Dress code

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Danvrapp
Did a JV girls game last night, at which the home team refused to keep their shirts in. I wouldn't have made such a big deal out of it, but it IS a rule. I repeatadly kept warning players to get their shirts in or I'll send 'em to the bench for a sub. We (partner and I)discussed it at halftime, and approached the coaches telling them to relay the message to their players, and they didn't argue. Later in the third quarter, I sent a girl to the bench before a dead ball throw in, and the coach told me we were being silly! Has anyone else had conflicts with this rule? What's the best way to go about enforcing it? It's kind of a trivial rule, but I told the coach if someone catches a finger on a shirt-tail and gets injured, I don't want to have to carry the load.

First, did you have the coaches attend the captains pregame
conference (I do not want the coaches there but that is a whole different discussion). The OhioHSAA expects its officials to follow the NFHS rule on this matter. At the pregame meeting you should have asked the magic question: Are your players properly dressed and will they remain so.
You have let the coaches know that they and only they are responsible for their players.

The shirt rule maybe trivial and I do not want to get into a discussion about the shirt and pants (waist band) rule but if we do our job in letting we expect the coaches do to the job that the rule requires them to do then the players will wear their uniforms correctly and we will not to have players sit down for violating the rule.

Of course you are at a disadvantage by officiating in Ohio because the coaches determine who officiates varsity games and if they do not like the way you officiate at the jr. varsity level you reduce your chances of moving up to varsity. So one has to determine if he wants to sell his soul to the devil.