Was watching an NCAA game in the stands while waiting for mine to start. I noticed a team member (on the bench) wearing a head cloth. Not a turban, really, but a cloth tied at the top of his head. I think he was probably Muslim.

At halftime, I went into the locker room with the crew and one of them asked me if it would be legal for the guy to go into the game with the headwear. I laughed, b/c I was just about to ask him.

So we both took out the rulebooks, and could only find 3-7-7, which says headwear is illegal. One of the officials pulled out an NCAA notebook but could not find a bulletin or clarification on headwear for religious purposes. The R said they would let him play with it on. As it turned out, the kid never came into the game, so it wasn't an issue.

Does anybody know if the NCAA has issued a bulletin or ruling on this other than 3-7-7?

Bump.

Brad? Bob? MTD? Dan? Bueller? Anyone?

I've looked all through the website, and can't find any mention. I would be surprised if they didn't allow some sort of religious headwear, something along the lines of the Fed. interp. where it's allowed with some documentation. But, then again, it doesn't say that. I'll ask a couple of my supervisors if they've run into that, and how they've been told to handle it.

Btw Chuck, you do a mean bump. But I thought that dance went out in the 70's?...

A few years ago there was a kid who was going to go to Maryland they called the "Jewish Jordan." Because of his religion and the certain days he could and could not play, he ended up playing at Towson State. He did in fact wear a yarmulke when he played, and I'm assuming it was held on by bobby pins or something.

I do not know however if the NCAA gave him a waiver or what. You could probably do a web search on "Jewish Jordan" and find something if you looked hard enough. I'd be interested on the NCAA's stance myself.

Chuck:

I am going to have to do some research on this one, maybe even climb up into the attic.

MTD, Sr.

I remember him. When I was thinking about this thread, he is the kid that came to my mind. If I am not mistaken, I believe his religion precluded him from playing on Saturday or certain Saturdays. Unfortunately I don't remember, but I recall him being able to wear his religious headwear during games.

Gary Williams would actually smile every time his name was mentioned.

[Edited by brianp134 on Jan 4th, 2006 at 01:12 PM]

We had a player out west here - D-III school - who wore some kind of head covering, not sure what the correct name was for it. We were told by the commish that the school had obtained a waiver for the player, and we were to allow her to play with the thing on...so as far as I know, they have to obtain the waiver from the conference or from the NCAA...

Tamir Goodman was the kid who was destined for stardom at Maryland, only to experience the epitome of mediocrity at Towson.

Just bumping this b/c Mark said he was going to do some research. Any luck, Mark?

I thought I saw something saying it had to be approved or some kind of letter stating it was okay by the NCAA/School. I may be wrong.

You can get a waiver to allow religious headgear. I don't know where it's written, but that's the way it works in practice.

Now a question for you: why was the game being played in the stands?

I don't know about headwear but there's a muslim (i believe) girl who plays for the University of Arizona. She wears a full sleeved undershirt and full length compression shorts under her uni. They are the same color as her jersey and shorts but I know she had to get a letter from the NCAA allowing it.

Wouldn't that be an unauthorized leaving of the court? I might have to put on my thinking cap on that one.

Come to think of it, would thinking caps be unauthorized headwear?

(He started it.)

I might have to put on my thinking cap on that one.

Come to think of it, would thinking caps be unauthorized headwear?

[/B][/QUOTE]Not in your case. More of a necessity.

Huh?

:p