Have you had to be the fashion police?

[eyezen]

Originally Posted by ToGreySt

I'm prob missing something here, but can't they wear black sweatbands if one of their school colors is black

joe

Nope, unless they are wearing their black jerseys. In the OP they were in their white jerseys.

3-5-3

[bigdogrunnin]

Something I picked up at camp this past summer, and I have been using it so far this season . . .

Before the start of the game, say at about 5-6 minutes before the tip, I call over one of the captains. I simply tell him/her, "hey, do me a favor, I need your help. Go check your players and make sure no one is wearing any jewelry, or metal. Make sure all the shirts are tucked in and shorts pulled up. And, make sure you check the head bands and wrist bands for me, they have to be white or the color of your jerseys. Let me know that everyone is in proper uniform. Thanks, I appreciate your help." (Or something to that effect.)

EVERY time those kids will walk around and check every person on their team, and come back and give me the "OK." I haven't had ONE problem with uniforms this season, not even a warning, or having to leave a kid at the table because they weren't "ready for play."

By doing this, I accomplish two things: 1) I now have an "ally" on the floor; and 2) I can worry about the game and not the fashion show. I am really amazed at how effective this little bit of information has been for me. Oh, and I am 78 games into the season, so it's not like I have used it once or twice. This little number is getting a workout.

[BktBallRef]

No problem with sweat bands yet. But tonight, we had to have three kids remove undershirts before they came into the game. 2 white jerseys with blue shirts and 1 blue jersey with a white shirt.

[rainmaker]

I had a sweatband issue at a JH game last week. Just before the prayer before the game, I noticed that one boy had a sweatband above his elbow. I told the coach he had to pull it down. Coach told the kid, and he pulled it down. As the kids were walking off the floor after the prayer, I saw the kid's other arm -- there was another sweatband that he hadn't pulled down! I laughed, and pointed it out to the coach, who also laughed, and then made him pull it down.

[blindzebra]

Had 3 different colored hand bands...only the white one was legal...and two different color sweat bands...neither were legal...on the same team in a girls holiday tournament last week.

Was watching the JV game before my game last night and at the half I asked the officials about illegal equipment and they did the doh! head smack.

Made a couple of players move their legal sweat band, below the elbow tonight.

[bgtg19]

My partner(s) and I have dealt with illegal headbands on numerous occasions. Most of the time, there is a shrug followed by cooperation. But we did have a game where the reaction was considerably more.

In that game, during warmups, we noticed that BOTH teams were wearing illegal headbands. The visiting team (wearing maroon jerseys) players were wearing black headbands and the home team (wearing white jerseys) players were wearing one of their school colors (not white). Both teams were uniform and looked good ... but they were not complying with the rule. We told the captains and had them take care of it.

The assistant coach of the home team, followed shortly by the head coach, came across the floor to talk to us about why their team had to remove their headbands. We cited the rule. They cited the fact that no other officials had asked them to remove their headbands. We cited the rule and said that we were asked to come to this game and enforce the rules. A few minutes later, while I'm at the scorer's table checking the books, the home team athletic director comes up to me and wants to talk about headbands. He thinks the school colors look good and he thinks it's crazy that they cannot be worn. I tell him that I personally agree with him, but that's not what the rule permits. He questions whether that is the rule and says that if that were the rule, why weren't the schools notified of the rule. I tell him that the rule is in the rule book, including the front section where rules changes are highlighted, the rule was covered at the state rules meeting (at which coaches are required to attend), the rule is on the NFHS web site, and in pre-season publications. He walks off saying that he'll look into it.

The response from home team coaches/administrators certainly was not very gracious. (The visiting team made not one peep about it.) Later in the game when a home team substitute tried to check into the game at the second horn at the conclusion of a timeout, my partner -- who was by the scorer's table -- told the substitute that she could not enter the game at that time because she needed to have checked in prior to the first horn. The home team coach told him (my partner): "Man, you guys are going to nit-pick everything tonight."

(Sigh)

[Junker]

This thread is a great example of why they should allow all that stuff or not allow any sweatbands. I posted a thread earlier about how the majority of our rules meeting this year dealt with uniforms. Aren't there more important issues that could be discussed when we have coaches and officials in a room together for the only time all season?

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Junker

This thread is a great example of why they should allow all that stuff or not allow any sweatbands. I posted a thread earlier about how the majority of our rules meeting this year dealt with uniforms. Aren't there more important issues that could be discussed when we have coaches and officials in a room together for the only time all season?

What other issues do you feel are being ignored while these are being discussed?

[Junker]

Sportsmanship, rough play, any number of things. I just see the emphasis on uniforms this year to be something minor, but then I'm not in a position to make those decisions. Our presenters spent much of our meeting with uniforms and then we talked about bigger issues, to me, like intentional fouls for a small portion of the night.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by bgtg19

We cited the rule. They cited the fact that no other officials had asked them to remove their headbands.

That's the oldest one in the book. They all say that.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

That's the oldest one in the book. They all say that.

Gee, and I thought they were only telling me that!

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by LarryS

Has anyone had to ask a player to remove a sweat band that is the wrong color? What reaction did you get from the player and/or coach?

Just curious...

I have. Every time they've say ok, and walked over to their bench and took it off. A couple of times, girls have had their hair ties on their arm during warm-ups. I just grab them and remind them they have to be in their hair or not on their arm. They just say thank you and continue warming up.

[refnrev]

Originally Posted by LarryS

Has anyone had to ask a player to remove a sweat band that is the wrong color? What reaction did you get from the player and/or coach?

Just curious...

________________________________

Yep! Several times this season. And bicep bands. No problems at all.

[refnrev]

Had a JV boy two nights ago whose shorts were actually below his butt. I told him to pull them up. He did and they slipped back down when he ran. Then I noticed him running up and down the court holding them with his left hand. They must have been old ones with shot elastic and no drawstring!