Do home uniforms have to be white? Our school colors are black and silver and we want to order a set of home uniforms that are light silver.

Our league has a lot of small schools with small budgets so uniform issues are often tolerated. We have never had a set of home uniforms and have never received a T - opponents have always been flexible and brought their home uni to our gym.

Despite the flexible attitude, I would like to have your thoughts before I order a new set.

Thanks.

Unless you plan on buying them again in 2007 you are better off getting white. In 2007-8 home is required to wear white.

Thanks blindzebra,

I assume that the penalty would be a T to start the game? I'm trying to do a quick future cost benefit analysis. I would really like to reward this current group with what they want. They have made unbelievable progress in leadership, maturity and intensity and about 1/2 will by and keep their uniform anyway.

Any idea what the impetus is for the rule change? Were some teams going crazy with the home colors and making games difficult to call?

One other question . . . if we have silver uniforms this year do the kids who wear T-shirts need to wear a close grey match or would white be OK?

The switch is to keep from having games turn into that Illinois/Wisconsin nightmare.

Undershirts are supposed to match the uniform color, so I guess light grey could be close enough to silver.

Coach,
Here is the exact text of the NFHS rule:

3-4-6
"...The torso of the team jersey shall be the same single solid color from the base of the neck to the bottom of the team jersey. Undershirts shall be similar in color to the torso of the shirt and shall not have frayed or ragged edges. If the undershirt has sleeves, they shall be the same length.
NOTE:
The home team should wear light-colored uniforms and the visiting team dark. The team that violates this policy should change. If there is doubt, the officials should request the home team to change; on a neutral floor the officials decide. Beginning in 2007-08, the home team shall wear white jerseys and the visiting team, dark jerseys."

Since the undershirt is only required to be SIMILAR in color NOT the same color as the jersey, I would let your kids wear white or silver under a silver jersey.
However, you will not be able to wear the silver jersey for home games come the 2007-08 season. You must wear white.


[Edited by Nevadaref on Dec 9th, 2004 at 04:29 AM]

The rule change came about from teams that were getting a little to liberal in what a 'light' color is. We have a school here that wears black on the road and red at home. Of course there is another school who wears red on the road and white at home. Not a good thing when both showed up last year in red for a game. The crew made the home team switch to their road black.

I think what you're asking is that if you decide to buy silver jerseys will it only cost you one T. I think the correct penalty is one T for every player that plays in the game. So, I think the proper penalty is 5 Ts to start the games (one for each starter) and another T for each subsitute once he/she becomes a player. Anyone disagree? I actually thought about the same thing bebanovich is asking here. If all it costs you is one T then why not buy any color you want and sacrifice the 2 points. Therefore, I think it's one T per player in the game.

These are team technicals too, right? So they would not be indirectly charged to the coach. If they are charged indirectly to the coach then he will have an ealry night every game that season.

bebanovich,
save the money and buy white. 2007 is just around the corner.

I will explain the rules to the kids and let them decide. Most of the guys want to buy their uniforms and keep them so I will only be fundraising to buy about 4 @ $32. We are poor, but I can live with this.

It seems to me that a first year art student could write a rule to solve the problem and save the expense for all the teams that have bought reasonably colored home jerseys. "Home jerseys must have a value/tone/hue (whatever the heck it is)of no more than x and road jerseys no less than y." It would allow some variety but allow a penalty for teams who have red home jerseys that are similar to another's red road jerseys. A simple grey card could be used to compare against if it became an issue.

Actually, I think the solution should address both home AND road jerseys. But the rule stands as is, and we've got to live with it. I would think if you chose the lightest shade of silver available, and asked your local officials' association for an opinion, you might get away with silver.

Where does it state that?
 

Where in the rulebook does it suggest to give a T for this particular situation? Is there a casebook ruling somewhere? Is their an interpretation somewhere? I am not finding anything that makes this a T because the team does not have white when this rule comes into affect.

Peace

Re: Where does it state that?
 

I agree. All I see is that it's a rule starting down the road.... no "remedies" yet for violation of it.

I don't know about other officials, but even if it was a technical foul, I can't see enforcing that for some of the small schools that have severe budget limitations. Heck, some schools don't even have 12 similar uniforms now.

Z

Re: Re: Where does it state that?
 

I have already worked two games where some kids wore different shorts than then everyone else on the team. I am not penalizing a team with a T because of that.

Peace

Based on what rule?

NFHS rule 10-3-2- player wearing an illegal shirt. The silver shirts will be illegal in 2007. The stated penalty is <i>"each violation is penalized one time if discovered prior to ball becoming live for each designated starter and each substitute who enters"</i>. The "T"s are charged directly to the players- indirect "T"s to the coach aren't applicable.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Dec 10th, 2004 at 12:56 PM]

Wow. Thanks. Chalk that up to the rules I hadn't got to yet.

Based on what rule? [/B][/QUOTE]NFHS rule 10-3-2- player wearing an illegal shirt. The silver shirts will be illegal in 2007. The stated penalty is <i>"each violation is penalized one time if discovered prior to ball becoming live for each designated starter and each substitute who enters"</i>. The "T"s are charged directly to the players- indirect "T"s to the coach aren't applicable.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Dec 10th, 2004 at 12:56 PM] [/B][/QUOTE]



Jurassic,

Thanks. I don't have my rule book handy but I am with you. I would think that other than white home uniforms would be considered illegal. I don't think it is our job to decide who can wear what based on a school's budget. My hope is that the state Athletic Associations will look at this and provide any supplemental guidance if they feel it is necessary.

I would think that other than white home uniforms would be considered illegal. I don't think it is our job to decide who can wear what based on a school's budget. My hope is that the state Athletic Associations will look at this and provide any supplemental guidance if they feel it is necessary. [/B][/QUOTE]I don't think that I've ever seen a "T" called for a player wearing an illegal uniform--> wrong color, number too big, freaking curlicues where they shouldn't be, etc. I also hope that I never do see one. If anything is dangerous, fine. If they want the shirts tucked in and the pants pulled up, that's fine too. But the other stuff? I'm gonna white-cane those. Hell, even if they don't have numbers, we'll muddle through somehow. Let 'em play. If I get silver shirts in '07, they'll be white enough for me. Jmo.

I don't think that I've ever seen a "T" called for a player wearing an illegal uniform--> wrong color, number too big, freaking curlicues where they shouldn't be, etc. I also hope that I never do see one. If anything is dangerous, fine. If they want the shirts tucked in and the pants pulled up, that's fine too. But the other stuff? I'm gonna white-cane those. Hell, even if they don't have numbers, we'll muddle through somehow. Let 'em play. If I get silver shirts in '07, they'll be white enough for me. Jmo. [/B][/QUOTE]I'm with you on this. We are there to facilitate the kids getting to play, not to mete out punishments for "wardrobe malfunctions."

But I do disagree with your numbers comment. I work enough summer rec ball with numbers only on the back of the jersies -- and it's enough of a pain in my back side -- that I look forward to the school season. Then I don't spend half my night asking kids to turn around or give me their number.

So what's the point of the rule change in 2007 if no one will enforce it? What if, for example, you get to the game and the team has silver uniforms. You tell the coach the shirts need to be white. He says the school's on a tight budget and they've been saving for years to buy these special jerseys. You allow them. The other coach comes to you and says he is also on a low budget but his school made some fiscal decisions and had a couple of fundraisers so they could buy white and be in compliance. he doesn't think it's fair that you allow the silver jerseys.

Or, you don't allow it and want to penalize it but the coach says "the last crew i had from your association let us play with them".

My only point here is that the rule book is pretty clear and just to ignore it on our part may not be the best thing to do. I think state associations, or at least our local officials associations, are going to have to address this one or we will have problems with how to properly deal with this.

johnnyrao,

I would make a note of it and tell the board of directors of my referee association. Then I'd let my association deal with it through the state. I know it's in the rule book, but it sure seems like an A.D. issue to me.

Z

Re: Re: Re: Where does it state that?
 

Is it written anywhere in the rules/casebook that everyone's shorts *must* be the same color? The shirts are referred to multiple times as the "team jerseys", so I take that as everyone has to be wearing the same team jersey. But other than the restriction on the size of the manufacturer's logo/trademark, does anything else make game shorts illegal? I had this in a game yesterday -- everyone on the visiting team had green shirts and green shorts, except one player had black shorts.

Nope. 3-4-15 states only that "the pants/skirt shall be above the hips and worn properly."

If there were a same-uniform-bottom stipulation for each player on a given team, I would expect it to be noted in case book 3.5.5 Situation B. It isn't.