uniform things and the goal is to view the number. Someone would have to penalize me for not applying the rule here, but I am not going out of my way to show I know the rule. Do what you wish where you live, I know what I am doing and not doing.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

This is also a situation where officials need to know the difference in the penalties for a duplicate number (administrative team technical per FED 10-1-2-e) and an illegal number/uniform (direct technical on the head coach per FED 10-6-4).

Good point.

10-1-2-E: A team must not: After the 10-minute time limit specified in Article 1: Have identical numbers on team members and/or players. Penalized when discovered. Head coach does not lose the privilege of the coaching box.

After identical numbers are discovered, and after the team technical foul is charged, I don't believe that the identical numbers are allowed to play, one player must change, or not play.

3.2.2 SITUATION B: Three minutes before the game starts, it is discovered: (b) two Team B team members are wearing the same number. RULING: In (b), a technical foul is charged to Team B upon discovery of the identical numbers. Only one team member may wear a given number; the other must change to a number not already in use before participating. (10-1-2)

10-6-4: The head coach must not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform. Penalized when discovered. Only one technical foul is charged regardless of the number of offenders.

I believe that after the head coach is charged with a technical foul and sits down, a player with an illegal number may continue to participate with no further penalty.

Question for old timers. Who are these two guys?

[Lcubed48]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Question for old timers. Who are these two guys?

Tom & Dick! or Dick & Tom! Van Arsdale!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Lcubed48

Tom & Dick! or Dick & Tom! Van Arsdale!

Thanks for playing. Pick a prize from the top shelf.

Your choices: Twenty volume set of the Encyclopedia International; a case of Turtle Wax; or a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco Treat.