Beads ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Now that the NFHS has made hair adornments, like beads, legal, are all properly secured close to the head adornments (decorations) legal, such as ribbons? Beads are hard and now legal, shouldn't ribbons which are soft also be legal? Their rationale for the 2019-20 ribbon interpretation is no longer valid.

On the other hand ...



Do the decorative qualities of this ribbon (above) outweigh the utilitarian qualities of the ribbon (hair control)?

On the other other hand (three hands?), do decorative beads have any utilitarian qualities?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Actually, I'll take the blame here. In typical BillyMac fashion, it was my question about ribbons (does this mean that cloth ribbons, securely fastened close to the head, are now legal?) that pushed the limitations of Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s new rule comment citation.

Even though I disagreed with the 2019-20 NFHS interpretation regarding ribbons...

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 was very cut and dry, easy to understand, and had a logical rationale: Ribbons are illegal because they are decorations. While I disagreed with the interpretation (in addition to being a decoration (adornment) they were also a soft, cloth, hair control device), I did enforce it because it was so clear.

Now that the NFHS has made hair adornments, like beads, legal, are all properly secured close to the head adornments (decorations) legal, such as ribbons? Beads are hard and now legal, shouldn't ribbons which are soft also be legal? Their rationale for the 2019-20 ribbon interpretation is no longer valid.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

On the other hand ...



Do the decorative qualities of this ribbon (above) outweigh the utilitarian qualities of the ribbon (hair control)?

On the other other hand (three hands?), do decorative beads have any utilitarian qualities?

Billy:

You did nothing wrong, the Rules are just getting more and more murkier every year.

Have a good weekend.

MTD, Sr.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

... the Rules are just getting more and more murkier every year.

Just the opposite of what the NFHS should be doing regarding equipment rules. These rules need to be simplified.

Removing the phrase "school color" from the rulebook, and grouping compression shorts with other types of equipment, was a good start, but more needs to be done.

If equipment rules are easily understood by officials, coaches, players, and parents, these rules would be a lot easier to consistently enforce, and we can get back to playing basketball.

I don't want high school and middle school games to look like a "wild west" fourth grade recreation league practice in half of a local elementary school gym, or like a "clown college" graduation.

I see the value of uniformity (as well as dignity and pride) in a team's equipment, allowing officials to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action, as well as safety rules regarding such.

But we need simplified equipment rules, simplified so as to be easily understood by all stake holders in the game, simplified to be consistently enforced by all officials.

Basketball fashion (shoes with flashing lights, undershirts, headbands, prewrap headbands, wrist bands, arm sleeves, compression shorts, long shorts, Ninja style knotted headbands, tights, beads, etc.) changes all the time, always has, and always will continue to change.

The NFHS needs to react to such and adjust, but must do so in a simplified manner.