Rule 3-5-3
"Equipment shall not be modified from its' original manufactured state and shall be worn in the manner the manufacturer intended it to be worn."

Headbands have been a topic of discussion here before...but maybe it will be a slow day...so here goes.

Had a District playoff game last night out of my association's normal assigning area.
In other words...I was in someone else's house.
3-whistle crew...I was U1...observing players during warm-ups. I noticed a player had his cloth headband around his neck. I walked over to the R, who BTW is a very good official from his association and has gone to state several times, and said, "Hey, Moses...what's your thoughts on this dude with the headband around his neck?"
He said, "No rule against it, he can wear it anywhere he wants." I said, "OK" and walked back to my spot.
(I didn't see the player wear the headband that way during the game...so it wasn't really an issue)

We will be working another district game tonight...in my neck of the woods.
I'm the R...headbands a pre-game topic? ;)

Man...pretty sad when all I can think of his headbands to talk about. :)

I re-read my post...just to clarify...I will be working with Moses (last night's R) tonight...we get along good from past tournaments...maybe I will have a little fun with him in the pre-game. ;)


[Edited by RookieDude on Feb 18th, 2005 at 09:59 AM]

I'd say, "Around here, it's interpreted that they're not legal, even in warm-ups."

Or is that too pissy of me?

I would approach the coach (or even the kid) and ask him if the kid plans to wear it appropriately during the game, and if so, then I wouldn't bother unless it isn't worn appropriately when he comes on the floor during the game. I had the same situation where girls were wearing prewrap around their neck, and told me they planned to wear them as headbands (to hold their hair in place). My partner and I agreed to let it go unless they stepped on the floor with it still around their necks.

Maybe. I'd just say, "Looks like a fuzzy necklace to me". Headbands are legal. Neckbands aren't.

Prewrap is not legal to wear, even during warm-ups.

It is under NCAAW rules...

I stand corrected for NCAAW rules.

Even around the hair? Well, maybe not, but it's pretty hard to tell the difference between pre-wrap and a bona fide narrow headband. I don't check.

Even around the hair.

The only exceptions to the "headwear" rule in FED rules are actual headbands that meet the written specifications of the exception and rubber/cloth(elastic) bands.

I don't think that it's a biggie, but until the NFHS lists prewrap under the exceptions......

I'm going to use something along the lines of what rainmaker and Chuck said...

"Around here it looks like a fuzzy necklace." yea, I like that.

I'll say it with a smile and go easy with the "pissy" attitude. ;)

May be legal, but dangerous...
 

The headband around the neck may technically be legal, but it's not safe. If someone grabbed that neck band, he could be choked, whiplashed, etc.

Why not use preventive officiating and tell him it has to be around his head or not at all during warm ups...that way you wont have to stop play during the game to tell him, and you will avoid any conflict.

That's how I'd do it anyways.

What is prewrap???

A musical style from the late 80's - after funk, but before P. Diddy.

:D

Good one!

If prewrap rolled is not considered permitted headgear, what can I allow for girls to keep their hair in place? I'm not the only one that allows it. Heck, some of the upper level varsity officials here allow it as well. I'd rather prewrap than a bandana or a sweatband worn around the back part of the head where it could be more dangerous than it's "normal" place.

By the way, for those who don't know what I'm talking about, it's that elastic thing that goes on before athletic tape.