Hey all,

I played, officiate and generally help out in a Christian Summer Basketball league in the SF Bay Area. The league is relatively low key and they use the league's players to officiate games.

I recently officiated a game where a young kid wore his uniform backwards. I did not catch it until after the game had started and with the league somewhat low key, I left it alone. However, I found out later than the league coordinators had taken notice during the first two weeks (I was on vacation and missed the opening weeks). They asked me if there were any specific rules against this.

Looking at the National Federation rule book, I see nothing specifically against wearing backwards uniform. THe only two things I saw that might even apply were Rule 3-4-1 and Rule 3-5

Rules 3-4-1 might apply because the team's uniform numbers are bigger in the back than in the front. So when the kid flips his uniform, the smaller number is now in the back and may be illegal (I'd have to measure the number to be sure).

Rule 3-5 appears to give officials some jurisdiction in seeing if anything is unusual or illegal.

So I am curious what others think here? I think this sort of thing wouldn't happen too often at regular high school games, but it never hurts to be prepared.

Thanks!

As far as I know, there is no rule stating which way the uniform must be worn. The only thing i can think of is the size of the number, but in a rec league like this, I wouldn't go onto the court with a ruler. I'd go up and talk to the kid, ask him if he can wear his shirt properly, as it is the uniform, and ask if the league will back you up on enforcing this issue.

Rule 3-4-1 seems to cover it. Using some good common sense, you can deduce that this rule implies the jersey is NOT to be worn backwards since the number on the back of the shirt must and is larger. And it is larger for a good reason.....so the table and officials can SEE their number better. I'd just tell the player they won't be able to record all the points he scores if he wears his jersey backwards.

Also it seems to me that if you can send a player off for not tucking his jersy in or wearing his shorts too low, you can send him off for wearing his uniform improperly and not allow him to enter the game until he puts it on right.

There is always one other possibility...he's a little bit nervous and isn't aware he has it on backwards...but I tend to doubt that.

I believe that the uniform rule is there, so that all players look uniformly alike.
Players should not try to "stand out" by modifying/changing parts of the regular uniform.
I would not allow a player to wear a shirt backwards.

OQ is right. Why do you think they call them "uniforms"? BTW - was anyone wearing their's upside down?

Yes, and wouldn't it look silly to have a rule that states: "players are not to wear jerseys backwards". Or inside out....or sideways...or on top of your head

Hey all,

Thanks for the responses. I did find another passage regarding uniforms:

Rule 3-5-3 - "Equipment which is unnatural and designed to increase a player's height or reach or to gain an advantage. Equipment shall not be modified from it's original manufactured state and shall be worn in the manner the manufacturer intended it to be worn"

I'm looking through the whole section on uniforms and none of the rules (except the one on numbers and the one above) seem to apply. However, if I understand everyone correctly, unless the rest of the kid's team wore their uniforms backwards, what he is doing is "illegal".

Thankfully, no one in the league has worn their jersey upside down. :D Thankfully, this is just rec league. However, things still come up and I get to think about it and improve my rules knowledge (which needs a lot of work :D