Hi. I have a quick question before our first youth rec league game tomorrow. I have a 4th grade girls team. One of my players is a diabetic and wears a medical alert bracelet 24/7. She is prone to problems upon activity, like basketball. I want to make sure I know about any rules differentiating "jewelry" from medical alerts. This alert bracelet is tight fitting by use of a velcro strap. I can tape the bracelet part and leave the emblem visible that declares diabetic. The only reference I could find was :

Players shall not wear jewelry with the exception of religious or medical medals. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert must be taped and may be visible.

Does this cover my player and can I reference it if an official at the game (who will likely be young or inexperienced) questions her medical alert?

thanks everyone. I just want to do what's right.

Coach GBert

Yes, she can wear the medical alert.

You might be smart to get a letter from your league stating she's cleared to play with the medical alert. You never know when you'll run into the "I said she can't play coach and I aint reading that rule book you have" type of person.

Coach -- yes, yes, and yes. The best way to keep things clean would probably talk to the tournament director ahead of time, showing him the rule book, and saying that this is the proper way to tape. Get td to approve it ahead of time, like this, and then when you have your inexperienced official, be sure to approach him or her early and talk about it calmly, stating that td has already approved it. It's extra work for you, but it will prevent a lot of problems.

And you get stars in your crown for being a coach who likes to follow the rules, and sees the value in pursuing that goal. I wish we could clone you around here!

Doggone it, Dan, you type faster than I do!!

ART. 6 . . . Jewelry shall not be worn. Religious and medical-alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical-alert medal must be taped and may be visible.

Who? Me??!!

Hey, c'mon, whatchya gotta be bustin' balls for? I'll tell ya some people never give it a rest...

(Hm... maybe copy/paste doesn't work real well here?)

It's sorta like My Fair Lady in reverse...

Repeat after me:

Da rain in Spain is gonna ruin da freakin' picnic.

Tournament directors don't have the authority to approve anything related to safety, Juulie. If the R makes a wrong safety decision, then the only body usually able to over-ride that decision is the state governing body. The only letter that is usually acceptable also is one that is generated through the state governing body- not through a doctor or a tournament director.

Coach, you're better off trying to talk to the officials ahead of time if you can, or maybe someone from the association that is supplying the officials- just to make sure that they understand the rule.

Let's see...

Oh, deah, no. I'll just go back to my cultuh ghetto and read deah Jane Austen until the tea pahrty. Watuhcress sandwiches, anyone?

Tournament directors don't have the authority to approve anything related to safety, Juulie. If the R makes a wrong safety decision, then the only body usually able to over-ride that decision is the state governing body. The only letter that is usually acceptable also is one that is generated through the state governing body- not through a doctor or a tournament director.

Coach, you're better off trying to talk to the officials ahead of time if you can, or maybe someone from the association that is supplying the officials- just to make sure that they understand the rule.

[/B][/QUOTE]

Yeah, this makes sense. Petition the state to let this kid play in a 4th grade tournament. :rolleyes:

Might be smart to talk to whoever is assigning the thing though.

JR -- you could be right (wouldn't that be interesting?!). Around here tournaments that 4th grade teams play in don't fall under the state governing body. They're just local leagues, or at their most organized, a rec league with a parks department. I was suggesting on that basis.

Coach, you should contact the highest governing body that has authority over your tournament. A written letter will be the most useful thing to show the ref, if the person with the authority won't be on-site.

I'll just go back to Jane Austen, until the tea party.

Don't those fourth game tournaments fall under your insurance coverage though? Doesn't your association worry about insurance and liability problems in all games, Juulie? Please note that I'm not trying to be smart or anything like that either. We go over situations like this with our officials every pre-season so that they know what to do when they run into them re: the legal aspects and how it relates to our insurance coverage. It doesn't matter whether it's a 4th. grade game or a high school varsity game either. You're usually under the same liability when it comes to safety matters.

All I'm saying is I'm not gonna accept anything from a tournament director, coach, AD, whoever- when it comes to safety matters- without seeing something that is gonna cover my a$$. Of course, having said that, I hope that the officials on this game are smart enough to read the rule book before making their final decision. The rule on medic alert bracelets is pretty clear- tape the bracelet part but the medal with the medical info on it is OK.

JR, you're making too much of this.

Under the rules the kid can wear the medical alert. Period. So there's no liability issue. All we're discussing is how to guarantee that some pinhead doesn't bench the kid because he's a pinhead.

IMO it would be perfectly acceptable and even prudent to get a letter from the director stating that under the rules the tournamnet is being played under the kid can play. And as you say it would be a good idea for someone to contact the assignor so he can remind his officials of the rule beforehand.

Dan, I know what you're saying. I certainly agree that the officials should know the damn rule- it's straightforward as hell. There should never be a dispute.

I just wanted to make a general statement that, if there <b>is</b> a dispute concerning any safety/medical problem, then I ain't gonna let any tournament director make the final decision. Nuh-huh. It's my butt on the line.

Iow, I don't agree with your #1. I sureashell do agree with your #2.

Just my studly opinion.

Actually around here, only PBOA games fall under our NFOA insurance. If we do stuff that isn't assigned by the PBOA, then we have to carry our own. The NASO that I carry some years (and neglect to renew others) uses strictly NFHS safety rules. At least that's my understanding.

So as a ref, I'd be fine with the tape job that coach gbert describes, per rule book. But the "young and inexperienced" ref who she doesn't know from Slappy Dan, may not know the rule. If the TD or some other league official gives her a written letter that says, "yea, it's legal", the coach is less likely to have a problem.

HOW BOUT HAVING THE PLAYER WEAR A SWEATBAND TO COVER
THE MED BRACELET....COACH/PARENTS KNOW ABOUT MEDICAL
CONDITION......I HAD THIS EXACT THING HAPPEN AND
IT WORKED PERFECT...

http://www.forumspile.com/Misc-Caps.gif
Don't yell.

While NASO is happy to let you belive that so you can buy thier insurance, this is NOT correct.

From http://www.bollingernfhs.com/03-10-03/html/nfoa1.html (who is the administrator for the NFOA insurance):

<FONT COLOR=BLUE>
<LI>The insurance coverage applies only while the member official is performing his/her officiating duties (as defined below) during regularly scheduled sports or activities competitions.
<LI>Coverage is not limited to high school activities. It also applies to officiating activities for college, junior college, independent youth or recreational leagues, but only for sports that are recognized for high school participation by that state's high school association.</FONT>

So, as long as the sport is a HS sport (and basketball is in all 50 states) and the games was "scheduled" (no pickup games), you're covered.

NASO insurance may give you coverage for a greater dollar amount or provided better service but you have coverage for all the game that you may be working regardless of the level or who assigns them.


[Edited by Camron Rust on Dec 3rd, 2005 at 03:27 PM]

Thanks everyone. I thought about using the sweat band but after six years have witnessed numerous officials ask the girls to pull up their sweat bands. I don't want to seem like I am hiding something and start off on the wrong foot.

I am going to notify the league director that I have a player with diabetes who will be wearing a medical alert bracelet and will comply with the rule for taping.

I have a letter from her doctor allowing her to compete with the diabetes that I carry with me also.

Even though it's only fourth grade I like to start the girls and their parents out with the right rules and the right explanations.

I copied (I hope that was okay with everyone), the most misunderstood rules from this board and handed them out to my parents at our first meeting.

I really appreciate all your help.

thanks again,
Coach GBert

Coach GBert, may I impose on our acquaintance and ask one more favor? It may be that you are already hep to this little scene, but I'm feeling a little annoyed so I just want to remind anyone who will listen. Please, please, please tell your players and their parents not to get new piercings the week before the season starts. And be sure they know that taping piercings is not acceptable under the rules. I know at your level a lot of refs don't care, but if your players get into my games and think they can play with tape over their pierced whatever, I really don't want to hear that they've been doing it for five years and it never mattered before.

Besides, it's not safe for the girl with the tape, or for any one else on the floor.

Thanks. Now I'll get off my soapbox.

It's not an imposition at all. One of my rules on the first day is all jewelry must be off before they can practice. I give them one warning, next time anyone shows up with jewelry, gum or hair clips (the biggest girl offenders) the whole team runs. Part of my parent handout explains that now is not a good time to consider ear piercings as the players can not participate with jewelry or with taped earrings. I give the parents the option of watching their daughter sit on the bench until the earrings can come out.

I have absolute rules regarding safety and security including the girls not leaving my sight after they check in with me. No one even goes to the restroom alone or without permission.

Another pet peeve of mine as a coach... all jerseys on my team are tucked in, not tucked and bloused, not tucked in the front, not tucked in on the sides and hanging loose in the front and back, but TUCKED in all the way around. This is for all my girls from 3rd/4th through my upper level AAU girls.

Okay, now I'm off my coach soap box now. thanks for the advice!

Coach GBert

Know what amazes me?

Generally, NBA players can keep their shirts tucked in. High school players seem to have a heckuva lot more problems doing so.

Why is that? :)

We're not talking ANY disputes ("Dear Mr. Official: Please allow Little Amy to play with her earings in today because this morning was the only possible time she had to get her ears pierced. Regards, Tournament Director) we're talking a SPECIFIC dispute ("Dear Mr. Official: Please allow Little Amy to play with her medical alert on today because as you know under NFHS rule 3-5-6 medical alerts are explicitely allowed if properly taped. Regards, Tournament Director).

REFWANT2B: Bad, bad, bad advice. Do NOT cover the medical alert, they are there because they provide life saving information during an emergency.

"Dear Mr. Official: Please allow Little Amy to play with her medical alert on today because as you know under NFHS rule 3-5-6 medical alerts are explicitely allowed if properly taped. Regards, Tournament Director).

[/B][/QUOTE]And who has to decide <b>if</b> the medic alert bracelet <b>is</b> properly and legally taped?

Mr. Official has to make that decision, not Mr. Tournament Director.

What we seem to have here is a failure to communicate. :) I think that we basically agree but we're coming at this from different perspectives.

Yes, the official should sureashell know the rule and it's application. Yes, the coach and/or the tournament director should certainly be able to bring the proper ruling to the official's attention- either with a letter or hiring a sky-writing plane for all I care. No, the tournament director doesn't get to make the final ruling on how the bracelet is to be worn however. That's the official's job. Hopefully, in a perfect world, the official gets it right. That's the point I was trying to make.

And who has to decide <b>if</b> the medic alert bracelet <b>is</b> properly and legally taped?

Mr. Official has to make that decision, not Mr. Tournament Director.

What we seem to have here is a failure to communicate. :) I think that we basically agree but we're coming at this from different perspectives.

Yes, the official should sureashell know the rule and it's application. Yes, the coach and/or the tournament director should certainly be able to bring the proper ruling to the official's attention- either with a letter or hiring a sky-writing plane for all I care. No, the tournament director doesn't get to make the final ruling on how the bracelet is to be worn however. That's the official's job. Hopefully, in a perfect world, the official gets it right. That's the point I was trying to make. [/B][/QUOTE]

Well, the only thing left for me to say is











(wait for it...)





















shut up.

:shrug: