Hiding numbers with tape
 

I can't seem to find this one in the rule book or case book.

Varsity game two #13's. White uniform with blue numbers. One has tape making her a 3 instead of her 13. Is there a clear rule about this?

Or does the tape have to be exposing she is a 13 before the possible penalty?

Thanks in advance,

I'm allowing it since there is no rule that does not allow it.

I’ve seen this a lot over the years and I never sweat it. As long as the number difference is clearly discernible and remains as such, the spirit and intent of the NFHS rules always want us to err on the side of allowing participation whenever possible.


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Tape falls off and opposing coach sees two 13s now what?

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.

I KNEW IT!

Thanks

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.

Let it go at lower levels; enforce it at Varsity.

Totally agree. Yet if that tape starts to come off I am subbing them out. I dont want tape on the court and I dont want two 13s on the floor. If the opposing coach wants a T then he is right.

Identical Numbers ...
 

I was under the impression that while this is the case for an illegal number, i.e. #6 (Bill Russell, my favorite player), it is not the case for identical numbers, which by rule can never be allowed in a game (or a scorebook).

Wait, I now see what Nevadaref is saying, the non-centered taped number, not the identical number, makes the jersey illegal, but is allowed with a direct technical foul and a nice comfortable chair to sit in for the head coach.

Nice citation Nevadaref.

Also, as long as the tape stays on, they're both playing in my high school game without penalty (intent and purpose).

3.2.2 SITUATION B: Three minutes before the game starts, it is discovered: (a) two Team B members have wrong numbers in the scorebook; or (b) two Team B team members are wearing the same number. RULING: In (a), if either or both team member’s number is changed in the scorebook, one technical foul is charged to Team B. If there is no request for change or if neither becomes a player, thus avoiding the change, there is no penalty. 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)

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy ...
 

Easy fix. Use blue tape to make one #13 a #33, or a #23, or a #43, or a #53 (a little more difficult), all properly centered. Or use blue tape to change the "3" in #13 to another number, five choices (also difficult). Will probably satisfy even the most overly officious official (assuming the fix is not an identical number).

The restrictions which the rules place upon the players are intended to
create a balance of play; to provide equal opportunity between the offense
and the defense; to provide equal opportunity between the small player and
tall player; to provide reasonable risk minimization; to create an
atmosphere of sporting behavior and fair play; and to emphasize cleverness
and skill without unduly limiting freedom of action of individual or team
play on either offense or defense. Therefore, it is important to know the intent
and purpose of a rule so that it may be intelligently applied in each play situation.

3.3.7 SITUATION A: B1 is directed to leave the game because of excessive blood on his/her uniform jersey. Team B does not have any extra jerseys. (a) The coach asks one of the substitutes to give his/her jersey to B1; or (b) Team A is able to find a jersey which B1 can wear although it is not exactly the same color or style of the Team B jersey. The jersey will, however, clearly identify B1 as a member of Team B and will not be confusing to either team or the officials. RULING: Acceptable procedure in both (a) and (b). In both situations the scorer will make necessary changes in the scorebook without penalty. COMMENT: The spirit and intent of the rule is to do everything possible to allow the player to use a different jersey and return without penalty. However, identical numbers shall not be allowed on the same team.

Standing Room Only ...
 

Back when I was working Catholic middle school games, my assigner wanted illegal number rules enforced (all uniform and equipment rules were enforced; he claimed that if he discovered that we didn't enforce these "Fashion Rules" that we wouldn't get paid). Spotted a #6 in pregame layup lines. Told the head coach his player could play at his expense of a direct technical foul and a seatbelt for the game. Instead he spent several minutes in a dusty, dark, dirty physical education storeroom rummaging through boxes looking for a jersey with legal number, eventually finding a jersey that was legal, but was way, way too big for the player.

Blast From The Past
 

"You can take your illegal jersey, your nice comfortable chair, your dry white toast, your four fried chickens, and shove them where the sun don't shine."

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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).

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.