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.

[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.

[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]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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?

I hate to re-open this discussion, but this is from the VB interps -- my *guess* is that BK will have something similar:

2022-23 SITUATIONS
SITUATION 1: During team warmups, the officials notice a player on Team A wearing plastic beads at the end of hair braids. The braids, pulled back in a ponytail and secured with an elastic hair tie, (a) extend down the player’s back swaying back and forth as the player moves; (b) fall above the player’s shoulders moving within the plane of the player’s shoulders. RULING: (a) illegal, (b) legal. COMMENT: Hair-control devices and other adornments in the hair that are securely fastened and do not present a risk of injury to the player, teammates or opponents are permitted. In situation (a), the official shall notify the coach of Team A and allow the player to make the equipment legal by securing the beads closer to the head and within the plane of the shoulders to minimize risk of injury from swinging beads. (4-1-6)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

VB interps ... 2022-23 SITUATIONS SITUATION 1: During team warmups, the officials notice a player on Team A wearing plastic beads at the end of hair braids. The braids, pulled back in a ponytail and secured with an elastic hair tie, (a) extend down the player’s back swaying back and forth as the player moves; (b) fall above the player’s shoulders moving within the plane of the player’s shoulders. RULING: (a) illegal, (b) legal. COMMENT: Hair-control devices and other adornments in the hair that are securely fastened and do not present a risk of injury to the player, teammates or opponents are permitted. In situation (a), the official shall notify the coach of Team A and allow the player to make the equipment legal by securing the beads closer to the head and within the plane of the shoulders to minimize risk of injury from swinging beads. (4-1-6)

Thanks bob jenkins.

Not quite sure what the "plane of the shoulders" means.

Possibly this (horizontal plane at shoulder height):

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I hate to re-open this discussion, but this is from the VB interps -- my *guess* is that BK will have something similar:

2022-23 SITUATIONS
SITUATION 1: During team warmups, the officials notice a player on Team A wearing plastic beads at the end of hair braids. The braids, pulled back in a ponytail and secured with an elastic hair tie, (a) extend down the player’s back swaying back and forth as the player moves; (b) fall above the player’s shoulders moving within the plane of the player’s shoulders. RULING: (a) illegal, (b) legal. COMMENT: Hair-control devices and other adornments in the hair that are securely fastened and do not present a risk of injury to the player, teammates or opponents are permitted. In situation (a), the official shall notify the coach of Team A and allow the player to make the equipment legal by securing the beads closer to the head and within the plane of the shoulders to minimize risk of injury from swinging beads. (4-1-6)

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Thanks bob jenkins.

Not quite sure what the "plane of the shoulders" means.

Possibly this (horizontal plane at shoulder height):

I do not care how the beads are attached. There was nothing wrong with the rule, as written before the 2022-23 school year.

Remember: If a player was not born wearing it then there is absolutely no reason to wear it when playing!

MTD, Sr.

[Bcopas]

“a risk of injury to the player, teammates, or opponents…”. Once again, nobody cares about us, the officials. My biggest reason not to allow the Bo Derek beads, is because I don’t want to get whacked in the side of the face. Unless Bo Derek is wearing them.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Bcopas

“a risk of injury to the player, teammates, or opponents…”. Once again, nobody cares about us, the officials.

Bead is not properly secured and falls, unnoticed, to the floor. If someone steps on the bead, slips, and falls, guess who has a 17% (two person) or a 23% (three person) chance of slipping and falling?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Bcopas

“a risk of injury to the player, teammates, or opponents…”. Once again, nobody cares about us, the officials. My biggest reason not to allow the Bo Derek beads, is because I don’t want to get whacked in the side of the face. Unless Bo Derek is wearing them.

If you're at risk from a player's headwear, you're too close to the players.