2023-2024 Rules Changes Announced.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Did the application of the rule change? No.

Absolutely 100% disagree.

Old rule: No color restrictions for shorts. Players on the same team can legally have multiple color shorts, one blue, another white, etc. No officials having a "Fashion Police" role in regard to the color of snorts.

New rule: Color restrictions for shorts in that players on the same team most all wear the same color shorts. It's illegal for players on the same team to have multiple color shorts, one blue, another white, etc. In regard to shorts, officials now have a "Fashion Police" role: "Coach. All your players must wear the same color shorts. Pick a color, those kids can play tonight".

I'm divided on this rule change.

While I agree that rules that restrict equipment colors benefit officials by allowing them to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action, I also always prefer "Fashion Police" issues to change from complex to simpler.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) fashion issues changed from simpler to more complex (shorts, visitor black undershirts) this coming year.

Two more fashion issues to deal with that we didn't have to deal with last year.

One (shorts) that allows us to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action, and another (visitor black undershirts) that was changed only for the convenience of teams/players/parents.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Did the application of the rule change? No.

If by this you mean that you've never encountered multiple color shorts in any of your high school varsity games, then I see your point that this rule change would not apply to you.

However it does apply to my little corner of Connecticut.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... we have several teams in our local area where junior varsity shorts are different colors than varsity shorts (a kind of rite of passage). Coaches will often reward junior varsity players by inviting some of them (with their "wrong" color shorts) to sit on the varsity bench. Pretty sure that our CIAC will have to make some exceptions until everybody goes through a new uniform cycle (or maybe beyond).

[JRutledge]

New Rule says:

Rule 3-4-5 clarifies that multiple styles of uniform bottoms may be worn by teammates, but they must all be like-colored and adhere to uniform rules outlined in Rule 3-6-2 regarding logos and trademarks.

Old Rule says:

Uniform pants/skirts shall have only one visible logo manufacturer's logo/trademark/reference...........Showing multiple logos on the waistband of the pants/skirts makes them illegal.

The only thing illegal before was the kind of logo you had on. I hardly see a change unless "like color" is meant to mean same color. So that means to me what we did before, we did not nitpick what they wore. And it also does not say the same solid color either.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I hardly see a change unless "like color" is meant to mean same color.

I believe that's what it means, "like color" means the same (or similar) color, but, of course I can be misreading it. We'll have to wait for the actual rule language or interpretations to see what the NFHS actually expects.

3-4-5: Requires uniform bottoms on teammates to be like-colored while allowing different styles of uniform bottoms among teammates. Rationale: Clarifies that teammates must all wear like-colored uniform bottoms but may wear multiple styles while aligning language with other NFHS rules codes.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... we have several teams in our local area where junior varsity shorts are different colors than varsity shorts (a kind of rite of passage). Coaches will often reward junior varsity players by inviting some of them (with their "wrong" color shorts) to sit on the varsity bench. Pretty sure that our CIAC will have to make some exceptions until everybody goes through a new uniform cycle (or maybe beyond).

In my case, the colors aren't even close. Junior varsity players wear white shorts. Varsity players on the same team wear dark shorts, for example, some teams blue, some teams red, some teams black. Or vice versa (as well as home versus road). It's when some junior varsity players also try to play in the later varsity game (without changing shorts) where we could have some problems with the new rule, if I'm reading it correctly.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I've always been very pleased that the NFHS didn't have any color restrictions on shorts, shoes, and socks. Quoth the raven, "Nevermore".

[BillyMac]

These shorts are not exactly the same color.

Some are white shorts with red stripes, while others are red shorts with white stripes.