Rule Change Proposals

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

The point of my proposal, knowing they're not getting rid of the uniform stuff, was not a clarification but an actual change to loosen the restrictions and make it both less confusing and, as an added benefit, less that we have to worry about since more options would be legal.

And my point is we do not need more changes to this rule. I get it and I just wish this was not in our hands or in some other bucket that can be dealt with. Just saying schools do not provide these things just like they do not provide socks and somehow we survive.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And my point is we do not need more changes to this rule.

So you like the fashion rules as they currently are? Not me. Too complex, and confusing for many players, coaches and a few officials. Many not needed (little or nothing to do with the game of basketball, or officiating the game of basketball).

And many officials are between a rock and a hard place. Enforce fashion rules and one may be considered overly officious and criticized by coaches ("John Smith didn't enforce this last week."), and possibly by partners (rolling eyes). Ignore them and one may be criticized by others (blaming widespread use of illegal equipment on the lack of enforcement by those that ignore), some of whom may be promotion observers. Lose. Lose.

Make the fashion rules short and sweet (simple and needed) making it easy for everybody to enforce them (and to want to enforce them).

We need simple equipment rules that make equipment safe and make it easy (not just possible, but easy) to identify players on each team during fast paced action.

Wouldn't you even consider this change? It's got to make things better than they currently are, because it can't get any worse.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Ignore everything from the waist down (leg sleeves, knee pads, tights, compression shorts), just as we now ignore shorts, socks, and shoes.

No lights (Casebook 3.5 Situation B), or springs (or rockets) on shoes (equipment which is designed to increase a team member’s height or vertical reach or to gain a competitive advantage must not be permitted). Knee braces (unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design) must be safe. Completely ignore everything else from the waist down. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

What unintended consequences (a usual NFHS modus operandi) am I missing here?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Completely ignore everything else from the waist down.

[JRutledge]

I said we do not need more changes. Another change will just be more confusing. At least now the undershirt can "try" to match the jersey. In CR's proposal, he is changing the current requirement to mirror other rules, but will likely still have different items used. That is usually the last thing to deal with in the uniform situation when addressed early.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I said we do not need more changes. Another change will just be more confusing ...

How could a change to completely ignoring (with very few exceptions regarding safety, illegal advantage, or inappropriate) everything from the waist down be deemed "more confusing" than the current rules we already have regarding leg sleeves, knee pads, tights, and compression shorts (four legal colors (including jersey color), solid colors only, all the same for a player, all the same for the team, logo size and number, knee pad or knee brace).

I know a few guys who still believe that compression shorts must be the same color as the uniform shorts, and who believe that a knee pad is adjudicated the same as a knee brace.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I said we do not need more changes. Another change will just be more confusing. At least now the undershirt can "try" to match the jersey. In CR's proposal, he is changing the current requirement to mirror other rules, but will likely still have different items used ...

I apologize for not fully understanding your earlier posts.

Are you saying that there are no changes needed only in the equipment rule regarding undershirts? And that any change in the current undershirt rule would be confusing?

If that's the case, I agree 99.9% (with the distaste that I have for enforcing all the fashion rules, there's got to be something (0.1%) that I don't like about the current undershirt rule, but I can't think of it right now).

Freddy is the Forum "fashion expert". Hey Freddy, what say you about the current undershirt rule. Any suggested changes needed to make it better, simpler, and easier to enforce (keeping in mind the need to make it easy (not just possible, but easy) to identify players on each team during fast paced action, especially crowded rebounding action)?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I apologize for not fully understanding your earlier posts.

Are you saying that there are no changes needed only in the equipment rule regarding undershirts? And that any change in the current undershirt rule would be confusing?

If that's the case, I agree 99.9% (with the distaste that I have for enforcing all the fashion rules, there's got to be something (0.1%) that I don't like about the current undershirt rule, but I can't think of it right now).

Freddy is the Forum "fashion expert". Hey Freddy, what say you about the current undershirt rule. Any suggested changes needed to make it better, simpler, and easier to enforce (keeping in mind the need to make it easy (not just possible, but easy) to identify players on each team during fast paced action, especially crowded rebounding action)?

Does any of this affect how teams play? Are we really struggling to know who is on the court and what team they play for? So why do we need more rules or distinctions about what headband someone wears and does it fit the standard or not the standard of another item like an undershirt? Because if you read CR's proposal, it seems like he wants to make the color restriction the exact same as the other items, but not have to match those other items. All I am saying is why do we need that distinction too? I do not see the need. I will do whatever is requested but seems like another unnecessary layer like requiring logos restrictions on socks like they did in the mid-90s for like one year. It was dumb then and it is dumb now to be worried about what color and arm sleeve are when we know that kids are different colors and shapes themselves.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Are we really struggling to know who is on the court and what team they play for?

Good question. And this is the purpose (other than safety, and a few other things) of most of the equipment rules, to easily identify players on each team

The NFHS needs to find a "happy medium".

On one side of the spectrum one could find overly strict complex rules that are difficult for players, coaches, and some officials, to understand, and for some officials to enforce, but make it extremely easy to identify teams, probably beyond what officials need to easily and effectively officiate the game of basketball. Or even simple rules that are extremely strict, like all forms of equipment having the same color as the jersey. Is an extremely strict rule like this necessary for officials to easily and effectively officiate the game of basketball?

On the other side of the spectrum one could find extremely relaxed rules that are quite easy for players, coaches, and officials, to understand, and for all officials to enforce, but make it possibly somewhat difficult to identify teams during fast paced action, especially crowded rebounding situations, making officials possibly somewhat less effective, and making it possibly somewhat more difficult, to officiate the game of basketball.

Has the NFHS found the middle of the spectrum balance point? Easy to understand? Easy to enforce? Easy to identify players on each team? In my opinion, no, no, no, yes.

The NFHS should keep the current uniform (jerseys, colors, numbers) rules in place, and keep the current undershirt rules (white or jersey color) in place (as an extension of the jersey), and simplify, or eliminate, the other equipment rules regarding headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, knee pads, elbow pads, compression shorts, and tights.

My opinion: Headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, elbow pads? Little change. Simplify. Three (down from four) color choices (black, white, jersey color), all the same for a player, all the same for the team. Or, if desired, eliminate such rules completely (if one doesn't mind being the ringmaster at the circus).

My opinion: Knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, knee pads, compression shorts, and tights? No rules. Ignore (like shoes and socks).

I don't believe that by ignoring everything from the waist down will make it significantly more difficult to easily identify players on each team.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... simplify, or eliminate ...

The pendulum is on the way, be it slowly, back to center. Over the past several years the NFHS has, in my opinion, made some good common sense decisions regarding uniforms and equipment. Allowing tights. Compression shorts don't have to be the same color as the uniform shorts. Eliminated "school color" equipment language. Allowing "volleyball width" headbands for basketball. Allowing rolled waistbands. White instead of "light" color home jerseys. Jersey number can't be the same color as the jersey (2024-25).

Maybe the NFHS will allow the pendulum to keep swinging. Let's hope.