Beads ...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

My biggest fear is that coaches, players, and parents will hear about beads now being legal and will misunderstand that to mean that all beads are legal.

Being a mostly middle school official, I know that many middle school coaches are often unaware of equipment rules, and have difficulty explaining such to players and parents.

I just don't want to be thought of as being a racist when I enforce the beads rule as intended by the NFHS and IAABO. I really don't want to see my name in the newspaper, or on the local television news, or in a viral internet post, as has happened to our colleagues in other sports regarding ethnic hair issues over the past few years.

I like the beads in braids that kept close to the scalp, it's a good look. Beads at the end of long braids are also a good look, but can be unsafe when swung around.

I sat in the bleachers near a Black mom braiding her young daughter's hair at a state tournament game a few years ago. What a great bonding experience for both of them. I truly hope that we can pull off this rule change with few problems. It's a good rule change. I hope that it doesn't come back to bite us in the ass, or smack us in the eye.

You realize that there are white girls that wear things in their hair too? I get that you want to be ultra-safe, but white people do a lot of things that other cultures do and act surprised when those things might be problematic. The image that was shown in Referee Magazine in soccer gave many examples of white people wearing their hair with things in them that would be deemed illegal.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You realize that there are white girls that wear things in their hair too?

Agree. Over thirty years of teaching middle school science, I've seen many White girls come back from a winter vacation in the Caribbean with beaded braids.

[bob jenkins]

The same or similar pictures are also used for VB. They could have 101 pictures about what is legal or illegal and some would say that's not enough guidance. Honestly, if you can't officiate this, or worry about what the parents think, you should give it up.

And, concussion headbands have never (well, except perhaps in some mistaken non-official interp) been "headbands." This rule should have no affect (at least on officials -- it seems to have more to do with state associations)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Honestly, if you can't officiate this, or worry about what the parents think, you should give it up.

I've been working public school middle school games for almost five years. Here in my little corner of Connecticut middle school coaches are notoriously ignorant regarding equipment rules.

When I walk into a girls game gym and see many, various, illegal, undershirt colors, the hairs on the back of my neck immediately go up because I know that most coaches are going to plead "modesty" and try to talk me out of enforcement. I actually had a coach say that she would put her girls back on the bus and go home if I enforced the rule. Another coach blocked me from future games. It doesn't help that many of my colleagues ignore the rule. I don't ignore, but I will occasionally "compromise" (free pass today, no free pass next game). Never any free passes in a boys game, in my opinion, shoulder and chest "modesty" with sleeveless jerseys doesn't apply to boys.

I've had a few bead problems over the years. Because it's a safety issue, I never "passed", but it's never an easy sell. Players often got emotionally upset, coaches would often sympathize with their players, and occasionally parents would politely question me (usually after the game). While my race (White) was never outwardly mentioned, I always felt that it had something to do with it. What does this old White man know about a young Black woman's hair? Fair question, answer, very little. I always had difficulty telling apart very small metal beads from metallic colored threads embedded in braids. Now, with the new rule, those metallic colored threads embedded in braids are probably legal.

Note: I have questions about ribbons used to tie back hair, for all races. Are ribbons ornamental, or soft hair control devices? The NFHS would say ornamental (illegal), but I disagree and believe ribbons to be legal soft hair control devices. I'm not going to die on this "ribbon" hill.

With this "bead rule", that I agree with for sake of ethnic and racial "diversity of hair trends" (NFHS quote), the NFHS has changed a "cut and dry" rule (no hard hair ornaments) into a subjective rule open to interpretation. How close to the head is "close to the head"?

While high school coaches will figure this new "bead rule" out and share the rule change with their players and parents, Connecticut middle school coaches will continue to be under-informed, as will their players and parents.

For me, if the beads swing around with the hair, it's unsafe and illegal. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, at least until the NFHS or IAABO offer different advice.

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

... concussion headbands ... seems to have more to do with state associations ...

Agree.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Note: I have questions about ribbons used to tie back hair, for all races. Are ribbons ornamental, or soft hair control devices? The NFHS would say ornamental (illegal), but I disagree and believe ribbons to be legal soft hair control devices. I'm not going to die on this hill either.

2019-20 Basketball Rules Interpretations: SITUATION 2: A1 is wearing a ribbon to control her hair. RULING: Illegal. Ribbons are considered decorations and the athlete should not be allowed to enter the contest while wearing a ribbon in the hair. (3-5-4e)

It's there in black and white but I still disagree.

One can legally tie prewrap in a knot to use as a headband, but one can't legally tie a piece of soft cloth (ribbon) in a knot to use as a hair control devise?

2019-20 Basketball Rules Interpretations: SITUATION 1: A1 is waiting at the table to substitute into the game. The official recognizes the substitute is wearing pre-wrap tied in the back as a headband. RULING: The substitute is permitted to enter the game wearing the pre-wrap as a headband provided it meets all the guidelines for a headband. (3-5-4b)

Below: Legal in my game, used to control hair. Yeah, I know that I'm a rebel and thus, part of the problem.



Below: Illegal in my game, decorative (ornamental).



Yeah, it's subjective, maybe that's why the NFHS outlawed ribbons?

If ribbons are outlawed, only outlaws will have ribbons.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2019-20 Basketball Rules Interpretations: SITUATION 2: A1 is wearing a ribbon to control her hair. RULING: Illegal. Ribbons are considered decorations and the athlete should not be allowed to enter the contest while wearing a ribbon in the hair. (3-5-4e)

It's there in black and white but I still disagree.

One can legally tie prewrap in a knot to use as a headband, but one can't legally tie a piece of soft cloth (ribbon) in a knot to use as a hair control devise?

2019-20 Basketball Rules Interpretations: SITUATION 1: A1 is waiting at the table to substitute into the game. The official recognizes the substitute is wearing pre-wrap tied in the back as a headband. RULING: The substitute is permitted to enter the game wearing the pre-wrap as a headband provided it meets all the guidelines for a headband. (3-5-4b)

Below: Legal in my game, used to control hair. Yeah, I know that I'm a rebel and thus, part of the problem.



Below: Illegal in my game, decorative (ornamental).



Yeah, it's subjective, maybe that's why the NFHS outlawed ribbons?

If ribbons are outlawed, only outlaws will have ribbons.

The real problem per ribbons is that they were originally legal in NFHS, NCAA Men's, and NCAA Women's, AND then the NFHS made them illegal but the NCAA has not. Auburn University men's team in playing in a Summer tournament (played using FIBA Rules) in Israel right now (I watched from the start until the middle of the 2nd QT when I fell asleep with my pre-lunch nap, LOL!) and FIBA does not prohibit ribbons and one of the Auburn players was wearing navy blue ribbons on the end of his dreads to match Auburn's uniform.

MTD, Sr.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

FIBA does not prohibit ribbons and one of the Auburn players was wearing navy blue ribbons on the end of his dreads to match Auburn's uniform.

Hey Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Please post a photo of you wearing ribbons in your hair.

[JRutledge]

For the record, this is not a girl problem. I work boys basketball exclusively at the high school and college level and this comes up often in boy's or men's basketball. Happen at a camp where this was a possible issue at a camp in April and that was a college camp. A clinician discussed that a boy's hair might be an issue based on what he had in it and stated, "That has to be determined by someone higher than my pay grade, but something should be addressed if it is legal." It was my game at the time and we allowed it or better yet did not make an issue because it was not very clear. I think he would have been OK based on the location of some clamps this kid had in his hair. A few weeks later the NF came out with their rules.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

For the record, this is not a girl problem.

Disagree. It is a girl problem. And it's also a boy problem.