Beads ...

[BillyMac]

Most recent issue of IAABO Sportorial magazine came out today. It included some photos of legal and illegal equipment. It included the rule change regarding beads.

Hard adornments (beads) are allowed if they are securely fastened "close to the head" and do not present a risk to the player, teammates, or opponents.

It appears that beads that are not worn "close to the head", for example tied to long braids, are illegal.

Note that this is an IAABO interpretation, not a NFHS interpretation.



Not sure If I'm ready to debate with a coach, a young woman, or a young man, what "close to the head" means. Easy interpretation for the two photos on the left (legal) and the photo on the far right (illegal). Third photo from the left is interesting, beads are within a "bun", but not "close to the head", beads are up to two inches away for the scalp.

I guess it's based on whether, or not the beads can "swing around" and strike somebody in the eye?

Maybe I should laminate these photos and bring them with me to games?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Most recent issue of IAABO Sportorial magazine came out today. It included some photos of legal and illegal equipment.

Also included this:



It appears that "concussion headbands" have left the realm of headbands and have entered the realm of medical devices, and as such, are not color restricted?

[JRutledge]

The NF came out with an interpretation using similar pictures and examples. IAABO is likely using the same information or examples. All in the last few months of Referee Magazine and even an example of soccer that had more examples of their rule that proceeded the basketball interpretation. I will try to post the pictures I used on my FB page.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The NF came out with an interpretation using similar pictures and examples.

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 (softball, wrestling) regarding ethnic hair issues over the past few years.

I like the beads in braids that are 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.

[BillyMac]

Anybody (other than Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.) old enough to know who this is?

Hint: How would you rate her on a scale of one to ten?

Cultural misappropriation?

Illegal in a basketball game.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Most recent issue of IAABO Sportorial magazine came out today. It included some photos of legal and illegal equipment. It included the rule change regarding beads.

Hard adornments (beads) are allowed if they are securely fastened "close to the head" and do not present a risk to the player, teammates, or opponents.

It appears that beads that are not worn "close to the head", for example tied to long braids, are illegal.

Note that this is an IAABO interpretation, not a NFHS interpretation.



Not sure If I'm ready to debate with a coach, a young woman, or a young man, what "close to the head" means. Easy interpretation for the two photos on the left (legal) and the photo on the far right (illegal). Third photo from the left is interesting, beads are within a "bun", but not "close to the head", beads are up to two inches away for the scalp.

I guess it's based on whether, or not the beads can "swing around" and strike somebody in the eye?

Maybe I should laminate these photos and bring them with me to games?

Let's look at the far left picture in the group of pictures labeled: Head Decoration. I am waiting for a girl who is wearing beads all throughout her hair as in this picture to fall hard to the floor, her head hits the floor hard, the beads either break and sharp pieces are driven into her scalp or they do not break but are still driven into her scalp and either case cause bleeding, possibly server bleeding.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The NF came out with an interpretation using similar pictures and examples. IAABO is likely using the same information or examples. All in the last few months of Referee Magazine and even an example of soccer that had more examples of their rule that proceeded the basketball interpretation. I will try to post the pictures I used on my FB page.

Peace

Jeff: You beat me to it!

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Anybody (other than Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.) old enough to know who this is?

Hint: How would you rate her on a scale of one to ten?

Cultural misappropriation?

Illegal in a basketball game.

Bonnie Jean is a 10 Bo is just an 8. That said, I have had two games in my career which involved beads as in the picture in the far right of the group of pictures labeled: Head Decoration. The first time was decades ago in a run of the mill weekend AAU tournament involving a girl in an 16U game. I told the girl that I could not make her take the beads out but I would not let her play while they were in her hair. This was not her team's first game in the tournament and no one had told her that she could not play with them in her hair. And of course her parents got the TD involved and he said that she could play. I told him that if that was his decision that I was going home and I went home! The second time was also decades ago at the YBOA Girls National Championship Tournament in the very first day of Pool Play. I told the girl that I could not make her take the beads out but I would not let her play while they were in her hair. She was a starter; her mother took the beads out but it took so long that she was not ready to play until the start of the Second QT.

MTD, Sr.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Bo is just an 8.

Bo Derek an eight? The 1979 movie was called "Ten" for a reason.



In the 1962 James Bond movie, "Dr. No", Ursula Andress walking out of the sea as Honey Ryder was an eleven.



Be careful Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Ursula knows how to use that knife.

[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)

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Bo Derek an eight? The 1979 movie was called "Ten" for a reason.



In the 1962 James Bond movie, "Dr. No", Ursula Andress walking out of the sea as Honey Ryder was an eleven.



Be careful Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Ursula knows how to use that knife.

We will have been married 40 years in September and I do not want to sleep on the couch, LOL!

MTD, Sr.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Anybody (other than Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.) old enough to know who this is?

...

I'm old and learned enough to know you left out Linda Evans from the harem.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I'm old and learned enough to know you left out Linda Evans from the harem.

Film director John Derek married Linda Evans in 1968, and separated in 1973, when Derek disclosed his affair with Bo Derek, who was 30 years his junior, and was 17 years old at the time. He married Bo Derek in 1976.

Linda Evans is a close friend with Bond girl Ursula Andress, a sometime houseguest at her home in Beverly Hills.

I remembered some of this, but not all of this.

[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.